Hello, my name is Bryah Odom! I am a second-year student here at Cal intending to major in English and Media Studies. I am not a part of the Cal DEIBJ Office, but I would like to thank office member Jasmine Turner for giving me this opportunity to share what Women's History Month means to me. 
 
I am very honored to be writing this blog for Cal DEIBJ and I am even more excited to kick off Women's History Month! As I think about women's history, I am reminded of the resiliency of the many women who have come before me. Whether recognized historically or recognized simply as our beloved mothers, sisters, and friends, I am sincerely inspired by our capacity for fortitude. Despite the odds, women continue to push boundaries, repeatedly paving the way for greatness to come. To me, being a woman means to be capable in every sense of the word. Here at Berkeley, I am truly grateful to be surrounded by incredible women of all backgrounds constantly reminding me that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to—providing great examples of what it means to be divinely feminine. 

One of the ways I feel empowered as a woman is through dance. I am currently a member of The Bearettes Drill Team here at Berkeley, which is a student-run majorette dance team on campus. Majorette is a style of dance deeply connected to Black culture. Historically, expressions of dance by Black women are often sexualized before being seen as art. Being on the Bearettes has taught me to be comfortable in my creative expression, allowing me to explore my femininity through dance in a way that feels empowering rather than objectifying. 
 
Being on a female-dominated team already has its challenges, but the dynamic of respect plays out differently when being a part of a predominantly Black female team. Oftentimes Cal students do not respect us as much as they do our counterparts on cheer or dance, although we all fall into the same bracket of Cal spirit. While our team prides itself in instilling confidence and encouragement for women of all backgrounds, it is hard to give back to our school community in the spirit of our values when we are not met with equal support. Nonetheless, the good outweighs the bad as we still receive endless amounts of support from countless women in other organizations. The admiration earned from other women encourages me to keep going and to continue dancing in hopes of inspiring others. 
 
Once again, thank you for allowing me to share my experiences! Happy Women's History Month and Go Bears!
 
Bryah Odom is a dancing member and co-secretary of the Bearettes Drill Team at Cal.