Your Story | Our Strength

The Queen Monologue is a cornerstone of the Inspiring Women virtual community. It serves as a powerful concluding segment for every meeting, designed to foster a safe and supportive space for storytelling.

A "Takeover" Moment: At the end of each session, one woman is given the floor to share her personal story, "claiming the mic" to speak her truth with vulnerability and authenticity. Empowerment Through Sharing: The initiative is built on the motto "Your Story | Our Strength," emphasizing that sharing individual experiences—including challenges, triumphs, and defining life moments—strengthens the entire collective. The next "Queen Monologue" could be yours!

 

Queen Monologue Contest Winner, Queen Steph!

Queen Monologue by: Queen Steph Capella (8/10/26)

I always imagined that when I became a mom who breastfed, I'd be surrounded by so many other moms. A huge sisterhood that I would now be an honorary member of. I thought I'd have this massive village of like-minded women who all understood exactly what I was going through. Who would always be there to offer guidance, wisdom, and love and that I could turn to at any moment. But what I ended up feeling was drastically different; I felt very alone.

After the first couple of weeks, the constant check-in texts, phone calls, and house visitors every day slowed to a crawl. The dust settled and my new big life event was now everyone else's old news. Life moved on for everyone else and they went back to their normal routines, but I was stuck trying to find my new one. 

I had read so many articles, watched every video online, and even sat through an in-person course on breastfeeding. I thought I was beyond prepared to take on this new challenge, but what I wasn't prepared for was just how lonely my breastfeeding journey would actually feel. 

I spent so many sleepless nights awake with nothing but a small nightlight on in the corner of the room to keep me company, questioning everything. If I was making enough milk, if I was doing this breastfeeding thing right, if it was always going to be this hard (and sometimes painful), or if I'd ever get a full night's sleep again. My brain was working overtime, and so were my Google searches.

Often times, I would pick my phone up to help quiet the thoughts in my head—hoping to see a "how are you," "how's the baby", or even a text to discuss one of the many reality shows I had caught up on while breastfeeding my baby, but those were all in my rearview mirror. I was now months into my breastfeeding journey and everyone else's lives had continued on or those close to me never made it this far in their breastfeeding journey.

I am now nine months postpartum. Looking back, I wish more people had continued checking on me. Told me that I was doing a great job or provided an open space to vent about all things breastfeeding—the good, the bad, and the ugly.

So that's my promise.

I promise to keep checking on the new moms in my life or even the new moms I meet along the way. Not just after the baby's born, but weeks and months later. I'm going to ask how they're doing—not just how the baby is doing. How they are—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I promise to let them know that they aren't alone in their breastfeeding journey and that they are doing a great job—no matter what their journey looks like.

Motherhood is beautiful, but it can also be incredibly lonely. So, if I can make even one breastfeeding mom feel a little less alone than I did or seen, then maybe that's how we start becoming the village I always imagined was out there.

Happy National Breastfeeding Month, Breasties!

👑 Step Into the Spotlight!

The Queen Monologue Contest! 👑

We are thrilled to announce an exciting new event for our community: the Queen Monologue Spotlight Contest! Get ready to claim the mic, share your truth, and team up with a fellow Queen for a chance to win your "Queen Trophy!"

Here is everything you need to know to play and win:

🎟️ Phase 1: Earn Points for your Team

Everyone starts the game at 0 points. To build your chances, you earn 1 point for every engagement that uplifts and adds value to our website and community!

You can earn points by:

  • Volunteering for Emcee: Guide our meetings with your leadership.

  • Conducting a Queen Monologue: Share your "Takeover" moment and speak your truth.

  • Reciting a Heartfelt Queen Toast: Many of our Queen Toasts are listed on the website, but you must recite the Queen Toast that best fits the meeting. Be Encouraging with your words.

  • Providing Inspirational Quotes: Spark motivation for your sisters.

  • Sharing a Story: Add your voice to our ongoing legacy.

👯‍♀️ Phase 2: The Partner Skit

The fun continues with a creative collaboration!

  • The Pairing: All participating Queens will be paired with a partner.

  • Team Name: Teams must come up with a "Team Name" 

  • The Challenge: Together, you and your partner will put together a skit of your choice.

  • The Showcase: Skits will be performed live in front of the group at our hybrid meeting on September 22nd.

  • The Format: Whether you are joining us virtually or in-person, the stage is yours!

🏆 Judging & Grand Prize

At the conclusion of the September 22nd meeting, we will hold a live judging session to determine our Spotlight Winners. Grand prize for both winning Queens will be a trophy which will be handed out before we adjourn! If the winners are virtual, their trophy will be mailed. 

Your Story | Our Strength. Start earning points today, and we will see you on the stage on September 22nd!

Queen Monologue Date: August 26, 2026

Story By: Queen V.

The Crown We Build Together

Ladies, look around this room. Every face you see is a walking library of hidden battles, quiet triumphs, and stories that have never been fully told. For so long, many of us were taught to believe that our strength had to be silent, that our burdens had to be carried alone, and that showing a fracture in our grace meant we were breaking. But true majesty isn’t about wearing a flawless facade; it’s about standing in the raw, messy truth of who we are, holding our heads high anyway, and knowing that our survival itself is a masterpiece.

There was a time when I thought losing my way meant losing my power. I thought that if I admitted I was tired, or scared, or unsure of the next step, the crown I was trying so hard to wear would slip. But sisterhood taught me a profound secret: we were never meant to carry the sky on our shoulders by ourselves. When one of us stumbles, it isn’t a sign of failure—it is an invitation for the queen beside her to reach out a hand and say, "I’ve got you. Lean on me until you remember how to stand."

So tomorrow, when you step back out into a world that constantly asks you to shrink, remember who you are and whose shoulders you stand upon. Take off the invisible armor you’ve been wearing just to get through the day. Let your voice be unapologetically bold, let your heart remain open, and never underestimate the glorious, unstoppable fire that ignites when resilient women decide to uplift one another. Wear your story like the royal robe it is—because your light isn't just meant to illuminate your own path, it is meant to light the way for every sister walking beside you.

Queen Monologue Date: July 30, 2026

Story by: Queen Natalie

Title: Why Shine? (From Chapter 5 of Natalie Jobity's book, It's Your Time to Shine Girl)

For a large portion of my life, I knew that I was playing small, but I didn’t know how to thrive any other way. For the longest time I was scared to shine because as a child who had felt invisible, diminished, and inherently flawed, I could not fathom the idea that I had magnificence and power.

The agency to voice my opinions and utter my point of view was not a part of my reality growing up, not merely because my own voice was silenced, but because I didn’t see it modeled in the women around me. While I had some glimpses of confident, self-assured, and emboldened women in the media—on TV and in the magazines like Essence and Cosmopolitan which I devoured every month—they were as foreign in my everyday existence as seeing a snowflake on Trinidad soil. What I saw most were women who asserted their authority by being controlling or obsequiously deferent, which I knew even at a young age, was not really authority at all.

I just wanted to fit in. The fear of rejection became one of my core limiting beliefs and it hijacked my voice making me hide my brilliance, withhold my point of view, and modify my behavior to make those around me comfortable. I suppressed my true needs and feigned self-sufficiency. I dimmed my magnificence so that I would not risk being abandoned. But that type of M.O. never works, does it? Instead, I settled into a state of mediocrity, that only shifted when I was willing to dare to embrace the truth of who I truly was.

Life would not let me play that small. In fact, life catapulted me forward and upward despite my fears. I truly had only two choices: To let my spirit die inside or to go through the painful journey of being born again from the ground up. The price of rebirth felt incredibly high. But I can say unequivocally that the reward for enduring and persevering is great. After being forced to reincarnate a few times in my life, I stand rooted and secure in the knowledge that I am enough, I am worthy, and that I am meant to shine. As a Christian, I am a daughter of a King, beloved, blameless, and uniquely a masterpiece. No one else can shine like I am meant to shine.

No one can shine like you are singularly meant to shine.

I encounter far too many women who are living like I was, with their lights dimmed.

cont...

How can we soar like eagles to the heights God uniquely designed for us, if we are imprisoned in any way, muted, or silenced and trying to complete someone else's journey?  We marvel at the beauty, grace, and exquisite delicacy of a butterfly. But trapped in its cocoon, how can it let us marvel at its magnificence? What is a flower without its bloom? Is it not a travesty of creation? If all the flowers around us refused to bloom, would we not wonder what is the point? It is the same with each of us. We must be allowed to bloom, to soar, to flutter our wings, to sing our song, or else surely a piece of our soul perishes inside.

If there is one message, I hope I convey to you through this book, it is that innately you are magnificent! Let yourself shine like the brilliant star you are friend! We need to see your reflection of the glory of God, who shows us glimmers of His glory through each one of us.

For so many years I had let other people’s opinions and judgments define me. As so much was leveled against me at a young tender age, I never developed the confidence and feelings of worth and self-esteem that most kids grow into. I had set my guidelines by other broken human beings’ yardsticks and their self-protecting narratives, rather than by the heart and spirit of who I truly was. I would learn in time that no one could write my story; no one could be the author of this narrative but God and me.

When I truly belong to and accept myself, I don’t crave others' acceptance or cringe at their rejection. When my self-esteem is solid, I am whole, good, and worthy, regardless of others’ perceptions, positive or negative. After decades of trying to fit in, to be cool, and be accepted, I can say that, often, I belong to myself. It is truly liberating! More and more, I care less and less what folks think.  

To get to this level of self-assurance, I have had to keep building my foundation on what is lasting, eternal, and true. My identity needed to be rooted in my inheritance as a beloved child of God and my inherent worthiness as a human being, with strengths and flaws. When I have honestly been able to stand secure in these truths, I am fully myself and able to shine.

I try to make it my business to speak life into other women, particularly much younger ones, who cross my path.

cont...

As scriptures say, life and death are truly in the power of the tongue—I saw this played out in my life and the lives of many women around me. Sometimes I feel silly with my affirmations, because, as I must have done so many years ago at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra event, the women I’m affirming often act like I can’t possibly be for real. But I know that if all I do is plant a little seed of worthiness, then that would be enough. Then the next time someone affirms her, the seed will be nourished a bit more until, in time, she fully blooms and celebrates her awesomeness.

As Brené Brown often says in her books and talks, we are hard-wired for connection.  I'd like to believe that an integral part of that connection is being validated, encouraged, and empowered by those around you. I believe it is as vital as proper diet and nutrition.  We need each other to grow into the best version of ourselves.  We need each other to be inspired and elevated to greater heights. We need each other for belonging, to be heard, and to speak into the deep desires of our hearts.

There is a high price to be paid for accepting invisibility and voicelessness. I meet and encounter voiceless, disempowered women in my life far too often. How I wish I could take them all in my arms and reassure them that they are indeed enough, that they have a voice that needs to be heard, a light meant to shine. Not owning our voice and using our personal power is a trap that keeps us playing small, cowering, and deferring to others. This not only hurts us but those around us who we’re meant to bless with our light.

As Marianne Williamson's famous quote says, “We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

When I wrote Frumpy to Fabulous: Flaunting It, I had come full circle, from a voice suppressed to one that rang loud, free, and true. I never could have imagined as a young girl that I could ever find the courage to let the world see me in full bloom. I couldn’t have known the brilliance that lay dormant inside of me until I was brave and secure enough in myself, to let it shine forth.

Queen Monologue Date: July 7, 2026

Story By: Queen Lee

Title: Step Into Your Village ✨

As we leave tonight, let us remember that parenting has never belonged to just one title.

Some of the greatest lessons we carry didn't come from a mother or a father. They came from an aunt who listened without judgment, a teacher who saw potential before we did, a coach who demanded more of us, a neighbor who opened their door, a mentor who offered wisdom at just the right time, or a friend who simply showed up.

It truly takes a village—and the beautiful thing is that every single one of us is a vital part of someone else's.

Whether you've raised children, helped guide nieces and nephews, mentored a colleague, encouraged a friend through a difficult season, or simply offered love, safety, and guidance when someone needed it most: you have parented. You have left permanent fingerprints on another person's life.

Because every conversation, every act of kindness, every moment of patience, and every bit of encouragement becomes an enduring part of someone else's story.

May we all leave here committed to being the kind of village we once needed—and perhaps, still need today.

Cheers Queens!

 

Queen Monologue Date: June 18, 2026

Story by: Queen Dorothy

       Dedication: In honor of Juneteenth…

Women—Black women—when we talk to Black women, Juneteenth stands up a little taller, a little straighter. Freedom remembers its purpose; history leans in to listen. And there she is. Because you are the echo of all the women who held the world together, you are the daughter of grace and courage, the niece of the inspired, the sister of innovation—you are the woman who dared to rise.

You carry liberation in your laughter, revolution in your stride, and a whole generation of feeling in the softness you refuse to apologize for. Black women, they tried to measure your worth with chains, with laws, with silence—with "not yet," "not you," and "not today." But you? You broke every timeline they tried to place upon your destiny. You turned "wait" into, "Wait—watch me!" You turned "no" into, "No, not anymore!" You turned survival into a masterpiece, and we call it Legacy.

On this Juneteenth, we don’t just celebrate freedom; we celebrate the women who carried it before us. We honor those whose names we know and those lost to time—the women who braided hope into their children’s hair, who held families together with nothing but faith, who built futures with nothing but scraps and still made them shine.

Black women, you are the victory our ancestors whispered about when the night was long and the world was cold. You are the answered prayer, the open door, the unspoken promise. You are the living, breathing reminder that freedom didn’t end in 1865—it continues every day we rise.

So today, we honor you, we celebrate you, and we thank God for you. Because, Black women, you are the freedom they dreamed we would one day seek.

Queen Monologue Date: April 21, 2026

Story by: Queen Tenise

Title: 39 Rings of Grace

Good evening, Queens.

This past Saturday, I turned 39.

Thirty-nine… a number that has whispered to me for years, because 39 was also the age my mother reached—just two months before she left this earth. She left behind two daughters: one 19 and one 11. I was the 11-year-old.

When you lose your mother that young, you don’t just lose a person; you lose a reference point. You lose the voice you imagine hearing in life’s defining moments and the embrace you expect to find when life feels heavy. Loss like that leaves questions that echo, milestones that feel tender, and a space that no title, accomplishment, or relationship can fully replace.

For years, I wondered what it would feel like to stand at this age—an age she never had the opportunity to grow beyond. But this weekend, I was reminded of Isaiah 61:3: that God gives beauty for ashes, joy for mourning, and praise instead of despair.

Because while I lost my mother, I was never left without mothering. God, in His wisdom, surrounded me with women who carried pieces of what I needed until I could carry it for myself.

  • My grandmother, now 91 years strong; a woman who endured the unthinkable loss of three of her six children, including my mother, yet still wrapped me in love, discipline, and quiet strength.
  • My aunt, who stepped in with courage and wisdom, ensuring that even in loss, I was protected and provided for.
  • An afterschool counselor with no biological children of her own, who chose to call me her goddaughter and became a steady presence when life felt uncertain.
  • A former supervisor turned dear friend, who saw promise in me when my confidence was still forming and extended grace when my resources did not match the environments I was navigating.
  • An executive leader, someone I once struggled to understand, who now speaks my name in rooms I have not yet entered.
  • Women in ministry, facilitators, and accountability partners, who remind me that healing multiplies in community and strength grows in sisterhood.
  • And the many women—friends, co-workers, aunts, and cousins—who stood in the gap for either a reason or a season, offering wisdom, encouragement, protection, and presence exactly when it was needed.

Each woman is a thread. Each moment is a stitch. Together, they form a covering I did not know I was being wrapped in. Like the rings of a tree, each year of life forms another layer, shaped by seasons of growth, stretching, pruning, and endurance.

Thirty-nine rings. Thirty-nine reminders. Thirty-nine years of being kept, carried, and called forward.

Today, I stand 39 years old: a wife, a mother to two beautiful children (ages 6 and 16), a professional, a disciple, and a woman still becoming.

My foundation is rooted in faith and obedience. My purpose is to encourage, equip, and uplift others through wisdom shaped by both joy and adversity. My mission is to live authentically, lead courageously, and create spaces where others feel seen, supported, and strengthened. My ministry is to offer my life as evidence that even in loss, God restores, God provides, and God surrounds us with exactly who we need, when we need them.

In this season of my life, I am being strengthened through pressure and refined for greater purpose. I am not defined by what I lost; I am strengthened by what I have been given.

Thirty-nine rings of grace.

Queen Monologue Date: May 7, 2026

Story by: Queen Sherry

Dedication: Queens Mother’s Day Message

Love in its Purest Form

Mother’s Day is more than a celebration of biology—it is a celebration of love in its purest, most selfless form.

To the women who have carried life, nurtured life, guided life—your hands reflect the very heart of God. Your love is a living testimony of grace, patience, and sacrifice.

To those who mother children they did not birth—through adoption, mentorship, teaching, or simply showing up with unwavering love— you embody the truth that motherhood is not defined by blood, but by the spirit of compassion God places within you.

To those whose mothers now rest in Heaven—may you feel God’s gentle embrace today. The love your mother gave you was never meant to end; it lives on in who you are, in the kindness you show, and in the strength you carry. “Her children rise up and call her blessed” (Proverbs 31:28).

And to those who carry quiet aches today—those longing to be mothers, those grieving, those remembering—know that God sees every tear and holds every hope. His love meets you right where you are.

Motherhood, in all its forms, is a reflection of divine love—patient, enduring, and full of grace. Today, we honor every woman who nurtures, uplifts, and loves like Him.

Happy Mother’s Day!

References:

- Text generated by ChatGPT, May 4, 2026, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com.

- Inspired by Proverbs 31:28–31

Queen Monologue Date: May 21, 2026

Story by: Queen Victoria

Title: The Magnificent Truth

I’m not quite sure how it happened, but I met an amazing woman the other day.

Why was she so amazing? She looked at me—a total stranger—and simply said, "I don't know you, but I just want to let you know: you are magnificent."

Perplexed, I retorted, "What makes me so magnificent?"

She didn't miss a beat. "Well, I don't know your story, but I’m guessing you’ve been through some struggles, some challenges, and some heartaches in your life... am I right?"

I chuckled and looked down, staring at the ground for a moment. I thought about the hurdles I’ve cleared and the heartaches I’ve carried. When I looked back up at her, I asked, "Wait—how did you know that?"

"Because you’re a woman," she said. "As women, I believe we all face those scenarios. Yet, here we are, still standing. And for the ones who aren't standing yet? We hope they find their way through, because that is simply what women do."

We began to talk about the things that make women so unique, so fierce, and so magnificent. We spoke about how we are the givers of life and possess an elastic resilience—the proven ability to bend without breaking and to rebuild even stronger after a storm.

We discussed our high emotional intelligence. It’s more than just "feelings"; it is a high-level skill in empathy and intuition that allows for sophisticated communication and the ability to build bridges where others see only walls.

We agreed that women are the "social glue." We possess the vision to create community and interconnectedness, always seeing the value in the collective and ensuring no one is left behind.

Then there is our intuitive adaptability—that mental agility required to manage the "mental load." It’s a massive capacity for real-time problem solving. Whether you’re at home or leading a team at work, women are often the first to see the solution and map out the plan from start to finish. We’re damn good at it!

Finally, we talked about that "lioness energy." Whether it’s for our children, our businesses, or social justice, a woman is fierce in what she believes in.

Before we went our separate ways, we both agreed: all women are magnificent, all women are fierce, and all women rule their world in their own special way. I never got her name, and she never got mine, but there was a profound mutual respect. We recognized that we both possessed the one quality all women share.

Can you guess what it is?

We are ALL Queens!

Share Your Journey, Empower Others...

We invite you to share your story with the Inspiring Women community. Your experiences, challenges, and triumphs can profoundly impact someone navigating a similar situation. When you send us your story, we will read it to the women who share our virtual space, with your permission, offering a platform for shared perspectives and supportive words. You can submit your story anonymously, or sign with a clever name to protect your identity. We truly want to hear from you – your voice matters!

Find Comfort in Community

When you share your story within the sanctity of our ZOOM meeting, it will be read to an inclusive group of women ready to offer their perspectives and insights. This collective wisdom can be incredibly helpful as you navigate through your situation, providing new viewpoints and heartfelt encouragement. Our unique group of women fosters a safe, virtual environment where we connect, offer empathy, and build each other up. If you're willing to "Share Your Story," this helps create a tapestry of shared experiences, proving that no one walks alone.

Let Us Help You Connect

Please share your "Queen Monologue" with us. If you've attended a virtual meeting or if you missed one, we'd love to have your queen monologue added to our website. Use the boxes below to submit. We can't wait to see it.