More kindness, less judgment. The power of sisterhood.

left to right: Yuki, Jordan, Zuza, Nikki

How long is six months? It can fly by before you know it, or it can stem with valuable life lessons and meaningful relationships. Six months is how old my blog is and I've already experienced the latter. I’ve met women from different walks of life and across cultures. I’ve noticed that sometimes we have misconceptions and assumptions about one another because we don't talk enough. I decided to use the Women’s History Month as a perfect occasion to gather a group of inspiring, diverse women in a cozy Bushwick studio to share some love and good vibes.

Let me introduce you to our dope squad! We had eight amazing queens in front of the camera and one behind it! (See what I did there? LOL) We were happy to vibe with Yuki and Zuza, who work their fine asses off in gastronomy, serving us food, making sure we feel comfortable, and numbing our pains with booze. It was also a pleasure to vibe with Vanessa and Kasia, who work in health care helping patients to walk through various procedures and occasionally hold their hands for emotional support. We got inspired by Nikki and Jordan, who have amazing vocals, artistic souls, and queens' energy. Last, but not least we had Lily, who teaches the young generation how to be kind and, Kendra, who works for a non-profit organization helping low income people with their everyday struggles. Oh! and there was me, Anja, squatting, planking, and jumpin’ jacking with the camera, not to miss out on anything that was going on.

We had so much fun together! Except from taking shots, we broke some organic bread made by Kasia and dipped it in Yuki's fancy-ass burrata cheese. We also shared some delicious Prosecco, brought by Lily and twerked to queen Bey, cuz that's what divas do! I love female gatherings, you'll never leave hungry, sober or sad! LOL!

Shooting women gives me a medium to express how I see them, which is as fierce, inspiring, and beautiful in their own unique way. One of the most silly things I keep getting from women I shoot is that they were ordinary and I made them look like queens. Guess what! You are queens! You just need to start looking at yourself differently.. and don't get me wrong, I'm saying this as much to myself as to any other woman. We forget our value too often, being too much concerned with opinions and needs of everyone around. Let's celebrate our awesomeness on Women's History Month and whole year long. We may not share the same reality or struggles, we may not have the same (if any) choices, but we can start conversations from a place of love and appreciation. Let's treat ourselves and one another better by replacing judgement with kindness.

I use my blog to skip the small talk and have an excuse for a deeper conversation. It didn't take long for me to discover that most of us want to talk and be listened to, we just need a little pretext to do so. I have a tradition of asking the women I shoot a few questions. Since this time there was more of us, I asked all gathered just one. Please see what were their responses.

AsW: How can we support each other better as women?

NIKKI: Women can support each other better by first listening to each other, then responding from a place of compassion. We can remove our personal thoughts from the situation and try to live in their shoes for the moment to get a better understanding of their position.

KENDRA: the best way to support each other is to learn to accept one another for who we are, and not look at our differences as roadblocks, but contributions to our uniqueness.

ZUZA: We should do more activities together, celebrate small things and show each other how strong we are, literally and metaphorically. We should share our passions with each other.

LILY: Kindness goes a long way. Sometimes we’re so invested in our problems, stress, and daily life, we forget to simply be kind to one another. It doesn’t take much to be kind; a smile, words of empowerment or any act of kindness is enough to make someone feel better. That’s my #1 rule in the class room. If 3-year olds can do it, we should too!

VANESSA: Be open minded, understanding, and most importantly do not judge because not everyone will experience life the same. Especially us, women, in a male-dominated environment. We have to listen to each other.

YUKI: We should give each other a hug or at least a smile, even if we’re strangers!

KASIA: Women in a group are stronger. We shouldn’t be quick to judge, but should help each other be stronger and independent. If we see another woman failing, we should give her a helping hand and lift her up. We should hold our heads up, cuz we’re queens!

JORDAN: We can support each other by being involved in one another’s businesses ventures. Women support Women!

PS.

Dear Women,

Thank you so much for being there and participating in this special project! I appreciate you all. When I decided to do it, I knew it wouldn't be an easy task to bring so many unique personalities and energies into one place and to try doing something creative. It was so dope to see the sisterhood kicking in so quickly! You were fixing each other's crowns before I knew it. Yuki! Thank you for being.. Yuki. It was the best decision to put you in the center for the first shots. You broke all the ice there was to break, hugging and petting everyone around you. It wouldn't be the same experience without you! Kendra, thank you for your calm and friendly face whenever I felt like I was a mess. Also, thank you for the great energy you shared with Yuki. Lily, thank you for the constant smile on your face and tones of kindness for the ones around you. It couldn't go unnoticed. Nikki, thank you for making the time and driving so far to meet us. You gave so much positive energy and modeled like a pro. Thanks for being so diligent with the reflector too! Jordan, thank you for jumping in and killing it right off the bat. You're a natural, it's a pleasure to shoot you! Vanessa, your calm, positive energy and lots of deserved self-cofidence made my work so much easier! I had such a great time with you in front of my camera. Last, but not least, Kasia and Zuza, my Polish queens, I can't thank you enough for all your technical and emotional support and unwinding with me after the shoot. It was a pressure to vibe with all of you!! See ya!

With love,

Anja

Oh! I almost forgot! Can you imagine we had four March birthday girls in da house?! Whaa?! Kasia, Lily, Nikki, Kendra, I wish you all the best! Lots of love, laughter, and great people around you!

left to right: ok! you know their names already!! ;)

Unexpected, my favorite!