The Diva team is happy to announce the winner of our #DivaDifference campaign! Amanda is an outstanding woman dedicated to encouraging young adults to pursue their goals. She is a passionate community leader, mother and teacher who embodies the characteristics of a true Diva!
I’m Amanda Harris, a 23-year-old wife, mother, and student. I have had an adventurous 23 years of life; this year has been the most pivotal and the most representative of how I am making a #DivaDifference and plan to continue to do so for many more years.
The parts of my life that I think exemplify this are my pursuit of a Masters of Arts in Teaching, my journey of adopting my son, and steadily being active in volunteering within my community.
I have been a proud DivaCup user for 15 months now, and can’t help but contemplate how my journey with the DivaCup has empowered me this past year as a woman and an influential person within my family and community.
I graduated from Arkansas State University in 2014 with a B.S.E in Psychology. My original plan was to work in the Industrial Organizational field pending the completion of a Master’s program. However, upon graduation I stayed at the same job – bookkeeping for a local farmer. I stayed because it was comfortable, the pay was satisfactory, and I truly enjoyed the people I worked for and with. However, my passion wasn’t fulfilled and I always yearned for a career that I directly benefited the community.
I started using the DivaCup and went through an empowerment journey that I wish I had experienced upon my entrance to womanhood many years ago. I explored my anatomy, gained confidence in my body, and learned to take control and understand my menstrual options. I overcame the stigma of menstruation and helped normalize the conversation with my friends and family.
My Diva journey inspired me to start mentoring young girls, to make a difference sooner in the lives of young women. Too many things in society place unrealistic expectations on young women regarding their image, body, and behaviors. I aim to help young women realize they are beautiful the way they are and to set their own standards for themselves by empowering them with the ability to make their own decisions. As I began to think about how to make the biggest impact on young lives, I realized where I needed to be – in schools.
After doing a six-month volunteer sabbatical with my husband, my passions came to fruition. I volunteered 40 hours a week at a local non-profit where my job responsibilities included coordinating a mentoring program and daily tutoring at after school sessions. I learned three very important things from this experience. I discovered that community involvement/volunteering would always be a regular part of my life, time with family was invaluable, and that my husband and I wished to pursue adoption.
I had met a sweet foster child during this time and got insight into the immense need for more foster and adoptive parents within the United States as well as the need for good educators. I’m so thrilled to say that as of July 31st I am now a mom to a wonderful 7-year-old little boy and a graduate student pursuing a teaching degree.
As of last week, I have started my journey towards a Masters of Arts in Teaching. I plan to make a lasting #DivaDifference by empowering the young adults of our community from the classroom. I also volunteer regularly with my husband and son at our local soup kitchen as our way of giving back to the community. This #DivaDifference award would help substantially with my school costs and help me to continually focus and work towards being the best model of a mother, teacher, and community leader.
Congratulations again to Amanda!
We at Diva International Inc. are wishing you much success in the future!
