Freedom: An Interview with danielle Simmons

Freedom: An Interview with Danielle Simmons

Today we are talking about freedom. Freedom to be you, unapologetic, unashamed, unaverage, freedom. Freedom from your past hurts, freedom from living in the box of what others say you are or can do or be. Freedom to be the woman you were meant to be.

We are here with Danielle Simmons who is the creator of Freedom Week. I have had the pleasure of knowing her for a little over seven years. She is a Christian who promotes social justice and is a female empowerment leader. I am so excited to have her here today because she is a great example of promoting being the best you and someone who saw a need and stepped in to address it.

Question 1: Can you tell everyone a little bit about your yourself?

I was born and raised in the church (Seventh-day Adventist denomination). For a lot of my youth I accepted what I was taught as fact. It wasn’t until I got older and started realizing that there were incongruities particularly as it applied to myself as a woman. It began as a quest to figure this thing out, working through my own traumas, my own mistakes, things I figured out on the back end when it was too late…that was my journey. Then realizing that there was a world of women who were on the same journey. Maybe if we started to talk about it, we can help each other and shorten the learning curve.

Question 2: Who are your biggest influences? Who do you admire most? Who or what inspired you to do what you do?

My mother. She was my first example of strength, leadership, hard work, quiet determination. If I can be half the woman she was, I would be a success. Lisa Nichols – her story of perseverance, transformation, grit, and how a single woman owning her story and standing in her truth can make such a global impact. Then when it comes to love, Lisa Bonet – Her story of being authentically who you are even if it doesn’t fit into the status quo. Of being willing to try again in love. Picking yourself up and creating something beautiful out of what looks like ashes.

Question 3: What is your favorite scripture? Quote? Why?

Right now, it is 1 Thessalonians 5:25. Brethren pray for us (laughing). There is so much going on right now, we need any and every prayer to get through. There is a quote by G.K. Chesterton, I will give you the gist of it. He says there is a hope that does belong to bright days and sunshine, but the true essence of hope isn’t really revealed except in darkness and eclipse. It ends by saying that it is exactly the moment that hope ceases to be practical that it begins to be useful. I love this quote because it’s that reminder that you need hope when it seems the most ridiculous to be hopeful. Hope is all about believing that things can get better, that the sun will come out again, that somehow, we will overcome, and that is necessary the most when things are the darkest.

Question 4: What do you find are women’s biggest stumbling blocks/challenges and what are the best ways you’ve found to overcome them?

I would say our biggest stumbling block is our lack of community among the sisterhood. I firmly believe there are issues with patriarchy, misogyny, racism, those are legitimate issues. However, I genuinely believe if we as women would coalesce as a sisterhood there is nothing that would stand in our way. Women cannot be manipulated by men when they have other sisters around them telling them the truth. Women can empower each other and build each other up in business, in relationships, in economics, in all areas. If women talked to each other, shared with each other, trusted each other, there is not that would stand in our way. Stuff like what we are doing with Freedom Week is how we overcome. Having transparency with each other is how we will build this community. When you get through a door, hold it open for the next sister. Stop viewing each other as competition. Each sister amplifies the pot.

Question 5: What is the best advice you ever received?

When I was in college, I was sitting in a breezeway with a friend and there was a soda man restocking the nearby machine. He overheard our conversation, paused, and asked us if we knew what the big picture was. He said the big picture is a clock because everything in life is a matter of timing. It has stayed with me when I get frustrated that things aren’t gong at the pace I want. I remind myself that I don’t know where I am on the clock. Everything happens at the time that it is meant to happen.

Question 6: What does it mean to be an Unaverage Woman for you?

The Unaverage woman is the woman who is unapologetic and authentically herself. She says I want something different. To speak my truth, to have my voice, whatever that looks like.

Question 7: A lot of people talk about the problems and complain. What made you decide to act and create a platform for women?

It started organically. A post I wrote about the lies that women have been told from the church and how it has traumatized our lives went viral. Stories came pouring in from women and I realized someone needed to speak to this, to help all these women find a way to heal. It is one thing to realize you have been lied to, it is something else to pull that lie out of your subconscious and replace it with the truth. That is a journey! It started with a conversation to talk about the lies, and I realized we needed more than just that. We needed a community, a tribe, and I started calling people.

Question 8: Can you describe the idea/concept behind Freedom Week? What topics will be covered during the week?

Freedom week is a weeklong online event that is a celebration of freedom in Christ for women. It is interfaith, intercultural, and we have speakers from all over the world. It was designed to speak to all the experiences and issues we have as women. We are talking about identity, body issues, sexuality, leadership – what it means to be a leader even if you are not affirmed, and many more topics. Each day has a theme: Leadership, body issues, sex, strength, curveballs, healing, and closing with living free in Christ (rest, disability, and the wait being worth it).

Question 9: What do you want people to walk away with after attending Freedom Week?

I want women to walk away knowing you are not alone. Whatever you are experiencing there is a sister who has been in your shoes. You are not crazy! And that there is better available. There is better in love, there is better in life, there is better in Christ. There is freedom. There is life. There is wholeness. Every breakthrough will not happen at once but I want women to realize it is possible and start the journey toward it.

Question 10: What’s next for you?

For me personally, to continue to advocate and build for women. We are talking about how to make the same thing we have created for grown women and to make it accessible to teens and pre-teens. How much better would it be to help our young sisters not to go through being broken. Changing the culture of the church so we never see women not included in programming and see a flyer with no women on it. There is a necessity for the feminine voice in our churches and the world.

Question 11: What do you want your legacy to be?  How do you want to be remembered?

I would want my legacy to be love. There is a quote that says people will not remember what you did or said, but how you made them feel. I want people (not just women) to know that someone in the world cared about them and fought to make a difference for them. I would like to be a bridge maker, so when people look back, they know they would not have met someone or had an experience because of this person…that something, I have done, said, or created has made the platform for the next person who will carry on the work.

Question 12: What advice would you give to a young Christian woman struggling to be herself and navigate in a male dominated world? A woman who is older and feels she has messed up or has been hurt in life?

(To the young woman) I think it was Eric Thomas who said greatness leaves clues. Anything you want to do, be, or place you want to go, someone has done it. I would say get a book about someone who has done what you want to do. Go on YouTube, listen to podcasts. Use them as your mentors to help you chart a path forward. Also, find your spiritual core.

(To the older woman) Get therapy. We don’t do this much in the black community, but there are people out there who are trained to help you sort it out. No shame! Find sisterhood. Other women who can stand by you, hold you up, affirm you. Get moving. It is easy to get depressed and anxious in a small space. Go outside. Do something that is going to help your body rebalance. Get therapy. Get community. Get moving!

Closing: I have enjoyed having you hear today, and I cannot wait to attend Freedom Week. If you would like to attend, go to this link and learn more. The event starts on September 27^th at 7pm central standard time: https://www.facebook.com/events/339772197382639/

Takeaway 1: We must build back the community of the sisterhood. Community is vital. The solution is not going to be found outside of us. No one is going to give us what we are looking for, we must build it.

Takeaway 2: Better is available. There is better in love, there is better in life, there is better in Christ. There is freedom.