This poetry book is a huge collaboration and a living work with incredible women from all over the world meant to encourage and inspire anyone who reads it- to just- NOT GIVE UP. For this women empowerment project, I reached out to women who I thought were inspiring and asked them to submit a photo of themselves and a story about something traumatic they have overcome in their lifetime. I used their photo for the book and I turned their story into the inspiration behind the poem written next to their photo. I hope that with each poem I can inspire the women they are written for, and so many more women who might be going through something similar. You see, I always felt like I was a victim growing up. I had a really hard childhood and I had to learn to grow up early. My mother abandoned us, my father did his best but lived pay check to pay check and I just always felt so sorry for myself. One day my Bub (grandmother), sat me down and explained to me that everyone has their own story. She really broke it down to me and told me that everyone has things that they go through and grow through in their lives in order to become the person that they are meant to be. She taught me empathy. To instill it, she decided to take me to the library to read some really inspiring stories so that I didn't feel so alone. The first book I took out was a book about the life of Maya Angelou. Her story inspired me to start writing and truly helped me to become the strong person I am today. Quotes, poetry, and lyrics have always carried me through my darkest days and I do hope that with this book, we can inspire you to become a survivor instead of a victim like my Grandmother and Maya Angelou did for me. Visit us online at GirlDontGiveUp.com to submit a photo of yourself and your story to be featured in an upcoming edition of this living work.