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In a follow up to the inaugural GRL PWR Series event, Tumi Voster hosted the second installment of her GRL PWR Series last weekend. Themed "Implementing your success in 2019", the event was received well by attendees as Tumi candidly expressed that "the pressure was on," but she did not disappoint.
In a media statement, Tumi shared the reasons behind GRL PWR Series' inception and continued relevance, saying “the only way women can own their power is if they truly understand who they are! I want to use this platform to help women break free from stereotypes, to redefine who they are as modern women by providing them with safe spaces and engagement platforms to help them be empowered and confident young woman able to face challenges head on"
So now that the dust has settled and the event received well all around, we hear from the brains behind this women-oriented project.
In an enlightening conversation with Tumi Voster, this is what W24 learnt from the 29-year-old about success, women for women projects, and creating safe spaces:
The definition of success
Success is subjective - we all define it according to our personal journeys and goals. For some, it's defined from a career perspective of achieving milestones, and for others, it's about good doses of personal happiness.
Both - and all - are valid, and this is a sentiment echoed in Tumi's response about how she defines success as she says "success is finding purpose - when all the dots finally connect and you see your vision growing automatically".
Finding purpose
Expanding on the above point, the TV personality continues to respond in an impassioned tone, saying "your purpose has to be bigger than yourself".
She adds that anything with longevity is built on a solid foundation and "doesn't happen overnight".
"Ask yourself - am I just doing it for the sake of doing it?" she says, advising that we all need to spend a lot of time with ourselves.
Lessons learnt
One might ask how anyone in their twenties can possess this kind of wisdom, and the answer is that the kind of 20-something who surrounds herself with like-minded people, while also not compromising their individuality.
As a result, Tumi says every woman she has met has imparted wisdom to her in some form or another. Most importantly, one of the key lessons she's learnt is that in order to be a beautiful vessel, you have to embrace your fears.
Connecting women
Speaking of which, it seems that Miss Voster is an example of what people mean when they say "blessed to be a blessing," passing the baton from women she admires to those who admire her.
She says she's always had a passion for connecting women, having hosted a series of dialogues for women called Pink Thursdays when she was a student at the University of Johannesburg.
She therefore stresses the importance of creating safe spaces where we can share commonalities as young black South African women. This is something Tumi plans to continue doing through GRL PWR by means of mentorship programmes and expanding access to the network.
We need more real stories
As a concluding question to our conversation, I asked Tumi what she'd like to see more of from women in such empowerment networks.
Without hesitation, she said "I'd like to see more authenticity."
"More mask-off [moments] and vulnerability," she adds, saying that we need less glorified versions of success and just an overall sense of more rawness - "come as you are," she concludes.
Taking the ethos of the event to heart, all future events of the GRL PWR Series will be produced by the newly formed GRL PWR Production Agency. In doing so, Tumi aims to empower more women through the agency and building a legacy for herself.
Follow the GRL PWR Series
Facebook: /GRL PWR Series
Twitter: @GRLPWRSeries
Instagram: @grlpwrseries
Images: Supplied
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