Yesterday I marched with an estimated 80,000 people in the Women's March London, joined by hundred's of thousands of others in 70 countries around the globe. I find something simultaneously calming and empowering about peacefully marching against racism, sexism, homophobia, inequality, and religious intolerance. This is a collection of my favourite pictures from around the globe from the protests, I hope you enjoy and are inspired as well.
My own photograph standing in Trafalgar Square 21 January 2017
My personal favourite sign I saw today. Photo Dan Kitwood / Getty Images
Proud to see this from my home state, Nashville TN. Photo Andrew Nelles/The Tennessean
Another beautiful shot from Tennessee. Photo T. Wilson.
The amount of diversity and voices lifted up today is inspiring, change is for all. Source Unknown.
This woman may be my hero, amazing. Source Unknown.
Some of the most hilarious and amazing signs out in full force. Source Unknown.
New York City, Source Unknown
Even protests in Antartica and I'm living for it. Photo @lindazunas
I absolutely love seeing visibility for those with disabilities, let's work to normalise not stigmatise. Source Unknown.
Source Unknown.
One of my friends protesting in my hometown, her dance moves are contagious. Photo Paris Woodhull.
Build Bridges, Not Walls. Source Unknown.
Another bridge in London #BuildBridgesNotWalls. Source Unknown.
One of my Internet friend's marching in her hometown. Photo @sophiamarsh.
Brilliant throwback, I saw many of these signs out today. Source Unknown.
Source Unknown
If you made it all the way to the end, I hope you enjoyed this collection. While it may seem that things are snowballing downhill fast, it's easy to see the passion and commitment of so many around the globe. We have work to do, and I don't know about you, but I'm ready to get to it.
Those of you who know me will know that I love Christmas. I love everything about Christmas, from the sappy music, the big tree filled with ornaments, to the lights on every street corner. Christmas in my family is a huge deal, filled with traditions and memories which make every year feel like a beautiful snapshot in time.
Family pictures with Santa are always a must
This year will be my first year away from home during Christmas in my entire 23 years of existence because I'm staying in London during the holidays. It's not been easy to realise that I won't spend Christmas eve frantically wrapping presents with my mom while we watch Christmas Vacation. I won't be reading Twas the Night Before Christmas to my younger brothers. I won't wake up Christmas morning to a full stocking, excited gift opening, and an epic Christmas breakfast.
I guess it all comes back to my family. I'm really close to my family- I always have been. I know a lot of people my age don't really get along with their parents or feel obligated to spend some time with them at Chrismas, but for me it's the exact opposite. It's a weird day if I haven't talked to my mom at least once; even if it's just a simple text and not a Facetime or sitting down for dinner. I talk to my family about every detail of my life, they give me advice and support me, and Christmas is an amalgamation of how close we are and all the traditions we've built for each other.
Christmas has also taken on a special meaning for me since my dad passed away three years ago. My dad loved Christmas, and he was just as much part of all of these traditions as my mom and brothers. Traditions we built together as a family before he got sick, and traditions we honour him through by continuing on. It feels weird to not be celebrating the way I always did with my dad, the way we always did as a family. I remember one Christmas he actually used white cleaning powder along the bottom of his work boots and walked around our living room from the fireplace so it looked like Santa had been walking around. I remember driving up to Gatlinburg every year and singing The 12 Days of Christmas on repeat until we could do the entire song without messing up. I'll never forget the year he bought himself the 50th Anniversary Edition Monopoly board, one of the only times I remember my parents buying something for themselves. We still use that board every time we play.
On the other hand, this feels like it's part of growing up. I know that I'm reaching an age where it's normal to branch out and do my own thing and that it doesn't mean I love my family any less. I recently had a thought where I realised that my own mom used to spend every Christmas morning with my grandparents, but she's obviously spent it with us since I can remember. It's a normal part of becoming an adult- branching out from your parents. No one ever tells you that how hard that is though. When you're in school, all you can think about is getting away from your parents and living your own life, but as soon as you move out and have a job and bills and relationships all on your own, you can start to miss all the things that are comfortable to you. Everyone tells you it's hard to be a grown up, but I guess I didn't listen. On some level, I'm not ready to let go of some things, and Christmas is definitely one of those comfortable traditions that I'm clinging onto.
As much as I hate being away from my family, I realise there are new traditions I can build for myself. My life is my own to make of it what I want, so I'm going to try my damnedest to make it interesting. I think some traditions I'm incorporating here in London include- Christmas crackers (which we don't have in America, but I love the paper crowns), drinking mulled wine and walking around the fair, and buying myself a few choice presents just because I can. I've also built myself the ultimate Christmas Jams playlist on Spotify, and I love riding on buses and listening to it while I look out at all the lights on the London streets.
Making this Christmas fun with matching PJ's
I knew Christmas was going to be hard this year without my family, but I never expected myself to be so caught up in the traditions I'm missing out on. I'm excited about my future, and I know that as I grow older I'll build some of my own traditions, but for right now I'm going to reminisce about our past Christmases and cherish the years I have left in the comfort of my traditions.
Since I am in London for Christmas, I've made a vlog of some of the Christmasy things I've done in the city. Click below to watch, and have Happy Holidays!
Those of you who know me will know of my constant adoration for London and deep desire to live there. I had wanted to live in London since I could remember, and last summer my dream finally came true - I was able to live there for five months! After living in a city and understanding city life, I decided London is a place where I am happy and thrive, so I've been working ever since to go back. I'm so excited to announce that I'll be moving back to London this fall to work on my master's degree!
I'll be living in London for about a year and a half for school, and by the end of it will have a post-graduate degree in Marketing and Brand Management - hopefully by the end of it I'll have a job, too, so fingers crossed! Additionally, I have taken a volunteer position with Sparks Charity, who I worked with last year. Sparks made my time in London last year so worth while, and they helped me discover the career I want to pursue, so I'm happy to work with them again.
Me and my roommate Hayley
I'm not really sure where I'm going to be living yet -terrifying, I know- but I do know I'll be living with my friend and fellow YouTuber, Hayley Harp. I feel like we're going to be those YouTubers who live together and are up 'til 3 AM filming something. Our neighbors will think we're crazy, but I'm really excited to finally live with someone who shares this crazy hobby with me, and I think it'll make the transition back to London easier.
In the same sense some people have thought,"making YouTube videos can't be that hard", I've also had one or two people think moving to England is easy. Let me tell you, it's a lot easier said than done! In the past month I've sold my car, sub-let my apartment, applied for a visa, and moved all my stuff into storage. It's been a hectic month, and I still have so much to do, but it's pushed me to be organized and take each day as it comes. It's a happy stressed that I think is healthy.
I have so much planned for when I get there - I feel like my life is in limbo just waiting to re-start when I get to London. I'm planning on attending the London-based YouTube convention Summer in the City the day after I arrive, where I'll see friends I haven't seen in almost a year. I've already resigned myself to not sleeping on the plane because the jet-lag is going to kill me. I'm also part of an amazing group known as London Small YouTubers, and I'm so ready to throw myself back into it and hang out other creators. I've also bought tickets to Leeds Festival, which will be the first festival I've ever attended, so hopefully I won't sprain my ankle or lose all my stuff.
Honestly, I can't wait to start this adventure; I know that I'm going to love being back in London. Everyone asks me if I'm excited to be going back, and while I am excited about the people I'm going to see and the opportunities I'm going to have, it just feels to me like I'm going home.
If you want to see me talking about some quirky things I've packed to make the trek to London, check out my video:
