06/25/2026
Chiya Talk: Women Who Shape Generations
By BCCPA Pathway to Hope × Bhalakushari
This session brought together 15+ community members, mostly women, for an honest conversation about identity beyond the traditional roles women are often expected to embody…like that of a mother, daughter, daughter-in-law, wife, or even goddess.
Together, we explored the question: Who are you beyond the labels?
We began by asking participants, “What did you want to be when you grew up?” We invited women to reconnect with their childhood dreams, ambitions, and the parts of themselves that often become overshadowed by the responsibilities they carry throughout life.
The conversation then explored the relationships that shape a woman’s identity. Participants reflected on their roles discussing their connections with partners, children, parents, and society. We discussed how these relationships can both nurture and sometimes distance from a sense of self.
To close, we invited each participant to imagine themselves as a flower. Responses from a few participants:
1. “I am a rose, because despite the worldly layers around me trying to put me down, I am still a beautiful human being.”
2. “I am a white rose, because I am pure no matter what others say about me.”
The session ended with a collective art activity. Each woman dipped her hand in paint, pressed it onto a shared canvas, and signed her own name beside her handprint to stand as symbols of individuality, affirming that before she is anyone’s mother, daughter, wife, or caregiver, she is her own person.
Thank you for joining us. We look forward to having you at the next Chiya Talk: The Things We Don’t Say (High School Edition). Informational flyer out soon.
