Take a Stand, Make a Splash 2017
- cocosandswimwear
- Jul 25, 2017
- 3 min read
When it comes to events, we usually participate in fashion oriented ones due to the nature of our business, like DC Swim Week. This time we got the opportunity to be a part of something different. A cause that is an on-going battle to some and a concern of great magnitude. We joined in partnership with Becky's Fund in celebration of their third annual event. Becky's Fund works to bring to light and end the dangerous cycle of domestic violence with people of all ages and backgrounds.
It started as a hot afternoon in humid Washington, DC. Despite the humidity, it didn't rain which was huge since the event was held at the Penthouse Pool Club, which I love! We got there with enough time to set up our pop-up store and help with anything needed for the event. We were beyond excited to be able to join this event. The models were BEAUTIFUL! They brought our bikinis to life with their look, confidence, and the courage it took to walk in front of a huge crowd. Every single one of these ladies absolutely rocked the runway! They were flirty, fun, confident and the most beautiful part was seeing their personalities shine through in just a short period of time.
After the runway and a million pictures and videos, there was a period of time dedicated for speakers to share their testimonies. This is when everything changed for me. One of the speakers was a friend of mine, who I had not seen in over 10 years. She reached out to me and asked if she could help in any way since she is a survivor; I immediately thought of a short speech and set it up with the organizer not realizing she never asked to speak. I quickly got back to her with a positive answer and she seemed thrilled to join in. At the event she came up to me to thank me, since this would be the first time she would share her story in public. She mentioned she had been waiting for this moment and the way things happened just gave her the feeling that this was it; she was ready to tell others about her experience, overcoming it, and help in any way possible. Her testimony was tough to listen to yet incredibly powerful. One of the lines that shocked me was when she said "the hardest part is when the abuse comes with words like I love you". This can happen to anyone. It could be the person next to you that's going through a similar experience with someone that is close to them. It could be a friend of mine, someone in my family. The thought of this gave me chills, that only intensified as the second speaker stood up and started to speak. It was impossible not to get emotional while listening to this beautiful, strong woman's story. It was amazing to see her walking, speaking, and seeing a transformation that took years to overcome to get to the point where she is now. It is heartbreaking knowing she almost lost her life to this, yet the woman she is now is only someone to admire. As the speeches ended, I noticed some ladies crying on a corner. Emotions were high but their speeches were inspiring and powerful.
I have no idea what it takes to go from a victim to a survivor, or how long the journey is. I believe it is a life-long process, to accept yourself, your mind and body and realize you are worth so much more than what you have been told, to realize you can love yourself and be loved by others, and to share this with others. In a world full of judgment, hardships, and silence over domestic violence, I encourage every one of you to be kind, to be generous, to refrain from judging others; we NEVER know what others are going through. Let's love each other, empower one another and support organizations like this that dedicate their energy, time and efforts in educating and fighting against such a terrible societal problem.
I wanted to dedicate this post to every single person that made this event happen. Thank you for putting this together and for allowing us to be part of it. For more information on how to support this cause, please visit http://www.beckysfund.org/
All images taken by Vithaya Photography.
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