Trigger Warning: This article will discuss heavier topics such as domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and drug addiction.
For this International Women’s Day, Her Campus Wilfrid Laurier held an Empowered Women Conference and we were blessed to have international motivational speaker Marti MacGibbon talk to us about her life experiences. Not only does she know how to keep spirits high during a virtual presentation, but she also has lived through so many hardships. She persevered through so much and still keeps a positive attitude and a smile on her face and that is so inspiring.
About Marti
Marti has endured an unimaginable number of harmful events, beginning with childhood abuse and sexual assault and domestic violence. She has also experienced homelessness, drug addiction and PTSD. Finally, she was trafficked to Tokyo and held prisoner by a Japanese crime organization. Hearing about her experiences was hard, so the pain she endured during these times is difficult to think about. But each hardship she faced, she overcame and became stronger and more empowered.
Taking these experiences, Marti changed her life and moved on to become a stand-up comedian along with inspirational speaking! It was incredible listening to her speak and talk about her experiences in such a way that it addressed the seriousness of her experiences, but she made it light-hearted enough that it was able to be heard. In addition to her speaking career, she has published two national award-winning memoirs titled Never Give in to Fear and Fierce, Funny and Female. I definitely recommend purchasing her books!
Using her experience with drug addiction, she became a certified addiction treatment professional and has helped many with her work. This alone was incredibly inspiring to me, as this is the career path that I wish to take so hearing about the successes she has had with her work was incredible.
Marti’s Presentation
During this presentation, Marti discussed all her life experiences and how she overcame them all. She did so through hope. Hope that it will get better. With her hope, she was able to return home from Japan, she was able to quit her use of drugs and she was able to work through her trauma and in turn, help others.
Just from that one presentation, I learned so much. I felt incredible and that I could achieve anything. With hope and perseverance, you can overcome anything life throws at you. Marti has this incredible aura around her that I could feel even through a computer screen. She taught all the members in attendance so much. Her positivity radiated throughout the whole presentation and I was amazed…And I know I wasn’t the only one!
This International Women’s Day, I learned so much from Marti and I’m so grateful to have attended the conference. Her last message stuck out to me and I know I will take it along with me for the rest of my life.
Live as if every day is a miracle.