Reshma Saujani

I mean, they kind of knew because they would see these doctor's appointments on my schedule, but I never... Like just said, I need, and I said, I can't do this anymore. I need you to take over. I need you to run this organization. I just need, I need a month. I need a couple months just to just breathe. Mm-hmm. That takes so much courage to say it. It did. It did.

I mean, they kind of knew because they would see these doctor's appointments on my schedule, but I never... Like just said, I need, and I said, I can't do this anymore. I need you to take over. I need you to run this organization. I just need, I need a month. I need a couple months just to just breathe. Mm-hmm. That takes so much courage to say it. It did. It did.

But it's right because I had to detach because I felt like I was letting the girls down. I mean, how ironic is that, right? In my quest to become a mother, you have this beautiful line that I quote all the time. The most important title I have is mom. And I so desperately wanted that title. Oh. Yeah. You know? I do. And I just, it was the irony of it all, you know, was a lot.

But it's right because I had to detach because I felt like I was letting the girls down. I mean, how ironic is that, right? In my quest to become a mother, you have this beautiful line that I quote all the time. The most important title I have is mom. And I so desperately wanted that title. Oh. Yeah. You know? I do. And I just, it was the irony of it all, you know, was a lot.

Yeah. Yeah. And it's funny. I don't know how to learn this lesson. I'm going to be honest. Like a couple weeks ago, you know, I had a breast exam and they thought they saw something and then I had to get a biopsy. And I had never gotten a biopsy before, so I didn't know what to expect. But they're like, you know what? It's just a pinch. You'll be fine. And I had a panel that night.

Yeah. Yeah. And it's funny. I don't know how to learn this lesson. I'm going to be honest. Like a couple weeks ago, you know, I had a breast exam and they thought they saw something and then I had to get a biopsy. And I had never gotten a biopsy before, so I didn't know what to expect. But they're like, you know what? It's just a pinch. You'll be fine. And I had a panel that night.

And I know now from DNCs and C-sections and, like, IUDs that it's not a pitch. So, like, I keep my schedule, right? I keep it all. I tell my husband, like, let me come with you. I'm like, no, no, no, no. I'm good. I got it. I'm fine. No. And it hurt, like— Hell, right? And I go and I do the panel and I'm sitting there and I'm like, what is wrong with you? Like, you know better than this.

And I know now from DNCs and C-sections and, like, IUDs that it's not a pitch. So, like, I keep my schedule, right? I keep it all. I tell my husband, like, let me come with you. I'm like, no, no, no, no. I'm good. I got it. I'm fine. No. And it hurt, like— Hell, right? And I go and I do the panel and I'm sitting there and I'm like, what is wrong with you? Like, you know better than this.

What is wrong with you? And I think it's so hard to unlearn that. what this is really about. Because I think, one, it's personal, but two, like, the sense of, like, I'm strong, I'm resilient, I can take it, I got it, right? Because all these things have served me. It's why I've been able to do the things that I do. And then I think we live... in the society that encourages women to do that.

What is wrong with you? And I think it's so hard to unlearn that. what this is really about. Because I think, one, it's personal, but two, like, the sense of, like, I'm strong, I'm resilient, I can take it, I got it, right? Because all these things have served me. It's why I've been able to do the things that I do. And then I think we live... in the society that encourages women to do that.

And the sense that like we don't break and we're not allowed to break.

And the sense that like we don't break and we're not allowed to break.

Well, it's interesting. I'm seeing, you know, a lot of the women, I just went to Cecile Richards' funeral. So you're seeing a lot of these women who've given themselves to the movement. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And that the body holds the score. Exactly. Exactly.

Well, it's interesting. I'm seeing, you know, a lot of the women, I just went to Cecile Richards' funeral. So you're seeing a lot of these women who've given themselves to the movement. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And that the body holds the score. Exactly. Exactly.

And especially for women of color, right, who are always like, oh, but you should go fight and you should go fight and you should go save us, that we can't continue to operate that way. And so I think we have to just – because one of the things I'm seeing – I don't have as many young girls or young women reaching out to me on LinkedIn being like, Mr. Johnny, I also want to start a nonprofit.

And especially for women of color, right, who are always like, oh, but you should go fight and you should go fight and you should go save us, that we can't continue to operate that way. And so I think we have to just – because one of the things I'm seeing – I don't have as many young girls or young women reaching out to me on LinkedIn being like, Mr. Johnny, I also want to start a nonprofit.

How do I do that? I think that they're looking at us and seeing how exhausted we are, how tired we are, how much you have to sacrifice and saying, yeah, no, thank you. Oh, wow. And if that happens, we're going to lose a generation of social entrepreneurs that we desperately need to continue these fights. Yeah. And so we got to show them a different way. We got to do it a different way.

How do I do that? I think that they're looking at us and seeing how exhausted we are, how tired we are, how much you have to sacrifice and saying, yeah, no, thank you. Oh, wow. And if that happens, we're going to lose a generation of social entrepreneurs that we desperately need to continue these fights. Yeah. And so we got to show them a different way. We got to do it a different way.

And it's not one or the other. You know, one of the things I'm seeing in the motherhood movement is people think you have to pick being a girl boss or a tribe wife. that it's black or white, right? That either you're in the workforce and you can't focus on your kids and you don't get to see them or you're just at home.

And it's not one or the other. You know, one of the things I'm seeing in the motherhood movement is people think you have to pick being a girl boss or a tribe wife. that it's black or white, right? That either you're in the workforce and you can't focus on your kids and you don't get to see them or you're just at home.