How to become an empowered woman?

By Olivia Medina de Jönsson

How does one become an empowered woman? In my experience from the cradle.

I never felt that because I was a woman I couldn't do something. I always played with men and sometimes "as a man".

My father, despite having many macho behaviors with my mother, always made me feel that I could be and do whatever I set my mind to. He encouraged me to fight for what I wanted from a very young age and to trust in my intelligence and diligence.

I remember very well the challenges he would pose to me and my siblings when on a weekend trip (which were very often) we would ask him a question like: "Dad, what does Atotonilco mean? To which he would answer: "when we get home, the first one who tells me what it means will win 20 pesos".