Inspiring Inclusion: A Personal Tale

Dear Taylor,

Firstly, as a mother of teenage daughters, I want to express my deepest gratitude for being my family's brightest, most sparkling, and shining beacon of hope over the last 18 months. For that, I will be ever grateful.

My youngest daughter recently told me she doesn't know how she would have got through the last 18 months without your music. At a time when the universe pulled the rug out from under her feet, and she just wanted to crawl into a ball and forget the world, as did I, your music transcended her darkest days and talked to her. You inspired her to take up piano, guitar and songwriting. And in keeping with this year's IWD theme, "inspiring inclusion", you lifted her and helped her to see that she is worthy, does belong, and is relevant. Your music enabled her to connect with others and build positive friendships.?

Your talent, musical ingenuity, and storytelling lyrics, combined with your kindness, connection to the community, authenticity, and accessibility, are exceptional. In a challenging world for young girls to grow up in, strong, kind, generous, and genuine female role models are needed more than ever.

You are changing the game in the music industry for female artists and females worldwide. By supporting other women and lifting them, you continue to promote inclusivity and a level playing field. As the gender pay gap continues to widen and women still struggle for equal opportunity, you are showing us not to settle or accept things as they are.?

As business leaders, we need to take a leaf from your book – promote kindness and inclusivity, lift others rather than bring them down, focus on actions, not just words, and have a voice.

Thank you, Taylor, for showing how it can be done. Thank you for inspiring inclusion.

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Gemma

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