My pinky ring represents to me a return to an Emma I thought I had lost for good.
For most of my life, I've been somebody people can lean on and I am happy to help and make the world better for others. However, last summer, a man saw that in me and decided to take it and twist it and use it purely for his gain. For months he fed off of me, took my strength and support and raised himself up. All the while, he marginalised me and took my free spirit. Before him, I would sing and dance, dress how I wanted and take so much joy from the world around me and my own company. He took my ability to love myself.
Now, with time and space, I am that happy girl again. The one with the free spirit and the open heart. This ring is a reminder to me that anybody who wants to cage me should not step into my life. It is a promise to myself that I will be true to me and never compromise. But it is also a promise to my students, my best friend and my sisters, that I will be the best me to help them and show them the way.