As she watched about 20 women talk about what makes them confident, Illiana Melgoza said she had hope for the future of women’s mental health.
“It’s beautiful,” said Melgoza, founder of Big Sister Hour, an organization dedicated to women’s mental health. “Women come to these events and feel seen, heard and validated. That validation is important.”
Melgoza and Liliana Aguilera, president of Women of Excellence at Indiana University Northwest, helped host “She Rises: Building Resilience, Confidence and Connection” at the university on Monday. The conference encouraged young women to talk about their mental health struggles and network with each other.
Women of Excellence is a multicultural interest group that encourages women from different backgrounds to come together to “make a global impact and empower each other,” Aguilera said Monday.
“The bond of sisterhood is like no other,” Aguilera said. “What we’re trying to do is bring them a piece of home, and a home away from home.”
Attendees participated in various confidence-building activities and heard stories from Melgoza and Aguilera.
During Monday’s conference, Melgoza talked about the struggles that led her to create Big Sister Hour, detailing how she struggled with depression and alcohol after a difficult childhood. Melgoza shares her story to remind other women that they’re not alone, she said Monday.
Melgoza was happy to see IUN students at Monday’s conference.
“It makes me excited,” Melgoza said. “To see this expansion and that we’re in schools, and there’s teachers and professors who want to get involved, it just makes me excited for what’s to come.”
Monday was Melgoza’s second conference, she said, after the first at Purdue University Northwest, where she met Aguilera. Big Sister Hour hosts monthly workshops at SuiteLux Coworking Community in Munster, and the organization offers free support groups for women to work through their trauma and abuse.
“I really want to keep doing this,” Melgoza said. “I want to mainly reach younger women because I feel like we need that. I always ask myself, ‘What did I need when I was younger?’ And this is what I needed. If I was in a space like this, I wouldn’t have needed alcohol to cope.”
Women of Excellence members complete community service, Aguilera said, and they work together to prioritize academics and social interaction. Monday’s conference made Aguilera proud to see so many members of her group together.
Aguilera is excited to see how Women of Excellence partners with Big Sister Hour in the future, she said.
“I can’t wait to see how we get women to educate, to learn and to grow together,” Aguilera said. “We can help teach new students what empowerment is, how it is to network, and how we can appreciate and support one another as women. I’m excited, and I hope that everyone feels inspired with that message because we want to continue to share that in the future.”
