A lively discussion on the role of women and their enduring strength was the topic for a March 7 program led by Flossmoor resident Dominica McBride and her organization, BECOME, at Beyond the Book bookstore in Homewood.

McBride hosted the women’s event and book signing for the book “Becoming Change Makers: The Exquisite Path to Leadership for Women of Color.” 

The attendees heard from McBride and BECOME’s Transformative Operations Navigator Shemeka Woodson and Senior Partner Advocate Keisha Farmer-Smith, who are featured in the book. 

McBride said the book highlights 13 women who each have their own chapter to share their personal stories of how they overcame challenges of racism, illness, immigration and other traumas to become leaders.  

She spoke briefly about her grandmother, who was born in France and moved to Haiti at 9 years old, which changed her life forever. 

In Haiti she met McBride’s grandfather and opened a restaurant in the capital, Port-au-Prince, and raised four children. Eventually she traveled to the United Sates with her kids. 

McBride said her mother “was one of the most loving people I’ve ever met in my whole life. She’s magic to me because I’m like, you went through so much darkness, and you are so bright.” 

The different lessons the women in each chapter talk about include healing, the power of relationship, connection to intersectionality, one’s personal power and the different elements within power. 

Farmer-Smith spoke about growing up among the women in her family and what she learned from them. She said the women’s culture and contributions to their communities foster a productive and creative environment for the future.

She said she remembers all the responsibilities the women in her family had to carry, but she noted that they still managed to enjoy life while practicing courage everyday.

“The truth is many of us in this room have been doing the same exact thing for all of our lives,” Farmer-Smith said. “We’ve always been the builders of something bigger than ourselves.” 

She says the strength that women hold has not been about endurance, but transformation, how women make do with what they have and still manage to create something new from it. 

“Our grandmothers did it. Our mothers did it, and now we are the generation holding that wisdom while shaping what comes next,” Farmer-Smith said. 

Woodson said dealing with her challenges growing up and her challenges once she made a family of her own helped her build the resilience she shows today. 

Woodson remembers feeling unsafe after her home was broken into when she was in the fifth grade. 

Shortly after, she moved to a better neighborhood where she made friends and found a good community of people who would support her. 

Woodson said even though she moved to a more affluent area, she still felt a bit inferior to her peers and carried some rebellion against hierarchy, believing it can put people in a box. 

Through all this, Woodson found a love for collaboration that she still carries with her today. She sees how people don’t shine at each other, but more with each other and how beautiful it can be. 

Woodson said she felt increasing pressure in 2021 when her daughter was diagnosed with a brain tumor, causing Woodson to realign her life to prioritize her daughter’s care.  

Two years after that, Woodson’s mom suffered a brain injury, resulting in Woodson’s becoming the fulltime caretaker for the woman who had taken care of her all her life. 

Then Woodson’s brother was murdered in March 2025. She said she asked herself how much more she could take. 

“I really got to a point last year where … I just had to decide (if) this is going to be a story of tragedy or a story of transcendence,” Woodson said. 

She said she realized that the challenges she faced made her indestructible. 

She said being a part of BECOME was a big support for her since the women in the group didn’t see her as a liability but just a human who can show up and do her best. 

“The team started to on their own realize where I needed the help and offered that space, and I’ll forever be grateful for that,” Woodson said.  

More information on BECOME can be found on its official website, and more information on McBride can be found on her official website.