I feel that confidence in women - especially young girls of color

“I feel that confidence in women—especially young girls of color—but women, in general, is so important. It is so important for us to arm ourselves and become powerful at a very young age.” Thus speaks Viola Davis, a voice of courage and truth, forged in the fires of struggle and brilliance. Her words are not merely an exhortation—they are a call to arms, a cry rising from generations of women who have carried the weight of silence and the burden of invisibility. In her voice echoes the ancient wisdom of those who have fought not with swords, but with dignity, resilience, and the unyielding flame of self-belief.

When Viola speaks of confidence, she speaks of a weapon forged in the soul, not of arrogance, but of self-worth—the sacred knowing that one’s existence has meaning even in a world that seeks to diminish it. To arm oneself is to clothe the spirit in strength, to refuse to bow to fear or to the subtle poisons of doubt that whisper, “You are less.” From the earliest days of humankind, power has often been guarded, its keys handed to the few. But this new age, like the rising of a long-awaited dawn, demands that women awaken to their power early, so that no force may tell them who they are before they know it themselves.

Throughout the history of the world, women have risen from the ashes of oppression, armed not with armies but with purpose. Think of Harriet Tubman, who, though born into bondage, became a liberator. She carried no weapon but her will, and with that will, she led hundreds to freedom under the cover of night. She was armed, not with steel, but with faith in her own power. Viola Davis’s words carry the same spirit—that strength begins within, that it is the confidence of the heart that breaks chains and builds nations. When a young girl of color looks in the mirror and sees not limitation but possibility, the world itself trembles with renewal.

And yet, the world still tempts the spirit toward submission. It whispers that beauty is worth more than brilliance, that obedience is safer than ambition. To this, Viola’s words are a rebuke as ancient as the songs of warriors: “Arm yourselves.” Not in violence, but in knowledge. Not in bitterness, but in self-love. The young woman who learns her own value at fifteen is more dangerous to oppression than any sword could ever be. The girl who learns to speak her truth before the world defines her is the heir to every queen, every prophet, every revolutionary who ever dared to rise.

But this confidence must be cultivated, like a sacred flame passed from one hand to another. The elder must teach the younger that her voice matters. The mother must teach the daughter that silence is not peace. The teacher must tell the student that intelligence, curiosity, and courage are not rebellion—they are her birthright. Viola Davis herself once said she did not see women who looked like her on the screen, and so she became that woman for the next generation. In that act of defiance, she fulfilled her own prophecy: she armed herself, and in doing so, she armed millions.

We must also remember that this arming is not for conquest, but for protection—the guarding of the sacred within. A woman’s power is not meant to destroy but to heal, to build, to illuminate. When she believes in herself, she alters the shape of the world around her. The confidence of women is the architecture of progress; without it, no civilization can endure. For when one half of humanity is silenced, the other half grows deaf to wisdom. Only when all voices are heard can truth be complete.

So let it be known to the generations yet unborn: confidence is a weapon of light, and every young woman must learn to wield it. Arm yourselves with education, with compassion, with self-respect. Refuse to shrink to fit the smallness of others’ expectations. Know that you are descended from survivors, inventors, queens, and poets. As Viola Davis teaches, the time to become powerful is not someday—it is now, while the heart is still forming, while the spirit is still learning its name.

Practical teaching: Each day, speak one word of strength to yourself. Seek mentors who see your worth. Lift your sisters when they stumble. Do not wait for permission to be bold, brilliant, or different. The power you seek is already within you—it waits only for your confidence to awaken it. For when women rise, they do not rise alone; the whole world is lifted in their ascent.