The Night We Stood Up: When Boundaries Became Sacred

"Boundaries Provide Bridges. They are a Foundation of Freedom in Human-Centered 21st Century Leaders." Mariam Haddad & Diana Davila

Recap of Foundations of Freedom: Boundaries in Action, Session 2 of a 4 - Part Series

Some evenings aren’t just events—they’re awakenings. They remind us of who we are beneath the titles, the roles, the responsibility. They hold up a mirror to the places we've been quiet for too long…and invite us to speak.

That’s exactly what happened at Session 2 of the Foundations of Freedom Series for Women in Leadership—a night woven with tears, truth, music, and movement.

The topic? Boundaries. Not as barricades, but as bridges. Not as a punishment, but as a promise to ourselves.

We gathered to ask: What if boundaries weren’t about saying “no,” but about finally saying YES—to what we value, to who we are, and to the life we are called to live?

💬 Where Leadership Meets Liberation

Our journey initiated with good food, laughter, blossoming friendships and the creation of a safe space. These were memory worthy moments, seeds, planted in hearts, souls and minds which watered dry spaces where exhaustion had taken the place of water.

We shared stories of overextension masked as loyalty, silence mistaken for strength, burnout camouflaged as dedication. We reclaimed our voice—not just the one we speak with, but the one we live with.

Laughter, tears, and sacred pauses were our canvas being painted in community. Women leveraged walked away with a blueprint to help them take micro-steps forward into healthier balance and well-being to lead from.

A Clear Message from all the Women to Re-Establish...

Love for their peace.

Love for their purpose.

Love for the generations they’re leading—at home, at work, and within themselves.

🎤 A Song That Opened Us All

Something sacred unfolded within us all when Jamiliee Haddad Zamorano stood, shared her story of late and sang “Stand Up” by Cynthia Erivo—a song that carried every voice in the room with it.

You could feel the lyrics in your skin:

“I do what I can when I can while I can for my people...

Can you hear freedom calling?

Calling me to answer…”

Her voice shook the silence. And then it shook something in each of us. Suddenly, we weren’t just talking about boundaries. We were feeling why they mattered.

🔁 Transformation Isn’t a Theory—It’s a Practice

This work is not easy. It isn’t tidy. In fact, it's quite messy. And? It is liberating.

Every time a woman honors her needs without apology, every time she draws a line that protects her purpose, every time she says “not now” or “not for me” without guilt— she becomes more powerful.

And she makes space for someone else to do the same.