“This is the time for women! We have an opportunity. We are seen in a way that we never were before and we are able to use the strength that we have always known we possess to collectively RISE. But we have to come together. We have to elevate each other. We have to embrace another woman’s success in order to define our own. Equality is within our reach and it has nothing to do with what men allow. It has everything to do with how we see our own position in society. So let’s see ourselves as beautiful, brilliant and equal. Let’s use our grit and our grace to change the narrative. It starts one woman at a time.”
~ Kendra Miguez
Colorado Women’s Center, Founder & CEO
Podcast Interview
How I Founded Colorado Women’s Center
Kendra Miguez, Founder and CEO
When someone looks at you, they never know your story. To build a special place dedicated to bringing balance back to women’s equations that supports the balance of voice, I need you to know where I came from. My greatest inspiration to help women develop self-belief stems from my own journey of adversity, self-doubt, and elevating myself into a world that I thought was out of reach for me. So let me share my story with you. I want you to know who I really am.
I never felt a real sense of belonging within my family system, so I left home in my teens. I catapulted myself into New York City, Chicago, and Denver and felt swallowed up by such big seas. I was swept into the shadows with little guidance, no father figure, and no attachment to self. After making one poor decision after another, I found myself alone, single, and the mother of a son.
With an infant, few resources, and limited support, I faced a steep mountain. Yet, I knew that if we were going to survive, I had no choice but to climb. So, I set off on my now solo+baby journey one step at a time, committed to survival.
The pain was often unbearable. I felt fraudulent, scared, tired, and broken. But, in that darkness, I started discovering who I really was. The loneliness, the fear, the unknown forced me to rely on my inner wisdom–a guide I never tapped into before. What a gift this discovery was. It allowed me to finally have something to attach to that would never leave; something to comfort my soul, something to parent myself and my son with. This newfound strength and self-awareness awakened something that will never sleep again.
Within four years, I managed to earn two master’s degrees in Psychology and parent my toddler–alone. The process taught me to let go of other’s opinions and to tune out the external messages from society. I learned to ignore the stigma placed on single mothers who often rely on student loans and governmental support. I learned to turn my shame into gratitude because I knew that one day I would be able to give back… even if I had no idea how. (yet!)
My son was my greatest inspiration and taught me to love deeply in a way I had never experienced before. This love opened up new possibilities because I saw the world differently.
This is the source that Colorado Women’s Center is built upon. Every location represents a place for women to find their innate strength. To use life challenges as a way to develop and grow. Together, we pursue possibilities, shine a light on women’s strength, and renew their belief in themselves. Sometimes they rediscover a self they thought was lost, and sometimes, the chrysalis reveals an entirely new person who has been waiting to fly. Colorado Women’s Center is where women learn to see their potential and learn how to exceed their expectations. In this space, we understand how fear and tenacity work harmoniously to fuel personal progress. It’s where opportunity and growth are available to anyone with the courage to take the journey. Colorado Women’s Center is my most outstanding achievement, and I dedicate all of my time to it with the support of my husband and children.
We built this for all women of every age, race, economic status, physical appearance, birth order, or familial upbringing. It is a place where women can learn to say “No” when needed; To say “Yes” when scared; To not be a victim; To stand up for their worth, and; To discover their value.
Kendra’s Founder Story (Video)
Colorado Women’s Center In the News
Oprah Daily – Pharma with a Side of Therapy
9News – Mental Health Monday featuring with Kendra Miguez
City Life – Interview with Kendra Miguez – “It’s OK to not be OK”
PBS Rocky Mountain – “Breaking Up with Social Media”
NOCO Style – “Women Supporting Women”
The Colorado Sun – Election Causing Anxiety
Shoutout Colorado – Interview Kendra Miguez
Voyager Denver – Meet Kendra Miguez
