The women who made me
Bythe petersen twins
Tonia Petersen
Our mother is our biggest supporter, and she’s elevated us to reach our potential in every way, allowing us to be independent and grow as women. She’s not only an aesthetically beautiful woman, but she’s the perfect example of alluring inner beauty because she’s selfless, and able to love and give unwaveringly.
Yara Shahidi
She’s living proof that brown women can shine, even if it feels like the world is against us. Her activism, thirst for knowledge and understanding of the importance of education have shown us the positive example we can set using a variety of platforms.
Aunty Shehaam
We’ve known her for practically our entire lives, and have seen her endure trauma that, we imagine, is too much for one person, yet her love for life and people is so eminent. We see her as another mother figure in our lives. She’s taught us that you don’t need to have blood ties to be family.
Zinnia Rose Petersen
This incredible eight-year-old is such an inspiration to us. Zinnia is a pageant star, who was crowned Miss Petite SA 2019, Miss Petite Universe SA 2019 and Miss Petite Western Cape 2019. Her most recent victory was Goddess of the World Junior Overall Winner 2019. She’s also the ambassador for the NGO, Angels United Helping Hands.
Ouma, Elizabeth Idas
The matriarch of our family is confident, bold and loves fiercely. She’s taught us that having a sense of humour is our biggest strength. Our grandmother can walk into any space and bring joy into peoples’ hearts. Life would be dull without her.