Stephany Gregory
¡POR DIOS, 20 years already!
Hey there, everyone! I genuinely hope you’re all doing fantastic. I felt driven to write this post after being inspired by the stories of my fellow alumni.
My own life, just like yours, has been a journey full of lessons, joys, and pains. To give you some context, you might not even remember me, but I was one of those teenage moms who got pregnant while we were finishing high school. Today, my oldest daughter Valentina is turning 20! It’s truly unbelievable every time I say it out loud. She was born during our sophomore year.
You know, against all odds, I managed to graduate despite the challenges of being a young mother. Four years later, my youngest daughter Daniella came into the world, she is now 16. Around 15 years ago, I made the decision to return to my beautiful home country, Colombia. At that time, the father of my daughters (who was also my husband) was deported. I had to face a difficult choice: separate my family and stay in the United States as a single teen mom, or go back to a country I barely remembered, having lived in the US since I was 8 years old. I was just 21, with no job and two little girls to care for. So, I took a leap of faith and decided to start a new life, raising my daughters in Colombia.
To make the first 10 years after we finished high school short, here’s a summary: I survived 15 years of abuse and violence from my daughters’ father, it was a difficult and violent relationship that caused me a lot of emotional and physical pain. However, I’m happy to say that I have now healed and moved on. In 2016, I made the courageous decision to leave my abuser. Escaping such a situation is never easy, which is why I feel forced to share this part of my story. Through my own experience, I discovered that many women suffer in silence for far too long. I tolerated this for 15 years. I want other women to know they deserve much more and there can be healing after surviving domestic violence. Also, I want them to know they can count on me for support if they need help and guidance to escape. I must admit, those initial 10 years were filled with intense pain and countless lessons. As you all were planning our first gathering, I felt useless, devastated, and lost the will to carry on with my life.
Now let’s summarize the next 10 years and focus on the most exciting part of my journey. After my divorce, I made up my mind to start my own business. In 2018, I founded Inanna Swimwear right here in Colombia. Growing up, I always struggled with body insecurities, especially since I was overweight. Living in beautiful Miami, I found going to the beach was a nightmare. The thought of wearing a bathing suit in front of my friends used to depress me. But you know what? I came to realize that it wasn’t just my problem. Every woman has her own body conflicts. That’s when I decided to create a brand that could help women feel more confident. Today, I’m still a single mother and the proud founder of Inanna Swimwear, an inclusive swimwear brand that uses top-quality Colombian fabrics. It’s like my third and final baby! I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished so far. Our swimsuits are size-inclusive, We cover sizes from XS to 5XL. We’ve already accompanied over 5,000 women on their
vacations. It brings me immense joy to share that through our swimsuits, I’ve been able to make a positive impact on the lives of many women, even after enduring so much pain in my early years I have started to build the life of my dreams and a better future for my daughters. Our swimsuits have been exported to more than 8 countries, including the USA. You can check out more of what we’ve created at www.inannasw.com.
And guess what? I have some exciting news to share! I’m returning to Miami! Can you
believe it? It’s been 15 years since I left that airport with my two little girls, unsure of what the future held. But now, on June 28, I’ll be back in Miami with my brand and company to present our latest collection at the Miami Swimshow runway. If any of you are interested in trying out our swimsuits while we’re in town, please don’t
hesitate to reach out to me. From July 1 to 9, we’ll have a showroom open to the public in South Beach. I would absolutely love to see as many of you as possible! Feel free to bring along your cousins, moms, or aunts. Trust me, our bathing suits have the power to transform lives. I cannot guarantee that I will be able to attend our next meeting, but I will definitely try my best. Once our show in Miami is over, I will return to my beautiful country at the end of July to continue pursuing the life of my dreams. You are all invited to visit my beautiful country! If you have plans to come, don’t hesitate to get in touch! I would be happy to show you around. I adore this country and appreciate the countless opportunities it has bestowed upon me. I also feel immense gratitude towards the United States.
With that, my story comes to an end. If you have read through it all, I sincerely thank you! I hope to reconnect with many of you soon, sharing a fresh perspective on this journey we call life. Wishing you all a future filled with health, abundance, and boundless joy.