Attending the International Students’ Workshop in Galați, themed “Breaking Barriers, Building Momentum,” was an experience that left me deeply reflective. The event brought together discussions spanning literature, politics, art, fashion, and security, highlighting the many ways in which women’s voices persist despite adversity. However, this year, I found myself not only engaging in these conversations but also struggling against the barriers imposed on them.

Throughout the day, I was moved by powerful stories of resilience, cultural expression, and leadership. Yet, I was also painfully aware of how conversations about women’s roles in security and policy were being silenced. I had to censor my own presentation to comply with shifting DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) policies in the U.S., yet I still found ways to address these issues indirectly. The experience of navigating these constraints while representing the U.S. as a Fulbright scholar was both eye-opening and unsettling.

Painting Resilience: Anemone by Ștefan Luchian

The day began with a paint workshop, an unexpectedly personal and symbolic exercise. We were invited to recreate famous Romanian floral paintings, and I chose Anemone by Ștefan Luchian. Luchian, a painter who continued his craft despite suffering from a debilitating illness, became a symbol of perseverance in Romanian art history.

As I worked on my painting, I thought about resilience in all its forms: artistic, political, and personal. In many ways, this theme resonated throughout the day’s discussions. Whether in Maya Angelou’s unwavering voice, the Māori MP’s haka protest, or the way women in security navigate exclusion, resilience was at the heart of every story shared at the workshop.

My Presentation: Security, DEI, and the Struggles of Representation

My presentation focused on women’s role in security and resilience with an emphasis on the Danube Delta, but due to new DEI policies in the U.S., I had to censor my title and content to exclude explicit references to women. However, I still spoke about women’s role in food security in the Delta, particularly in fish processing, distribution, and household stability, my experiences as a woman researcher in security, navigating a male-dominated field, and the broader barriers to discussing gender and security openly.

During the Q&A, the impact of current U.S. policies on global perceptions became clear. One Romanian attendee remarked: “America is not the leadership that is a traitor to its allies. America is actually you.” The comment stayed with me, underscoring the disconnection between policy decisions and the individuals representing the U.S. abroad. I was also asked how Americans perceive the current political climate and whether people at home understand the growing global concerns.

This was my first public appearance representing the U.S. since the recent policy shift, and frankly, I felt embarrassed. It was difficult to reconcile my role as a Fulbright grantee, meant to promote academic exchange, cultural dialogue, and inclusivity, with the reality of increasing restrictions on what I could publicly discuss.

The Power of Words, Protest, and Defiance

One of the most moving moments of the day came from a student’s presentation on Maya Angelou. Seeing Angelou receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama unexpectedly brought me to tears. It was not just the honor itself, bit the contrast between the normalcy of Obama’s presidency and today’s political chaos. In that moment, I realized how much I miss leadership that feels steady, just, and inclusive. The memory of Maya Angelou’s voice, her poetry, and her unwavering advocacy for justice remains a powerful symbol of what leadership can and should be.

Similarly, a presentation on women’s voices featured the story of a Māori Member of Parliament Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke who performed the haka as an act of protest in 2023. The haka, a traditional Māori war dance, became a powerful symbol of resistance and identity, reminding me how cultural traditions can serve as acts of political defiance. From the haka to Maya Angelou’s poetry, from political speeches to security research, women find ways to reclaim space, even when they are systematically excluded.

The theme of challenging narratives also came through another presentation on the female and male gaze in literature that explored how women’s representation in storytelling influences real-world perceptions of power and agency. As someone who studies security narratives, I found this deeply relevant. The way we tell stories, whether in literature, policy, or history, directly influences who is seen as powerful and who is erased.

The conference also highlighted fashion as a tool of defiance and identity, with two thought-provoking presentations on Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli. These talks examined how fashion has long been used to challenge societal expectations, much like women in security, literature, and politics redefine their roles. From Chanel’s reinvention of femininity to Schiaparelli’s avant-garde rebellion against norms, these designers, like the women of the Danube Delta, found ways to resist through the tools available to them.

Throughout the day, these discussions reinforced a central truth: words, protest, and self-expression, whether through literature, political activism, or even fashion are all powerful forms of resistance.

Conclusion: Breaking Barriers, But at What Cost?

The conference’s theme, Breaking Barriers, Building Momentum, felt both empowering and ironic. Throughout the day, I was surrounded by stories of resilience, expression, and defiance, yet I also experienced firsthand how these conversations are being restricted. The reality is that women’s voices, from Maya Angelou to Hana-Rawhiti Kareariki Maipi-Clarke, from security researchers to fashion icons, continue to be silenced or sidelined.

As I walked away from this event, I was left with questions: What does it mean to push forward when the space for discussion itself is shrinking? How do we ensure these conversations continue despite political pressures? How can we advocate for security, inclusivity, and representation when even naming these issues becomes controversial? One thing is certain: the momentum must continue, even when the barriers grow higher.