Photo by Dion McInnis

Diana and her baby

Women find voice through "Her Legacies"
by Jeannie Aquino
UHCLIDIAN Staff

History ecords events that shape a people, a country, or an institution. But, "his story" often neglects half the population, leaving individuals unheard and forgotten.

The Her Legacies Foundation is working to alter that reality. The Her Legacies Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 1999 by Dion McInnis, associate vice president of university advancement at UH-Clear Lake. Designed to honor women for their love, courage and dedication to making life better for themselves and everyone around them, this organization also offers healing for those who have suffered abuse or hardship, as well as a place to celebrate women's realities and preserve their stories. Asked why women's history and not men's, McInnis simply states, "because it's been done."

"There's so many attributes that society celebrates in women; they're loving, nurturing and caring. And then we say wait a minute, she's that way despite being raped in high school, or being told she should be a cheerleader because she has nice legs," McInnis said. "How did that happen?"

The Her Legacies Foundation began bubbling in McInnis' head when he sat down and wrote an outline for a project that would honor the trials and tribulations of women when he was 20 years old. Nearly 25 years later, in 1998, he says the project finally became clear in his mind. At the time, he was living in New Mexico and established the first foundation in Albuquerque. After moving to Houston in July 2001, McInnis decided to setup a separate Her Legacies Foundation in Texas, stating "Texas can embrace this in a way that New Mexico couldn't."

McInnis frequently speaks to organizations across the country with the foundations' "Woman: Imprints, Legacies & Tales" exhibition as a backdrop for his presentation. The exhibition features narratives, poems and photos by the foundations' participants. McInnis knows that the topics he discusses in his presentation are emotional and can sometimes be difficult for the audience because the issues may be too personal or too close to their reality.

"In almost every presentation I've done, I've had a least one person have to leave," he said. "They come back, but they have to leave."

Many of the organizations McInnis addresses are shelters for battered and abused women. It is here that he encourages victims to tell their stories to help others as well as themselves. Ironically, McInnis is often the only man in a room where many members of the audience have developed hatred toward men.

"It's amazing the stories I hear," he said. "How courageous and trusting for them to talk to me as a male."

It is here that the other job of the Her Legacies Foundation begins to surface. The foundation encourages men to talk to women in an attempt to understand why a womanıs life is so different, and often times harder. Why do women feel what they feel and react the way they act? Asking this simple question may lead to a dialog that will answer questions and uncover issues that have never been addressed or resolved. Asking these questions may bring two people closer together and close the gap of understanding.

Through the efforts of the Her Legacies Foundation, women can now convey the hopes, fears, pain and dreams they conquer in daily life with the hope that their words and feelings will touch someone else, giving them strength and understanding. McInnis believes these stories are an essential part of an American society that recognizes perseverance over adversity. They are more than an individual's personal history; they are an integral part of everyoneıs history.

If you are interested in sharing your unique story, you can visit the Her Legacies Web site at www.herlegacies.com.