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Dr. Melissa Ann Kendall accepts her Trailblazer Award on Saturday, March 4, 2023, during the 8th Annual Women's Day event in Provo. She is the fourth recipient of the award.

Courtesy Daniel Pugmire

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Participants at Provo's Women's Day event engage in an exercise to find their power space on Saturday, March 4, 2023.

Courtesy Daniel Pugmire

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Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi welcomes attendees to the 8th Annual Women's Day event on Saturday, March 4, 2023.

Courtesy Daniel Pugmire

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More than 250 women and a handful of men learned how to find happiness through hope and healing at Provo’s 8th Annual Women’s Day on Saturday.

“This year’s theme of ‘Happiness through Hope and Healing’ is both timely and necessary,” said Provo Mayor Michelle Kaufusi in welcoming the group. “After the COVID-19 pandemic, a Utah State University study found that women’s health was disproportionally impacted, with nearly one-third of respondents identifying mental health as a concern.”

Kaufusi reminded those attending of the city’s new mission statement, “Exceptional Care for an Exceptional Community.”

That is why women must support one another, Kaufusi noted. “We are each other’s village,” she said. “We see women stepping up in ways we’ve never seen. Each of us can and should be examples to each other.”

Those attending heard inspirational messages and life stories from a variety of women who have found happiness through hope and healing.

Before attendees heard the addresses, they were taken to a quiet place of meditation through a “sound bath” by Sarah Olson from The Zen Spot. The 20-minute relaxation included a narrative and a mixture of gong sounds and drum patterns.

“I am proud of the women of Provo. I know I can contribute to my community,” said Jess Toolson, creator of Mixhers care products.

“I’m not a woman who is constantly happy. I don’t know that I always choose happiness. Happiness is a hard choice,” Toolson said. “As women, we expect us to be perfect. We need to give ourselves grace. I learned to give myself love. The biggest impact on others is if we choose to see people doing their best. But first, we must choose to love ourselves.”

Timpview High School Principal Momi Tu’ua told the audience that women already have power within them. An example she gave was her mother, who brought her family from Laie, Hawaii, to Provo and got a master’s degree.

Tu’ua encouraged women to find their power, take up space and find one’s own story.

“Find your story and tell it,” Tu’ua said. “Malama na wahine — (meaning) we can take care of each other as women.”

Jenna Jarvis was enthusiastic when she said, “Vulnerability is cool.”

Jarvis came from a dysfunctional and abusive family and said she was oblivious to the fact that other people had struggles; she thought it was just her.

“Therapy totally changed my life,” Jarvis said. “I am genuinely happy. I meditate every day, Instagram and journal.”

Jarvis invited the audience to write down 10 things they are grateful for and 10 affirmations each day. “I did not think I was worthy. Now I’m no longer playing the victim.”

In her early life, India Blue Severe said she was often called dramatic and that her emotions ran her life.

“I learned to turn them (her emotions) off at an early age. I didn’t want to be a burden to anyone,” she said. “I acted as a person with no feelings, but behind closed doors they all came out.”

It wasn’t until she had her baby that had a long stay in the newborn intensive care unit that she stopped running from her feelings.

“After taking my son out of NICU, I started feeling again,” Severe said. “The bravest thing I’ve done is to turn my feelings back on.”

“We didn’t come to earth to be happy; it’s just one of the many feelings to experience,” Severe said. “We need to come back home to us as women and treat ourselves gently.”

Dr. Kelly Wosnik, CEO of Bristol Health, a mental health organization, was the concluding speaker. She said she enjoys gathering with women and sharing feelings.

She learned from her own health issues from birth that she wanted to be a kind nurse and help other people. She said she had a short marriage but it was filled with darkness, despair and traumatic experiences.

“Ending the marriage offered two options: I could curl up in a ball and die, or come out fighting.” Wosnik said. A trip to Poland inspired her to come home and open a mental health clinic.

The final event of the day was the presentation of the Trailblazer Award. This year, Dr. Melissa Ann Kendall, the first woman pediatrician in Provo, was the recipient.

“I am a much better physician because of what I have learned and experienced with my own children. I love being a pediatrician and find so much happiness in helping parents and children develop and heal,” Kendall said. “It is a privilege to be a small part of people’s lives and be able to help them on their journey though illness and life changes — good times and hard times.”

“The relationships we develop are priceless to me as a physician. It has been amazing to watch babies that I saw as newborns grow up and now become parents themselves,” Kendall added. “It is so fulfilling to support parents, teach them what I know and empower them to care for their children well and with confidence.”

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