Alisha Smith

Someone told me recently that I’m a Tier 2 woman. The insult itself was not the most revealing part. The most revealing part was the worldview underneath it: the idea that women can be sorted, ranked, and assigned value according to how closely they match someone else’s standards. That kind of language is harmful, but what interests me most is what happens after a comment like that lands. Many women do not simply feel hurt. They begin measuring themselves. Am I desirable enough? Soft enough?...

Sometimes I ask people a question that seems very simple: “Tell me three foods you genuinely enjoy.” Most people expect that question to be easy. But something interesting happens. Some people pause. Some people laugh nervously. Some people start negotiating their answer. “I don’t know.” “Well… it depends.” “Whatever everyone else likes.” That moment always catches my attention. Because most people don’t actually struggle to know what they like. What they struggle with is trusting their own...

by Alisha M. Smith | Grief to Gratitude Chef This isn’t about cupcakes. This is about memory. About transformation. About coming back to...