Place: The Concourse - Rockefeller Plaza 

What empowers you? 
What empowers me is following my passion & waking up loving what I do. I am also empowered by people & stories of triumph over adversity.

How do you empower others? 
I empower others by being encouraging & uplifting when I notice that someone needs it.

How do you define love? 
Love is unconditionally putting others needs before your own.  And knowing without asking, if the roles were reversed, the same would be done for you.

Place: Hamilton Heights

What empowers you?
I am empowered by the spirit of all the artists in NYC. I'm empowered by every experience I've had on my journey. It has made me the strong woman I am today.  

How do you empower others?
I empower others by sharing my perspective and leading by positive example. I empower others by being more of what I think the world needs which is generous, loving, patient, and fun! I empower others by celebrating them!  

How do you define love? 
Love is an action and magic. You can't have one without the other! I may not be able to define love but I can tell you how it feels. It's the sunshine on your face. It's the warmth of your partner holding you close. It's when you hug a friend or laugh so hard you get a cramp and tear up. Love, to me, is fuel. 

Place: Marjorie S. Deane Theater

What empowers you?
I am empowered by the strong women in my life that were examples for me for how to live as a strong, independent woman in today's society. Being an artist in New York City isn't the easiest thing in the world but to wake each day and do what I love is a blessing.
One of my favorite quotes is from my Grandma and I think of it whenever I need inspiration or empowerment... "I admire girls who have the guts to go for the gold. Give it all you got!"

How do you empower others?
I empower others through support, wisdom, and lifting everyone up every way I can. It takes an understanding that lifting each other up and not being bitter leads to ultimate success and change especially in the arts community. I read in an interview recently, "You see [when] women come together and support each other and... not hate... when you embrace each other and you stick together... we will change the world." I believe in that fully and know, I wouldn't be where I am today without a lot of support and that is something vital to the future. 

How do you define love?
I was raised to believe, and eventually know, that God is Love and learned through experience that Love is Love. I was blessed to be raised in a home where love was never short sided. To this day, it is something I never question. Of course, there are times of tribulation but at the end of each day I know I can reach out to any number of people, especially my family, and feel a complete sense of comfort and purpose. That is Love to me.  

Place: Schnippers - Theater District

What empowers you? 
Knowledge, Art, Love, and Food. 

How do you empower others?
Listening, supporting, and assisting others in their creative, educational, and life endeavors. 

How do you define love? 
Gifting someone with honesty, loyalty, and the unconditional freedom to be who they are without fear of judgement. 

Place: Grand Central Station

What empowers you?
Caravaggio, Verdi, an unexpected mural on the side of a building, Steinbeck, subway jazz, Van Gogh, Sondheim, a deeply honest performance in a class, Chekhov... really it's any kind of positive creative expression. The greats remind me of the very best of what the human spirit can achieve and anyone who is seeking to express beauty and truth with their creative renews my faith in us all, especially when the darkness we human beings can create is so glaringly apparent. All of it empowers me to keep contributing in my own way.  

How do you empower others? 
It's important to me that everyone know that their contribution is valuable and I don't think any interaction is neutral. I try to make everyone I come into contact with feel seen and do my best to be non-judgmental, open, and kind. 

How do you define love? 
Love is both simple and complex. It's getting up first to put the coffee pot on a cold morning. It's smiling at people we don't know. It's helping the woman with the stroller up the subway stairs. And it's the incredible journey of discovering the deeper and more vulnerable truths we can reveal to those closest to us. It's kindness, grace, and acceptance. 
And puppies. 

Place: St. Francis of Assisi Church

What empowers you?
I'm a life long learner: acquiring a new skill (especially mastering technology), my faith, having served my country, and my husband's love all empower me. Chanting/meditation empowers my spirit. 

How do you empower others?
Listening. People need to face their challenges and realize their dreams. The answers are inside them-- they often just need someone to hold the space for them to figure it out. 

How do you define love?
Love means supporting someone unconditionally... acknowledging their endeavors, their beliefs, and their spirit. I'm also learning about the importance of self-love, because I have little to give others if I don't take care of myself. Honoring someone's memory is also an important act of love. 

Place: Think Coffee - Hudson Yards

What empowers you?
I'm empowered by passion, purpose, and ability. Being pushed by others and their work to focus and be my best. By having the agency to do so, including understanding the truth of the situation, however complex. And by remembering my ability to figure things out as I go! 

How do you empower others? 
I try to empower others with knowledge, and offer insight, concrete information, and connections to others! Letting them know they've got this, and I've got them. And generally by reminding myself that being strong welcomes others to do the same with me. 

How do you define love? 
Love is an active verb. Sounds dirty, but really! It's serving that love from dedication that's beyond any other investment in the setting. It raises all parties toward their truest and highest, which radiates out. Whether it's romantic, spiritual, humanist, etc. Love is a core of truth. 

Place: Ladies Pavilion - Central Park
*Disclaimer: Participant states that she was unaware of pavilion name before posing. She says, quote "I'm not a (redacted)in' lady." 

What empowers you?
Creativity empowers me. Being able to think outside the box has helped me get through a lot of situations that might have stalled me if I had stuck with what I thought I knew. It's helped me in my career and in my everyday life in the simplest tasks and in more difficult ones. Creativity keeps life fun and entertaining while also being the foundation for my independence and self-reliance, which is the most empowering thing of all. 

How do you empower others?
I love to encourage others to be 100% themselves all of the time. There is nothing more empowering than knowing yourself and being able to present that to the world without judgement. Why care what others think as long as you're comfortable as you are? Conformity is the destroyer of art and creativity, of personal expression and comfort. I believe people are more empowered when they're willing to shrug off social norms to present their individual, original, wacky, crazy, sporadic, selves and that's why I try to be a cheerleader for the individual.  

How do you define love? 
Love is freedom. It's the freedom to be you and know you'll be completely supported. It's knowing that your "faults" aren't really faults to someone, just aspects of who you are. It's escape from worry that those around you are just using you and from doubt in yourself. Love is the ultimate empowering tool that we have in our arsenal and it will grant freedom to everyone if it is shared without reservation. 

Place: Belvedere Castle

What empowers you?
I feel empowered when I feel prepared - with whatever may be needed in a particular situation: the information, the materials, the allies, the colleagues, the clothing, (the underclothing!)... just knowing that I'm prepared empowers me. That includes being prepared to think on my feet and adjust in the moment... and also being prepared to risk, and even to fail. 

How do I empower others? 
I empower others by being my most authentic self, and giving them permission to be the same with me in return - by genuinely celebrating their successes, and by receiving their vulnerabilities without judgement or long term consequences. Also by reminding them of the strength and spirit they may have forgotten they possess. 

How do you define love? 
Love is a verb, as well as a noun - an action, as well as a feeling. To me, true love is putting concern for someone else's well-being over your own desires, and acting in a loving manner even when you're not (especially when you're not!) feeling particularly loving. Also, my late mother said that every action is either an act OF love, or a call FOR love, so the appropriate response to everything should always BE love... of course, that's one of those lessons that take a minute to learn, a lifetime to master. But I'm working on it! 

Place: Meatpacking District

What empowers you? 
I feel like many of the most important events in my life happened quick and are definitely based on making a good first impression. I'd have to say that what empowers me more than any other source would be from what I wear. What people wear always tells a story and I try to make sure that the stories I tell with my wardrobe are all ones that are empowering to me. The lack of Asian representation in both the media and my hometown forced me to be both incredibly conscious of my physical appearance and inspired me to be my own completely original person. I get a lot of empowerment from breaking stereotypes and not being the expected. The correct styling to one's personality can make a big difference in whether people remember you or not. 

How do you empower others? 
I think the best way to empower others is to be the best you, you can possibly be. When I see or hear of friends achieving new heights and dreams, it empowers me to work ever harder for what I want out of life. When someone is so confident and well grounded, I find it to be catching, and that empowers me to reach the next level or whatever new horizon lays ahead. When I accompany a vocalist on the piano, I try to perform my very best so they feel strong and empowered to give their own very best. Giving 50% and expecting a 100% doesn't really make sense to me. 

How do you define love? 
I think the best way to describe how I see love is a change of instinct. Instead of a self-preserving, single minded entity, love changes a person's first instinct to be about another's needs and well being. The whole self-sacrificing, all encompassing love from the stories of old may be a little dramatic, but what's love without some drama? 

Place: David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center

What empowers you? 
Real people, my family, art, and my faith empower me. Anytime I'm down or feel like I'm going to give up, I look to these things for help. My favorite verse to read for empowerment is Proverbs 31:25; "She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future." 

How do you empower others? 
I try to empower people through my expression of love. If someone feels unloved or feels like other, I try to make a point to show them love. Showing love means using my time, talent, and resources to help someone. 

How do you define love? 
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 

Place: Midtown East

What empowers you?
I am empowered by grace, beauty, honesty, appreciation, and a need for balance. 

How do you empower others?
I hope I empower others to be closer to their true selves.

How do you define love?
The best way I ever heard it put was a line in a Joni Mitchell song, "Love is Touching Souls". 

Place: Alice Tully Hall

What empowers you? 
Passions. Passion for music. Passion for theatre. Passion for GeekLife. I've always been a person of deep seated passions and consider myself blessed to be comfortable enough with myself... after a long time... to embrace and indulge those passions. 

How do you empower others?
By sharing those passions I have and encouraging others to find and share their own. 

How do you define love? 
Understanding. Taking the time to understand yourself. Taking the time to try and understand others. Maybe if we all tried to understand each other better we might all be better at loving ourselves (which is perfectly healthy) and loving others. 

Place: Theater District

What empowers you?
I am empowered by creating things.  I think the feeling of making something where there once was nothing, whether it's by generating ideas, putting pen to paper, performing, cooking, or any other act of creation, is a powerful one.  I also think that collaborating, and bringing people together to make something greater than themselves, is empowering.

How do you empower others?
I empower others by listening, by exercising compassion and empathy, by telling stories, by being encouraging, by giving with patience and kindness, and by teaching.

How do you define love?
Oof.  As one of my favorite professors once said, "If love could be summed up in 6-8 double spaced pages, the entire course of human history would be different."  Remembering that this word count is far less than even that, I think the word love can mean a lot of different things; familial love, romantic love, friendship, passion, self-love, love of country, love of mankind, love of the universe-- these all look and even feel different, and yet we unite them all with that four-letter word.  I always think of the quote, "We like someone because; we love someone although" when asked to explain how I feel about love. I think there is something about love that is all-accepting, all-embracing, and unconditional; nothing and no one is perfect, but we accept them fully to love them anyway.

Place: St. James Theatre

What empowers you? 
Creativity and collaboration. In my life as a performing artist anytime I go back to these two ideas I feel whole and fulfilled like I could feasibly conquer the world...figuratively speaking of course. Ha ha ha.

How do you empower others? 
Supporting others in their endeavors, creating art that inspires and honors others and giving as much honest and truthful knowledge to people who ask me for it. Knowledge is power and sharing is caring as they say.

How do you define love?
That's a hard one. When I think of love I think of "passion". For me it's passion (or love) of my career. Perhaps it may be because I don't have a significant other/husband (my friends would tell you I'm practically married to my career) so to me it might feel the same. It's the high you get from being surrounded by something or someone you are passionate about ...it fulfills you to the core and it never goes away despite an ebb and flow of good times and bad times and emotional disagreements/disappointments.

Place: Luminaries - Brookfield Place

What empowers you?
The knowledge that I have the privilege to define where my life will go empowers me. Every choice I make is mine, and mine alone. And while others may be influential in my decision-making, I'm the one with the final say in how the story ends. 

How do you empower others?
I think it's important to lead by example. To empower others and inspire self-confidence in those around you, you need to be confident yourself. And when that isn't enough, an open mind and time to listen will do the same.

How do you define love?
Love is all the little things. It's a smile to a stranger, a late night chat with your roommate after a long day at work, your mother cooking your favorite dish every time you visit home. If more people realized that these small moments were signs of love, I think the world would be a  better place. 

Place: Winter Garden - Brookfield Place

What empowers you?
I am empowered by knowledge. A sense of knowing and understanding can make the most impossible task not only manageable, but conquerable as well. Education is the way to knowledge, and we all know that knowledge is power. If you have knowledge within yourself, you are there putting power in yourself. Knowledge + Self = Empowerment. 

How do you empower others? 
I empower others, by being in tune with what their needs are in their time of despair. If that means they need a helping hand, I lend it. If it means they need a shoulder to cry on, I dust mine off and offer it. If it means they need someone to listen to them, I'm all ears. By simply giving someone what they desire in their moment of need, I allow them to empty their bodies and minds of their frustrations, stress, and sadness so they can fill their tanks up with strength, perseverance, and love. 

How do you define love?
I define love as both a feeling your body knows and a piece of information that your mind knows. It's a feeling in the sense that your body both rejoices and aches when it knows love is near or far. It is a sense of knowing because your existence in this world is that much brighter because you can give love and receive love. 

Place: Central Park East Side

What empowers you? 
There are so many things that empower me, make me feel joy, give me hope, so that's tough, but I'd say myself. I know it sounds narcissistic (lol) but "If you can't love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else?!" (right?) as RuPaul says. I find immense pride and happiness when I remind myself how insecure I was growing up -- being gay, being Filipino, brown-skinned, having immigrant parents who were "weird" -- and now I fully embrace all of that. That's empowering. I have my parents, family, friends and boyfriend to thank for that. They taught me what love is. 

How do you empower others? 
 How I empower myself! People should remind themselves what they love about themselves. It's a ritual. You have to actively practice it. Also, don't take life too seriously. I find humor in pretty much everything and I often find myself looking around to see if anyone else is "laughing", for others who get it and see what I'm seeing. Talk about empowering, and I really just believe in good 'ol positive thinking. Wow, I sound so life-coachy. 

How do you define love? 
I'm not Buddhist and I might be getting this wrong but I like what they say about love and practicing compassion, which is one way I'd define love, to care for others or something greater than yourself. 

Place: La Carafe

What empowers you?
Aside from a bottle of wine, a bag of sour patch kids, crop tops, fierce eyebrows, and the "Featuring a Strong Female Lead" category on Netflix I'm really empowered by my friends. I've been lucky enough to have really amazing people fall into my life. Especially after graduating college and living "adult life" it's been to watch this group of inspiring, talented, beautiful people surround me. Knowing that I have a great connection with these people who I can call and say "something great happened let's get a drink!" Or " something terrible happened let's get a drink!" Or "it's Tuesday! Let's get a drink!" And they'll want to see me and I'll want to see them. It's a very empowering feeling knowing there's great people (all over the country at this point) that have my back.  

How do you empower others?
Give them a hug, hand them a drink, lay on the bone dry sarcasm. Also I've always felt that I'm boiling over with sparkly Disney princess optimism. Someday my prince will come because a dream is a wish your heart makes and a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down optimism. I do my best to pass that a long to others. There's too much to do to sit and worry. Faith Trust and Pixie dust.  

How do you define love?
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

JUST KIDDING (sort of). Love is not knowing what happens next and not caring. Love is knowing you've had too much wine and pouring another glass anyway. Love is stupid inside jokes that last for years and never get old. Loves a lot of things and you know when you have it and you'll do just about anything to keep it. 

Place: Metropolitan Opera House

What empowers you?
Leaning into fear. This is my time to take up my sword. I want my life to be measured not by how many times I fall, but the moments I stand back up.

How do you empower others?
Introductions.  I have a true passion for introducing collaborators. Everyone I know creates: friendships, stories, art. I am grateful to be surrounded by INCREDIBLE humans! I think they should all know one another. Think of the possibilities! If I can help spark a conversation that leads to another conversation, it becomes a collaboration; a creation. Even if it's only for a brief moment, that connection is beautiful.

How do you define love?
Love is a challenge. It waxes and wanes. It breaks open and through. It's gratitude for vulnerability, connectivity, passion. To give it away, to bestow it, to hold it, and treasure it: it's why I wake up every morning. 

Place: One Bryant Park

What empowers you?All things start from you first. You have to believe in yourself, in what you're capable of, before you can be open to accepting any kind of empowerment from outside. It's about giving your own strength life from the inside out. There are no replacements for this fundamental fact. Once there, it's all about surrounding yourself with positive and forward-thinking souls, people that have their moral compass straight. Knowing I have people like that in my life gives me strength in situations where I need it most. These are people that don't judge you and act in your best interest... they are quite rare.

How do you empower others?
Many times, it's about just being a source of strength and an ear to listen. I empower others to be their best selves by sharing words of inspiration or supporting them in their various efforts. The most important thing is empowering from a genuine place. When I tell someone "You can do it", it's not just baloney. I really mean it and believe in you.  

How do you define love? 
Love is effortless and comes from a place of kindness. It means caring about others in a way that transcends our inherent selfishness. When love exists, it elevates how we live our lives to the next level, and inevitably forces you to think about 'us' instead of 'me'. Love is ultimately about our collective happiness. 
 

Place: Columbus Circle
Pag-ibig || Tagalog for Love

What empowers you?
I am constantly reminding myself that, as an immigrant from the Philippines, I am the first in my family to pursue a career in the arts, and that I was blessed with the opportunity to move to New York and work in the theatre. 

How do you empower others?
By reminding people that they are special in their own unique way. Every person possesses something special inside, a passion that drives. I like to remind people that these passions live inside them and that is what makes them get up in the morning, whether they realize it or not.

How do you define love?
Love is having to use the word “I” but really meaning “We” 

Place: Museum Of Modern Art

What empowers you?
Freedom, Art, Compassion, Creativity, and Love.  

How do you empower others?
Through Love! ❤ 

How do you define love?
Respect, Forgiveness, and Empathy. 

Place: Times Square

What empowers you? 
My female friends. All of them are generous and strong.  

How do you empower others? 
I can always be better at this, but I think the best way to empower others is to amplify their voices.

How do you define love? 
Love is forgetting to think about how everything that can occur will affect you. "If this person gets this thing, what will I lose?" I believe that people rise together, whether we're talking about two individuals in a monogamous relationship or everyone who lives in this country.

Place: Kings Theatre

What empowers you? 
Knowledge is a big thing that empowers me. I'm always hungry to learn more about my fellow humans and the world we share. It sounds corny, but knowledge really is power. Starting the day with a matching bra and pair of underwear goes a long way, too :) 

How do you empower others?
I try to empower others by helping them see their potential. It could be help with problem solving a specific situation or a strong dose of "You're good enough and you deserve this!". My style may be a little harsh sometimes, but it all comes from a place of love and empowerment. Helping people to realize that they have the power within to tackle life is something that also empowers me! 

How do you define love?
Love is many things and can be seen everywhere if you keep your eyes up. It's caring for someone on their worst day, going out of your way to let them know they're important, it's ending your time together with a smile. Love is embracing life together whether its from miles away or in the same room.

Place: Brooklyn Museum

What empowers you?
Working on a project I believe in & feeling like I'm creating or contributing to a new idea or point of view. 

How do you empower others?
I fully believe in women lifting up other women....there's no need for competition. I believe in collaboration & space for all. To empower, I try to listen wholeheartedly & openly. 

How do you define love?
To me, love is full acceptance & unconditional of someone you care for & commitment. 

Place: Grand Central Station

What empowers you?
A really well made dress. I've struggled with my weight and body image for my entire life...it's only in the past few years that I've learned to love and embrace my body, not only for how it looks but for what it does for me. When I put on a dress like this one from Pinup Girl Clothing (whose slogan is Couture for Every Body), I feel like a million bucks. I feel confident and I feel feminine and I feel like I'm presenting my best possible self to the world. There's nothing more empowering than that.

How do you empower others?
Active listening. Also, never being afraid to give a stranger a compliment.

How do you define love?
I think the definition of love boils down to two things: honesty and communication. Love is sharing the mundane details of your day and it's sharing the major life changing events. Love is speaking your mind without fear of judgement and love is listening with an open heart and mind. Love is feeling safe enough to disagree. Love is easy to give and hard to take away. Love is not keeping score. Love is a choice you make every day.

Place: Stephen Schwarzman Building (NYPL) 
사랑 (Sarang) || Korean for Love

What empowers you?
Traveling empowers me. When I was 8 years old, I was diagnosed with rheumatism and couldn't walk properly. Because of my condition, I had to mostly stay at home for 5 years. Despite my condition, I wanted to see the world and pursue a career in international trade; connecting people with the products they need. Whenever I travel to other countries, I feel like I am taking one step closer to fulfilling my dreams. And that, to me, is empowering. 

How do you empower others? 
I empower others by sharing my life story. I urge them to believe in themselves and to pursue what they love. My life is abnormal. Because of my condition, I see a doctor every month and get an injection every 2 weeks, a routine I've had since middle school.  Back then, being able to live a normal life and have "normal" experiences were hard to imagine. But I decided to not let anything stop me. This is what I like to tell people. That no matter the hardships you are facing, believe in yourself and experience everything. 

How would you define love? 
Love to me is like a warm hot chocolate in winter. It gives me joy, warmth, energy, and a sweet taste. But, let's not forget that chocolate can sometimes be bitter as well.