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Poet Amanda Gorman's The Hill We Climb begins with a question: "When day comes we ask ourselves, where can we find light in this never-ending shade?" Though related to the goings-on in the US, the "never-ending shade" can be related to so much more. The pandemic's onslaught, the proliferation of violence against women, inequality in the workplace, and the struggle of contemporary female experience. In spite of all this, local community organisation We Inspire Limited, headed by CEO Cortia Bingham McKenzie, has been on a five-year journey to inspire women and girls.After three postponements due to the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic, on Saturday, November 6, Bingham McKenzie hosted the Resolve to Rise brunch at Talk of the Town, Jamaica Pegasus hotel. The colour-themed brunches are the highlight of the organisation's event calendar. The energy in the room can best be described as thankful. It may seem prosaic to describe it as such, but thankfulness, expressed on the faces and raised hands of the women in the room, conveyed emotion so deep that it seemed the attendees became unburdened as the elevator rose to the 17th floor.Emcee Joy Kelly encouraged the "sister queens" to celebrate. "We made it," she declared; despite the pandemic's setbacks, "we survived". And life is worth celebrating.The event began with a rousing praise and worship session by Montego Bay-based Hearts In Service Ministry, followed by Bingham McKenzie's welcome. The CEO spoke about personal perseverance in ensuring that the 2021 iteration of the event took place and declared, "Don't romp with a woman who prays!" Prayer, like sisterhood, is a pillar of her life.There were four speakers on tap. Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel and Hampden Estate director Christelle Harris, Sagicor Bank CEO Chorvelle Johnson Cunningham, Cable & Wireless Communications Northern Cluster VP & General Manager Susanna O'Sullivan, and psychologist Karen DeSilva, whose topics covered included Self Love, The Climb, A Time to Triumph, and Resolve to Rise in Love: The Red Flags, respectively.Harris cautioned the room against measuring itself against the "yardstick of perfection" in her presentation, highlighting that "self-love is not a destination". After sharing her journey to loving herself in an animated 30-minute talk, Harris closed by imploring the women to show up for themselves the way they show up for others.Johnson Cunningham's practical and inspiring talk touched on three types of climbing that women have to encounter - spiritual, corporate and sisterhood. Her words were not merely personal opinions but also offered a roadmap to self-fulfilment and achieving corporate success.O'Sullivan, the first woman to hold her position at the telecoms giant, knows all about triumph. From the outside, it seems that she's always had it made. But she's had to be determined, focused, self-driven and unyielding to accomplish all she has. Her career can best be summed up by a Maya Angelou quote: "We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."DeSilva closed the event with Resolve to Rise in Love: The Red Flags. Red flags often abound in love, work, and life but are often ignored. "Doing the work" involves recognising patterns, healing, and pledging to break deleterious cycles.We Inspire Limited has among its aims a primary goal: "To conceptualise and execute inspirational events for women & girls that inflame the desire to dream big and commit to social responsibility." In addition to its brunches, since its inception, the organisation has conducted numerous events across the Caribbean, including entrepreneur masterclasses and over 100 vision board workshops. Saturday's brunch was a metaphorical phoenix, and against all odds, Bingham McKenzie and her team will continue to rise and inspire.