Title IX, which was a key part to gaining equality for men and women, was enacted in 1972, the year I was born. As a result, I grew up always thinking of myself as equal to my male peers, and this continued even through law school. My rude awakening that we are not treated as equals did not occur until I became a mother. I’ve since learned that I am not alone. Today, men and women are graduating at the same rates from graduate schools and we all can go for any job we want, so who would ever think that anyone would view us differently? Well, as long as you are willing to continue to give 100% of yourself to work after motherhood, you too are in for a stark realization of how things will work in the real world after you become a mother. For the last 8 years, ever since I returned to work from my maternity leave (half of which was unpaid leave), it has been an ongoing struggle to maintain a work-life balance. It has been an incredible challenge, but it has also brought me the greatest rewards. I love being a mom, and I love being a lawyer. In this case, I want to have my cake and eat it too, and it is thanks to all the amazing women that came before me that I’ve been able to even attempt to maintain this delicate balancing act. Furthermore, were it not for my incredible female peers that share in this struggle, I might have lost hope that it would be possible to pursue an intense career while being a good mother. So, today on Mother’s Day, I just want to thank all those that have shared their stories about being able to pursue their passions in the workforce while enjoying all the benefits that motherhood has to offer. We are Title IX babies now dealing with our own babies, proving that we can do it all. Keep up the good job ladies!