In Greek, viazomai (βιάζομαι) means “I’m in a hurry,” but it can also mean “I am being violated/assaulted.”

Entering the golden decade of my thirties, I’ve felt the double meaning of this word in my bones—and I decided to express it through a personal art project. In honor of International Women’s Day, I wrote a poem that became a call to action. I invited nine acclaimed women from the arts and letters to unite their thoughts and their steps with mine in a video art project designed to dismantle the suffocating timeline imposed on the female experience.

From the relentless pressure to become a mother and a partner, to the exhausting race to remain young, successful, and confident—all before the arbitrary “deadline” of 40—these women give voice to our collective sprint to please a world that rarely pauses to listen to us.

The message to every girl today and tomorrow is the one we all needed to hear: Don’t rush.