Singled Out: Athena Hiotis' Unbreakable Our Story

Athena Hiotis recently released her new concept video "Unbreakable Our Story", which was a collaboration with her childhood friend Nina Themelis. We asked Athena to tell us about the song and video. Here is the story:

"Unbreakable" is a video short that Nina Themelis and I directed and produced where we asked women to answer the question "What makes you unbreakable?" We came together and began working on a video concept to accompany my song "Unbreakable" and the idea was simple enough but quite honestly, we didn't expect it to be as big as it turned out. What we thought was going to be an evening with friends and maybe some friends of friends turned into women from all over the place - some from an hour and a half away- showing up at the studio wanting to tell their stories. We even had people sending in submissions from all over the world. It was one of the most moving experiences to date for me.

The idea of having to write anything down, let alone what makes you unbreakable sounds a lot easier than it is. The written word is so strong: it's permanent, bold, unmistakable. On top of that, what they had to write needed to be phrased in a positive way. It's very easy, especially in today's society, to turn to negative language or to maybe use some level of self-deprecation to buffer talking about yourself. It's difficult to stand up and state something in the positive form. And that is what also makes it so powerful. What was so incredibly moving to me was seeing these strangers not even hesitate to support each other no matter what was written. There were times where we cheered; there were times where we were just speechless at the victories of these women. That is our true nature.

There was one woman in particular that stood out to me whose husband had been killed in a hit and run accident. After his death, she worked hard with law enforcement and played a pinnacle role in the development and passing of the "move over" law. Not only was her strength so inspiring but her story was proof that one person can truly make a difference. As women, it is our duty, and I believe in our circuitry, to accompany each other down the road of life, even if it's just for a few miles. We are like silk threads, weaving in and out of each other's lives. Individually we may be a single thread but when we interlock in complex ways, a woven tapestry is created. This quilt is a lot harder to tear than that one single thread. We are unbreakable when we feel connected to each other. I would say that everyone walked away from the experience a lot stronger because they felt understood, loved, and supported.

While the concept of "Unbreakable: Our Story" isn't unique, Nina and I believed it was still necessary. Sometimes it's not about being the first or only to do something, but it's about revisiting and reinforcing it, allowing others to share their experiences. There is a great responsibility in telling our stories because at least one person is going to be inspired by the victory you're sharing. And being an inspiration to someone isn't anything that you can control or opt out of; it is a gift and it's just life.

Hearing is believing. Now that you know the story behind the song, listen and watch for yourself right here!

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