Strawberry Milkshake explores how women of color internalize pressure to over perform and how that shapes their sense of worth in dating, work, and friendship. Carmen’s workaholism reflects the unspoken belief many women of color carry that they must be twice as accomplished to be considered “enough.” Through her journey, I wanted to examine the tension between striving for more and learning to receive the love and validation that already exist in friendship and community, not just romance. This film shows women of color what it looks like to pause, listen inward, and define success and love on their own terms.