Business Woman Model
Recently I saw something that was really awesome. It happened within a split second. If I had blinked, there is no doubt I would have missed it. Glad I did not miss it. I would have missed her.
Recently, I saw a “business woman model”. This model is unique. Her findings are rare. After all, how often is she portrayed in film? When do we hear about her in music? Who is reading about her in books? Although present, she is oftentimes invisible. In a traditional sense, I guess her omission would make sense. Society’s message has been that men make the bacon (i.e. money) and women fry it up in a pan. With that being the standard, who would expect a woman to have and operate her business to make a significant profit? She would seem out of place out of the kitchen, right?
Over the course of my lifetime, I have seen numerous women in leadership positions. I have seen them lead families, lead projects, lead departments, etc.. I have also known women who own their own businesses, but recently I saw something I had failed to identify before. Was it there and I had somehow missed it? I can only wonder. What I saw was an outgoing, professional woman with a very kind heart and a generous spirit. I saw a woman who understands the obstacles of running a business in general and as a woman specifically, and who is not afraid to speak on them. I saw a woman who, within her own confidence, recognized and appreciated the potential she saw in another woman and without hesitation offered to be an asset. Housed within the words she spoke lived work-life balance. This woman encompassed all of that, but within a split second—the second I could have missed had I blinked— I saw her business wisdom illustrated by her knowledge of the importance and purpose of money. OK. OK. It was slightly more than one second, but her subtle delivery could have been easily missed.
The timely presentation of this model was great to see. I am looking forward to learning from it. I am looking forward to sharing. It can only make us better.
emergingfree 
Excuse Me Little “Black” Girl—Part 2
Rock-a-bye baby in the tree top…. Excuse me little “Black” girl, I wonder about you. YES, YOU! I wonder how many of you have experienced a period of peace, a time when you had no worries and was carefree. I wonder if you have two loving parents, parents who often tell and show you that they love you. Do you tell and show them that you love them? YES, I mean ACTUALLY SAY the words: I-LOVE-YOU-Mom-Dad. Do you come from a loving home, a place where you are valued and protected, encouraged and supported, challenged and taught? Is your foundation solid or is it shallow? I wonder…about you.
When the wind blows the cradle will rock…. Have you experienced bullying–on the playground or in the classroom? Have you ever been picked last because you are a girl? Has a teacher overlooked your raised hand to call on Jim, not that his hand was raised but because he should know science? Have you ever been teased for being too light or too dark, for not being Black enough? Have you been told that you think you are white, talk like you are white, act like you are white? Have you struggled to understand what this means, and what this really means for you? Do you embrace your uniqueness or do you try to fit in? When the wind blows, what do you do?
When the bough breaks, the cradle will fall…. I wonder if you are aware of the injustices that await you in this world–injustices related to your gender, to your race, to your gender and to your race. I wonder about your preparation for being a healthy, well-balanced being operating in a world that defines so much around gender, race, and economics. I wonder about your preparation as I think about my own.
You see, there is a need to introduce race and gender scenarios to you in safe environments so you can ask questions and get answers, so you will learn to analyze matters for yourself without depending on media messages and mainstream citations to parrot. As you go forth to be boldly brilliant, you will see some heart aching events. Some, you will experience firsthand. Allow yourself to grow in maturity, to experience a range of emotion. Grow in patience and in perseverance. Being you, being Black and female, is not a bad thing. It is a blessed thing. You will gain insight and strength unlike no other. You will see that storylines have been created for you, but that you are created to create headlines. Write your own script once you have captured their attention. Be open to diverse friendships. Live outside of confined narratives. When the bough breaks, change the ending. Surprise some people and soar!