The Original Thought...

I was born and raised in Jamaica, and also lived for short periods in Grenada and Trinidad, all islands in the Caribbean. People of African descent were the majority and to me that was the norm. After immigrating to and living in the US for the last 19 years, I have felt the struggle of the people of color. And as I have grown from teen into womanhood, I have experienced, felt and seen the plight of the woman of color as she struggles to live, contribute, thrive and lead in a culture where she is a minority.

I created this blog as part of a personal journey to understand why as women of color, we absolutely MUST continue to strive for higher levels of achievements in whatever ways we can. I hope to share my findings, information I have learned, links to resources and simply to encourage girls, young women and women of color, to strive for the highest achievements possible in all we do.

I recently faced these personal questions about the pursuit of higher levels of achievement recently, while I attended the Executive Leadership Program for Women (ELP) at Rutgers University and facilitated by Brigid Moynihan of The Next Level Inc.: How much do I want? How high should I set my personal career goals? Up until that point I was comfortable being in middle management. I was able to focus on producing excellence at work while maintaining duties as a wife, as well as mother of two active teenagers.

But the more I read the statistics and documents shared at the ELP program, and through many coaching sessions with my ELP coach Uneeda Frazier Brewer, the more I was convinced that I needed to WANT to do more.

The best changes don't ever happen if the same kinds of people are continually responsible for key and influential decisions. There is more than ever, a need for diverse ways of looking at things in order to create break through solutions to problems in all aspects of our economy, government, society, school systems and work places. And as women of color, there is an urgent need for more of us to step up onto the treadmill.

Women have long been known as the great stabilizers, and as such are found in many entry level positions within society as we keep businesses, schools, local governments, hospitals etc. humming. Society and our cultures, coupled with our natural God given tendency to nurture, has set precedent for our roles in society as generally the "focused ones". The stay at home mother who successfully raises strong children. The grandmother taking care of her grandchildren. The manager who nurtures and motivates her team. The principal and teacher who "parent" as well as teaches. As girls and women, I don't believe we have innate tendencies to live on the edge, to seek risky adventures; generally we don't struggle with strong urges to have power or influence; dreams of mega responsibility for large corporations or high level government officials don't seem to flood our sleep time at night or as young girls growing up. Generally, these drives and desires tend to be attributed to our male counterparts who seem to thrive on intense competition to "reach the top". It might sometimes seem women have been OK, satisfied or gratified "holding down the fort". And we do a damn good job, for these roles in society are important and needed. We would be nothing without them.

But while we are "holding down the fort", our perspectives are being missed from the congressional meetings, the local government discussions, the board room, the customer presentation meetings and the design conferences; meetings where decisions are being made about us, for us, and with far reaching impact not only for our immediate generation, gender and race, but for those to come.

I am wholly convinced that there are more women of color out there, just like the men out there too, who can handle the pressure, take on the mega decision-making responsibilities, lead the hundreds or thousands to growth and success. There are women of color in these roles today, but the lack is overwhelming (I will find and share these stats on this blog). And while much of this lack is due to barriers and many forms of deterrents, prejudices and biases, I am convinced there is a subset of warriors out there with the potential to join the fight, but consider this call to higher leadership vain or frivolous. Perhaps unnecessary. Because you are fully satisfied with your contributions and are delivering excellent results right where you are. Why join in the useless "fray" when you are being such a great stabilizer and contributor today? To what end? Or perhaps, you never thought about this need.

This has been my conversation with me too. And as I embark on this journey, I implore you to take another peek at this. Just one more time (or for the first time). Look at the possibilities. At the probable earth shattering changes that would occur if overwhelming numbers of girls of color pursue higher levels of excellence in school. And if women of color decide to make strides for higher levels of office, rank, leadership and influence.

Yes, you can't do it alone. And if you keep looking I strongly believe that your faith and desire to make a difference will be rewarded, and you will find the support you need, that strong support system necessary ready to leap into action: the supportive husband, son, daughter, sister, mother, neighbor and true friend. They will help you on the journey with the rest of us to bring perspective, diversity, creativity and innovation to a world that needs us oh so badly; they just don't realize it - yet.

This blog is a call to women of color to keep checking the pulse of their situation, and ask themselves, can I give more? can I go higher?