you know what that is? growth ⬆
Spread the love, forward to a friend!
View this email in your browser
#WednesdayWisdom
"I don't have a feeling of inferiority. Never had. I'm as good as anybody, but no better." — Katherine Johnson
Morning Musings
Like many of you, I wear a lot of hats at my day job. While director of communications is my official title, I'm also reigning president of the OneGoal Beyhive and Queen of Beyoncé GIFs. Additionally, I co-lead our Black affinity group, #ForTheCulture.
I remember when my now manager mentioned there was a people of color affinity group. Coming from an organization where I was often the only Black woman in the room, I was pleasantly surprised. Then, once I started, I learned there were subsets within the group according to ethnicity -- well, color me shocked.
And, for this Black girl who used to be ashamed of the color of my skin, joining this group and soaking in all of the #BlackExcellence was overwhelming and inspiring all at once. So much so that I felt moved to write an essay about claiming my seat at the Black table (in reference to Beverly Daniel Tatum’s iconic book Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?).
In preparation for Black History Month, the group leaders asked participants to share why my Black matters, or what we want our legacy to be. Ever the Bey fan, I referenced the singer's ballad "I Was Here" off her 4 album. And yes, I would like this played at my funeral, thanks for asking.
Anywho, my co-leader and I made the executive decision to rewatch the video and share with the group at our last meeting to celebrate Black History, Present and Future. And there were two quotes from my part that I found a bit cringey two years later.
I talked about wanting to empower "women of color" and help our young people realize that "if they work hard and believe in themselves, they can achieve their dreams."
As I've written previously, in the past I have used "women of color" and "Black women" interchangeably. Spoiler: they are not the same. I also felt bad about the "work hard and believe in themselves."
I'll admit, before working at OneGoal, I didn't know the difference between equality and equity and also used the terms interchangeably. I make no apologies about my privilege -- most everyone has some to an extent. But I realized my privilege had also shielded me from a lot of social injustices and inequity.
It's not enough to ask our students to "work hard and believe in themselves" in a system that was literally not designed for them. We need to look no further than the college admissions scandal from last year to realize that. You can "work hard and believe in yourself" all you want and there will still be someone's rich parent buying their way into your seat. 'Merica, gotta love it.
After we finished our viewing, I shared my mea culpa and also acknowledged how much I've learned in two years. Because when you know better, you do better ... and, truth be told, that's all you really can do.
Love,
L'Oreal
Happenings
March 6: March Meditation & Lettering Workshop. My girl Vanessa Flowers is hosting the next event in her Flower Girls Meet series. Learn about different forms of meditation and more.
(NEW) March 19: #TalkItOut: Beyond the Binary. For their annual #TalkItOut Speaker Series, Chicago Foundation for Women is exploring what it means to build an inclusive movement for gender equity.
March 20: Girl Behind the Hustle Book Club. Join me and Girl Behind the Hustle founder Lu'Cretia Thomas for an evening of mingling and meditation as we discuss Shonda Rhimes' bestseller, Year of Yes.
March 31: Chicago Women's DiversiTeaTime. This twist on a traditional afternoon tea seeks to celebrate, honor and connect diverse women in Chicago. Use the code LTintheCity for 10% off your ticket.
Links I Love
1. Self-Care Tips for Women Who Aren't White. Listen, there's more to self-care than bath bombs and mani/pedis (though don't got me wrong, I love all of those things). Writer (and friend!) Melissa Kimble dives into refining your own healing practice. (ZORA)
2. Confessions of a Burned Out Writer. I'll be lying if I said I never daydreamed about going solo to live the freelance life, but I've experienced burnout as a journalist before and, tbh, am still dealing with a little PTSD. Writer Ella Dawn shares more about this all-important topic on her blog. (EllaDawson.com)
3. Emotion Wheel. This isn't an article as much as it's a handy resource. When my therapist asks me to describe how I'm feeling (aka name an emotion), I often find myself sharing thoughts instead. This wheel can help. Shoutout to Stephanie Ghoston-Paul for sharing. (Twitter)
My Latest Obsession
If you've been following along closely, you'll notice I've been spotlighting some of my fave Black woman-owned businesses (and/or businesses/products that benefit Black women), so I couldn't let Black History Month close without ushering us into Women's History Month with my new fave sweatshirt.
I've been a fan of Well-Read Black Girl since the beginning and I love to see what started as a book club flourish into a brand, a literary festival, a book and apparel. Because there's nothing I love more than telling the world who I am without saying a word.
Now Hiring
Marketing Assistant for Harper Perennial & Harper Paperbacks
Director, Mentoring Programs for Rush University Medical Center
Chicago Volunteer Coordinator for The Young Center for Immigrant Children's Rights
Content Copy Editor, Programs for Salesforce
Communications Intern for NCAN
Program Manager for Teens Take Charge
Communications Coordinator for ACLU of Arizona
Story Editor for Chalkbeat
Senior Publicist for the Guggenheim
Podcast Sales Specialist for Spotify
Psst...did a friend forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here so you never miss an issue! Liked what you read? Be sure to follow using the buttons below.