Thanks to my colleague, Jumi Falusi Samen for sharing the questions below. They inspired me to write my thoughts on Freedom Day and what freedom means to me as a Black woman in leadership.
1. Who are the [leaders] that embody values of justice, liberation and joy? What in their stories inspires the leadership legacy I strive to live and to leave?
The leaders who come immediately to mind are people like Desiree Adaway, Joy-Ann Reid, and my 94.5-year-old grandma. Desiree has led the way on equity and justice work. Joy-Ann has navigated the highs and lows of a mainstream career and remained authentically herself. My grandmother was raised in a small town in Livingston Parish, Louisiana, and moved north to Seattle with her seven daughters when my mom was 11 years old. These three women all embody some of what I deeply admire about being free Black women.
2. What are the connections between Black emancipation and my own freedom as a leader?
My great-grandparents were born in Orange, Texas in 1898. Orange is about two hours east of my home in Houston. I think a lot about their migration journey and mine as I research our family genealogy. My great-grandparents were religious leaders in partnership with ‘white saints’ in the South at a time when that wasn’t popular. I think of the courage it must have taken to establish and run their church during that time in that place. They were clear in their purpose and did not fear convention. That’s freedom.
My great grandparents’ leadership reminds me that coming from families of formerly enslaved parents, freedom was fresh. New. They didn’t take that freedom for granted and chose to push it to the limits of what was possible in that day and age.
3. How am I choosing (now and in the future) to cultivate justice, liberation, and joy for Black people across my relationships, philanthropy and work?
One thing I’ve been striving for is more joy in my relationships. Not just checking in with my partner about bills or kids or whatever. But how is he doing? What is he excited about? What does he want to explore? That‘s new for me. Cultivation requires tending. Intentionality. I want to be free to be curious in all things. This means trying new things for our quarterly trips and reconnecting around things we both enjoy.
At work cultivating justice, liberation, and joy looks like not just following culture, but also being brave enough to set it when the culture is not working for my team. Checking in with my folks by giving regular feedback and asking for it too. With my philanthropy, I’ve been trying to be mindful about giving locally, donating time according to my skills and interests, and also sharing information about the organizations I support with my professional network.
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