One of my favorite practices to welcome in the new year is to set the tone of success by choosing an annual theme. My 2022 theme has been to activate my voice by sharing the evolution of my story to light a path for up-and-coming social change agents, documenting the beauty I see in the struggle, and building meaningful relationships. To amplify my voice, in 2022, I added components to my personal communications strategy - a website and a blog! The website has served as a central location to showcase what I stand for and the steps that led me to where I am today. The blog has allowed me to share stories that encourage and inspire action in more depth.
So far, on the blog, we have shared stories of sisterhood and wellness, the impact of role models, and the value of pivotal leadership. We have also offered advice to our younger sisters, self-care tips for social justice activists, and the powerful stories of Dean Erika James and Bobbi Gibbs. Each story is powerful, and I encourage you to check them out.
Courageous Acts of Unity
I was very excited to introduce the Courageous Acts of Unity (CAU) series this year. It is a series of interviews exploring how resiliency, wellness, and spirituality foster trust and peace across different groups. Through the series, we share stories of featured leaders so we can incorporate their lessons learned into our leadership strategies and personal lives. The series is for people striving to do justice, love kindness, and create unifying communities. Check out our first official CAU interview with the Founder of the Atlanta Community Food Bank, Bill Bolling.
Take Action
Efforts rooted in diversity, equity, and inclusion are my soul's work and fuel my mission to dismantle unjust systems that marginalize people who share my lived experience. Part of that work is building stronger communities which can be done both individually and collectively. Take note of these practicals as you continue the good work in the new year.
Individuals can create more equitable communities by:
Opening up their networks to underrepresented people
Seeking out learning opportunities to deepen understanding of community issues
Committing to a long-standing mentoring relationship with a student attending an underserved school
Finding ways to activate unheard voices
Organizations can do their part by:
Committing to measuring the impact of DEI goals and policies
Creating a cycle of transparency by involving different levels of stakeholders to review the data for learning and accountability against targets
Ensuring suppliers and management reflect community demographics
Developing DEI strategies that support employees and the broader community
Collaboratively working across industries to dismantle unjust systems
An Invitation for 2023
My 2023 theme is Building Community. Next year, I look forward to sharing more inspiring stories and learning more about my online community. I also look forward to collaborating on more DEI and community initiatives and invite you to share your stories of Courageous Acts of Unity with me.