We're thrilled to announce our Lehigh Valley Executive Vicki Doulé has been honored with the prestigious ATHENA Leadership Award by the Lehigh Valley Chamber! Vicki's dedication, leadership, and commitment to our customers and the communities we serve have truly made a lasting impact. Congratulations, Vicki!
Thanks to LV Chamber Women's Business Council for making this announcement so special!
White Women: If you support Black women in leadership, allies are also welcome to register.
If we (white women) want to be part of meaningful change, white women must choose womanhood over whiteness. This requires us (white women) to unlearn what we have been taught about about racial injustice, discrimination, and white supremacy in this country. We must be willing to relearn what it will take to dismantle white supremacy.
White women have been part of white supremacy in America since the very beginning, experts point out, dating back to their role in slavery. “They were at the table when the system was designed,” Stephanie Jones-Rogers, a history professor at UC Berkeley and author of the book They Were Her Property: White Women as Slave Owners in the American South, told Vox. “They were co-architects of the system.”
It’s hard for a lot of white women to read that last paragraph and embrace this reality. White women historically have leveraged their white power and privilege to gain advantage over women of color; leveraging their whiteness was an intentional strategy when one is operating within a predominantly white male patriarchy. Whiteness over womanhood is easy math.
Having privilege doesn’t make white women bad people, and acknowledging privilege shouldn’t be a burden. Acknowledging privilege is an opportunity to learn, grow, and be better, so we can create a just, equitable, and inclusive world. Benefiting from privilege doesn’t make you a bad person, but it does require you to use your privilege to interrupt, challenge, and ultimately end white supremacy.
We can’t dismantle what we cannot see. We have to be intentional by practicing seeing how racism is baked into systems and how those systems shape and influence the lives of people and communities. We need to put Black women’s voices at the center of our ongoing journey to reeducation in this country.
Need some inspiration? Start by exploring these voices: Anna Julia Cooper, Ntozake Shante, Maria W. Stewart, Joan Morgan, Angela Y. Davis, Tressie McMillan Cotton, Mia Birdsong, Claudia Jones, Mikki Kendall, Paula Giddings, Marita Bonner, Nora Neale Hurston, Lorraine Hansberry, and Rev. Pauli Murray. This is not an exhaustive list, but a great start. This list was provided by W. Kamau Bell and Kate Schatz, authors of DO THE WORK, An Antiracist Activity Book.
https://a.co/d/aq6A6BZ
Here is Amazon link for the book, $13.99, small investment with a big payoff.
Co-Founder of Create and Educate|Educator|Author|Trainer|Coach
We hope you register for our free online event. Reserve your free ticket before it’s sold out.
Are you a Black Woman in Leadership?
Leading your life…
Leading in your home…
Leading in the workplace…
Or Aspiring to Lead…
This event is for you!
If you support Black women in leadership, allies are also welcome to register.
While women’s leadership programs have made strides, they sometimes fall short in crucial areas. From neglecting the diverse needs of participants to underemphasizing the importance of mentorship, these gaps can hinder true empowerment. At B-WEL, we’re committed to filling these gaps by generating innovative solutions that support Black women leaders and institutions globally to remove structural barriers and build more equitable systems.
Learn more about how to build a holistic women's leadership program in this article: https://lnkd.in/d9HwNvAu
The KPMG US Board Leadership Center and the Latino Corporate Directors Association (LCDA) have released their latest report: "Latino representation on Fortune 1000 boards: 2023 Edition." This report highlights the progress being made in Latinx representation on corporate boards, with an increase in board seats from 2.7% in 2019 to 5.0% in 2023 – underscoring the work that still needs to be done.
Read the full report to dive deeper into the findings and gain valuable insights:
"Black women leaders must bend but not break."
This is a statement made during my interviews with prominent Black women leaders.
For some, this line may trigger discomfort, as the notion of compromise can be unsettling. However, for seasoned Black women in leadership roles, navigating the intricate labyrinth of authority—with its traps, pitfalls, valleys, and mountains—often requires them to be all things to all people. They have learned the art of adaptation for the greater good.
"Bending but not breaking" is not about compromising one's values; rather, it signifies flexibility, the wisdom to choose battles wisely, and the understanding that building and maintaining relationships is crucial for long-term success and longevity in leadership roles.
To upcoming Black women leaders, the phrase "bend but not break" may not resonate verbatim, but consider what it means to you: the ability to remain resilient while upholding your integrity, navigating challenges with grace, and fostering connections that empower and elevate your leadership journey.
Throwback to earlier this week. If you look closely at the pic below I'm the balding, slightly out of shape middle-aged white bloke sat front left. What was absolutely brilliant about this event was that, unlike most events I attend, that made me in the minority.
Ridiculous but true. I - most of us? - operate in a male-dominated sector where (and with apologies to the writers of the 'Cheers' theme tune) nearly everybody looks the same. It's fair to say there's been some positive change in terms of sentiment in recent years, but the data still shows there's a massive gender imbalance and the pace of change is glacial.
Change and culture comes from the top. At Palatine we aim to enhance the boards of companies we invest in through equipping them with high quality people and a broad range of skills. Proactively building a diverse board is an obvious way to ensure there are different experiences, skillsets, mindsets, opinions, perspectives and outlooks - and that flexibility of thought can only be of benefit to the wider business and the ongoing development of the people within it.
This event brought together a fantastic group of business leaders; they all just happened to be female. Fundamentally, they are people that others can look up to, be inspired by and also aspire to be. They are successful business people and active role models - and as the father of two daughters I struggle to see how that can't be a good thing. It shows the art of the possible.
For me, this event just reaffirmed my personal view that the current gender imbalance across numerous sectors, but particularly in financial services, is an absolute nonsense. However, with a proactive mindset, flexible thinking and acknowledgement that we're all in a position to do something about it, positive change can be made - which would be of benefit to all gender types.
Thanks to psd group for co-hosting and to all of those who attended and contributed to the discussion. Looking forward to working with some of you soon!
Yesterday, we teamed up with psd group to host a Northwest women in leadership event at 20 Stories with the intention of fostering meaningful relationships with industry experts and sharing success from their careers in a bid to diversify our entrepreneurs network.
“Intentionality is required to create a diverse and inclusive workforce and it requires individual and collective commitment and action. This event was an opportunity for our guests to network and share success stories in how we can ‘lift as you climb’ as women in leadership roles.” Steph Wall, Palatine
We enjoyed welcoming you all, many thanks to everyone that joined us!
Our CEO, Marianela Collado's journey of integrity and inclusion is featured in a recent NAPFA article. Discover how her leadership is paving the way for a more inclusive future, here:
https://lnkd.in/ezNYXyvu
14 Quotes for Women’s Leadership and Growth in 2024
From self-advocacy to authenticity, 14 women leaders across a range of industries share lessons they’ve learned climbing the career ladder.
https://ow.ly/OL3630sz29z
Many high achievers are plagued with the habit of comparing themselves to their ideal selves, leading to constant negative thoughts, and rarely feeling like they're hitting their stride.
Being negative is easy and the majority of us talk to ourselves in a negative tone and manner. We nitpick all of the things we shouldn't have done, should have done better and the way we talk to ourselves when we look in a mirror is even worse ,especially as we age all of these thoughts make you feel terrible.
Today, I am honored to be a panelist for the CHPA 'Confidence to be My Best Self' event along with six other talented and successful women.
As a panelist I hope to share the positive impact of frequent reflection on my successes as a woman who worked in corporate America and as the founder of Checkable.
After deep reflection and coaching I realized I was constantly feelinging like I wasn't living up to the woman I wanted to be in my mind, I was comparing myself to who I wanted to be and it was dragging me down.
9 months after starting Checkable I wrote down everything I had accomplished personally and professionally, I started to remember new accomplishments as the days passed since doing the exercise, I would smile and feel proud of the woman who went for it. This is how we should feel about ourselves and our bodies, this shifts your mindset and puts in you a state of positivity and confidence.
Growing and getting confidence back starts with this exercise and continues with daily relection on wins and appreciation/recognition for the losses and what they taught you for your future self.
🚌🚗✈️🚇 Make your plans to join CHPA's Women's Leadership Forum this month in Bridgewater, NJ as we gather to celebrate the incredible women of the #selfcare community.
If you're looking to...
💪 Strengthen your business relationships and network
📈 Advance your career
👂 Hear personal and strategic insights from industry leaders
... this event is for YOU!
⏰ Registration will close one week before the event. Reserve your spot today! https://bit.ly/416CbKY
WeTheChange is driving a just and inclusive economy.
Leadership Circle member and Governance lead, Mary Stelletello, shares what's unique about WeTheChange as a network by and for women-led, purpose-driven businesses.
Become a member to join the movement: https://lnkd.in/gdhpKJ9V
Looking forward to celebrating in October! 🎉