Many readers have asked me to share some of the details of my journey. I was recently interviewed by Anne Robie and Sherry Essig on their podcast Flowing East & West. I dive into a few details of my journey but I would like to take you on an exploration deeper into a few important moments in my life.
Throughout the month of May, I will be continuing this exploration as I invite you for you a glimpse into my life.
I have spent most of my life with a deep awareness of racism, discrimination, and what we now describe as “othering”, or marginalization. Many of us have adopted this terminology that identifies the social construct of perceived value based on some dimension of our diversity Over the years I have been asked how my journey started and how I got into this work—the truth is I was born with a purpose and knew very early on that my life was meant for something greater than my self. While I now reside in California, I was born and grew up in New York City. I watched the marching and fighting for human rights during the Civil Rights Movement. I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to don my white Go-Go boots and mini skirts to enter the fray.
My life continued to evolve in ways that kept me grounded and rooted in the battles for the very soul of our individual and collective humanity. My work brought me into boardrooms and face-to-face with high-level senior management teams. I knew my presence was usually a new experience for people at the highest level where black women may not have been welcomed or expected. Over the years I encountered the highs and lows of humanity through the way organizations curated and cultivated their culture. I was determined to expand my approach to bring more awareness and depth to the traditional diversity and inclusion (D&I) work.
My quest began for more information about team building tools and personality assessment—a quick Google search brought me to the Enneagram Institute. I was off on a journey that took me beyond the belief that I had to find a destination for the journey’s end. There was no looking back at this point. I did not expect the Enneagram journey to lead me down a path directly into the heart of humanity.
Ultimately my work evolved and I transitioned to doing more work as an Executive coach and less as a psychotherapist. My company became more actively focused on consulting and coaching in the IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-Racism) space. I believed that this was the place where I could help to create a safe space for individuals to speak their truth and to be who they were created to be.
Within the past decade or so I have witnessed a dark cloud cast a shadow over humanity. People have become disconnected from their empathy, compassion, kindness, and the basic human capacity for loving one another. We will have to take a leap of faith to build the bridges and reconnect to one another. With my faith as my strength and the Enneagram as my roadmap, I have been able to continue working on those bridges to reconnect humankind. If we work towards this together, all things are possible.
Come back next week for a glimpse into my early childhood and follow me on my journey throughout the month of May.
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