Grand Rapids Chamber ATHENA Leadership Award Video Production With Real Grit

[00:00:02] General Introductions Unknown Speaker: If someone says no, they don't want to help you, for every no there's a million yeses somewhere else. E.B. Sonheim: I think there's so much beauty in being a woman in a male dominated industry. Unknown Speaker: It's never been about proving my nos wrong but more about proving my yeses right. Kelly Brown: When we are our authentic self, it leads to those lasting relationships that we wouldn't have otherwise. Madyson Mansfield: It's so important to bring access to individuals in our community who may not otherwise have access to that social capital. [00:00:34] Amanda Rostic I think the average person is just not aware that it's more dangerous to have a baby now than it was 30 years ago. It kind of switched the whole world for me where I'm like, "Wait, people have these issues with their maternity care? Whoa, whoa, whoa, we got to fix that." And that really changed my life, so I created this film called Delivering While Black. Getting people talking, that's the way to get people heard. That is what film has been for me. [00:00:59] E.B. Sonheim So I started in the construction industry when I was 23 years old, and typically in not a space you find a lot of women, so it took me some time to find my footing and find my place and find my voice. Being a woman in a male dominated industry is a huge benefit. It's better to be the odd one out because I can bring a unique perspective that maybe hasn't been represented at a table before. [00:01:25] Madyson Mansfield My mom is my hero and I draw inspiration from her every day. My mom worked in the restaurant industry, so it was lots of nights where I was alone at home. We had no support, and so it's like, "I don't even understand how you were able to do that." Now that I'm in a position, it really is important for me to give back to those communities. When organizations support diverse individuals, it really does make an impact within our community. [00:01:49] Carrie Machkouri My dad, he actually had the opportunity to go back to school, really saw how transformational that was for him and for our family. I take that every day with me into the literacy center. I love working with people in my business owners and entrepreneurs English class. That class is kind of the biggest way that I use my social capital, so I tap my network to bring in great guest speakers for the class. It's so essential that we use our own privileges and our own access in our social networks to bring those with us to the people that we're mentoring. [00:02:27] Kelly Brown When my dad was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last year, there was no way I could hide what was going on in my life. If I wanted to be my authentic self, I had to kind of wear my heart on my sleeve. That was definitely a lesson for me in vulnerability and being okay showing those emotions when they were really raw and really real, and it taught me that it's okay to bring emotions into the workplace. We're not robots, we're emotional people. When you lead your life with authenticity, people see you. [00:03:03] Closing Thoughts Unknown Speaker: There's so much beauty and positive change you can drive by having a different voice. Madyson Mansfield: As we work with a diverse community, it's important that we look like the community we serve. Carrie Machkouri: So important as people in our society who have access to social capital and access to privilege to share that with others in our community. Kelly Brown: But I think back again on all of those women before me and look at where they are, and I know for a fact they weren't staying quiet, so I let my voice be heard. Stop being shy because issues don't go away when you're shy about them. Amanda Rostic: I didn't even have a camera and I made a whole film, so you can do it.

[00:00] Leadership is having a point of view if you don't have influence then you don't [00:04] have impact. I don't believe the road is easy. I think it's persevere and it's [00:10] not just about starting a business. It's really being a change agent. We have [00:16] this incredible opportunity as women to support other women. I just take that [00:21] responsibility really seriously because I've had so many women do it for me.

[00:00] My grandmother, she was always say, get a good education because you get a good [00:04] education, they can never take that from you. When I saw the suffering of the [00:08] mothers, I couldn't wait. I decide to take it in my own. We're all people and [00:14] we're [00:16] better together. Part of the vision that I have is making the world a more [00:19] just and equitable place, one organization at a time. Attitude can [00:25] cover a lot of fear and I just refuse to fail. I worked at the agency during [00:25] cover a lot of fear and I just refuse to fail. I worked at the agency during [00:35] the [00:35] summers when I was in college so I'm celebrating my 40th anniversary with [00:40] the agency. It literally worked almost every single job in the agency and then [00:44] got into management. Asking for help was the bravest thing I ever did and it [00:50] worked and it worked well. So for people that I knew that had strengths where I [00:55] didn't have strengths, what it does is sends a message to other people that it [00:55] didn't have strengths, what it does is sends a message to other people that it [01:00] 's [01:00] okay to do that and shame on anybody who judges you for asking for help. The [01:07] role of a woman in leadership is very, I think it's very pivotal. You can't be [01:12] what you can't see so it is very important for us to have women in [01:17] leadership. Yes things might not be as good as we would like them to be and [01:23] yes we do have a lot of work to do but know that you deserve to be at the table [01:29] . [01:29] I was hired by an organization to be in one of the biggest schools here in [01:29] I was hired by an organization to be in one of the biggest schools here in [01:36] Grand Rapids who had the 96% of the Latino community. I have a big case [01:43] load of children who wanted to commit suicide and I realized there was one [01:48] reason and the reason was there were domestic abuse at home so we will knock [01:53] so many doors, big organizations and all the doors were closed. They didn't [01:57] believe on us but I always thought and I put it myself and I said I'm gonna do [01:57] believe on us but I always thought and I put it myself and I said I'm gonna do [02:02] it. [02:02] They deserve a better life, they deserve to be respected, they deserve to be [02:07] safe. [02:07] I had a student recently bring me a proposal for an idea and she wanted [02:12] funding and she was the leader of our BIPOC Student Affinity Group and then I [02:17] helped connect her by giving her the connections and let her take the [02:22] leadership role and make it happen and I did fund it. My entire career has been [02:28] about serving young people, providing opportunity, making connections and I [02:28] about serving young people, providing opportunity, making connections and I [02:34] think that's what we can do. We can lift each other up, connect each other. It [02:39] 's [02:39] not a competition we all win if we work together and I think that's what we [02:44] need [02:44] to do is work together. When we talk about mentorship and sponsorship and a lot [02:50] of [02:50] people tend to be good at and are more comfortable being a mentor which is [02:54] someone that is the coach, they are the encourager, you know they come [02:58] alongside [02:59] the person and really affirm them and those are all really important things to [02:59] the person and really affirm them and those are all really important things to [03:03] help a person grow and build their confidence but a sponsor they take things [03:08] to the next level. Not only do they come alongside and encourage and affirm but [03:12] they actually use their agency to help that person get to where it is that they [03:16] want it to be. As an African-American woman I have been the first, the first as [03:21] an executive, the first on a for-profit board but my goal and desire is that I [03:27] will not be the last African-American woman in those roles. We're not a [03:27] will not be the last African-American woman in those roles. We're not a [03:31] minority, we're 52% of the population and we are a force to be reckoned with [03:37] and [03:37] we should be treated equally. I advocate for people, I'm not scared, I'm not [03:43] scared [03:43] on anything. I believe that everybody should be respected, everybody should [03:49] be valued and everybody should be appreciated. I always felt like you should [03:54] go after things that you clearly feel passionate about. It's just feeling so [03:59] strongly about an organization's mission that I want to be a part of it and I [03:59] strongly about an organization's mission that I want to be a part of it and I [04:06] want to make a difference and I want to make an impact. [04:10] Tell me about Rick. Oh my goodness. [04:20] Meg, I am so excited to tell you that you are the recipient of our 33rd Athena [04:28] award. [04:29] Wow, oh my god. Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. Wow. I couldn't [04:29] Wow, oh my god. Congratulations. Thank you. Congratulations. Wow. I couldn't [04:37] think of anyone [04:37] more deserving. This is awesome. Thank you it is. It's a really truly an honor. [04:43] Very [04:43] exciting for us too. Oh okay, wow. I think I will have that mimosa right now. [04:51] Wow, [04:53] this is a huge honor in this community. [04:53] this is a huge honor in this community. [05:00] When you look at the tenets of the Athena person, it's something that I've [05:10] strived for my whole adult life. It's a wonderful recognition, really wonderful [05:17] . [05:17] Cheers. Congratulations. Thank you. [05:23] I'm a little rattled. I just was taken by surprise. [05:23] I'm a little rattled. I just was taken by surprise.