She made history in California when she adopted me as a single parent and she never talked about it. I found an aged newspaper in the bottom of a drawer when I was cleaning out her home after she passed. The story talked about the courage it took for my mother to choose to be a single parent and commit to raising someone else’s child as her own.

 

Instead of raising me in a world familiar to her, Momma created a brave new world for me. She exposed me to upper class white culture by taking me to 4-star restaurants and shops in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and other “glitzy” and predominantly white areas in Los Angeles. She exposed me to Jewish, Catholic, Baptist, Protestant, and New Thought religious and spiritual practices. She introduced me to African, Mexican, Japanese, Irish, and other European cultures because she wanted me to know that the world was big and accessible and I belonged anywhere I wanted to be or could afford to be.

 

She taught me that the only stupid question was the one I was too afraid to ask. That a closed mouth doesn’t get fed, so if I want or need something I better speak up or forever hold my peace. And most importantly, she taught me that I wasn’t born Black so that I could become a victim of my environment or be shackled by the history of the enslaved Africans that came before me. I was born of African descent because that’s how God chose to create me. We all come into the world of different cultures and experiences and we are all divine expressions of love. It was important that I knew that my life was as valuable as anyone else’s. Not more than and not less than but equally valuable. 

 

My mother embodied courageous love and raised me with intentionality. This included instilling confidence, accountability, boundaries, navigation, guidance and unconditional love - my foundational principles. I joined the Navy when I turned 18 and became the leader of our company. It showed me one thing that was true to my core. That I was a natural leader with heightened self awareness and a willingness to serve others, lead from my heart, speak truth to power, and inspire my team to be the best version of themselves.

 

My mother had a high school education and worked as a Clerical Typist for Caltrans but she was the Chief Executive Officer of our household and she led by example. She taught me what’s possible when you can take yourself out of the equation and focus on serving others. I’m living proof of that possibility which is why I’m so passionate about creating that possibility for new and emerging leaders.

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This realization led me to develop my groundbreaking Kaizen Your Culture organizational program and Lean into Love keynotes, which integrate Lean Six Sigma and DEI principles and methodologies upon a framework of L.O.V.E.:

 

Listen with the intent to learn,

Open-mindedly with

Vulnerability and

Empathy.