There is no way to sugarcoat this: It’s been a very dark, hard week. I wouldn’t blame you if you’re feeling a little bit of your hope crumbling; if that tiny glimmer of optimism you were holding on to is slowly fading. Again, I wouldn’t blame you. But I do urge you to hang on.
Because we, as an organization, are in a very special, rare place: We have a built-in network of strong, resilient women who are not daunted by adversity. We are women who have lifting as we rise baked in to our DNA. We do not back down from standing up for what’s right.
So, I want to remind you that as Women Leaders, we stand against hatred, racism, anti-Semitism, and oppression in all forms. There is simply no place for it within our organization, on our campuses, or in our country. Together, we as Women Leaders will rise up—just as we always have and will continue to do—and I urge you to teach by example with your staffs, students, neighbors, and friends.
We are here to help you with this. On Wednesday, August 23 at 2 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. ET, we will host a #RallyandRiseUp call to discuss how to move forward, communicate with your teams, and foster an inclusive workplace. This call will be led by Felicia Hall Allen, president and CEO of Felicia Hall Allen & Associates, and Stan Johnson, executive director of MOAA and Stan Johnson & Associates.
Dial-in Number: 310-372-7549
Conference code: 444649
Please send your questions for Felicia and Stan prior to the call to [email protected]
I also encourage you to remember that action is the antidote. I understand that knowing which first step to take when faced with such a daunting task is difficult. For this, I’ll direct you to the Southern Poverty Law Center’s thorough and inspiring “Ten Ways to Fight Hate: A Community Response Guide.” We will discuss more ideas on the call, and will follow up with a specific action checklist. In the meantime, please post your messages of love on social media using #RallyandRiseUp. Now is not the time for silence.
Finally, as we reminded you last November, please remember to lift up the women around you. Give them support to be strong, resilient, and limitlessly capable. Stand together, grow together, lead together.
We are here for you. We will move forward together. We are Women Leaders.