What's some final advice that you would have for, like someone like me
 2
00:00:03.236 --> 00:00:06.239 or even younger, who are like trying to take that next step?
 3
00:00:06.539 --> 00:00:09.676 I would first of all, say remain steadfast to who you are.
 4
00:00:09.776 --> 00:00:13.179 Don't be ashamed of where you come from, who you are, etc.
 5
00:00:13.213 --> 00:00:14.881 because confident in who you are.
 6
00:00:14.881 --> 00:00:17.984 I would say as a major introvert, that confidence thing
 7
00:00:17.984 --> 00:00:21.121 is something that I always struggled with, to shrink myself down.
 8
00:00:21.121 --> 00:00:23.189 But there's brilliance everywhere.
 9
00:00:23.189 --> 00:00:26.860 And so don't be afraid to show and let your brilliance shine.
 10
00:00:26.860 --> 00:00:30.864 And then make sure you surround yourself in your circle with people that you know
 11
00:00:30.864 --> 00:00:34.034 have your best interests at heart, that are not only going to support you
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00:00:34.034 --> 00:00:37.637 and push you when you need to be, but also will call you in
 13
00:00:37.637 --> 00:00:41.474 when you do misstep and make mistakes because they want the best for you.
 14
00:00:41.474 --> 00:00:44.411 So you want to make sure that you surround yourself with that real tight circle.
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00:00:44.411 --> 00:00:45.645 That you know through thick and thin,
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00:00:45.645 --> 00:00:48.748 no matter what they want, what's best for you as a human being.
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00:00:48.848 --> 00:00:52.285 Tell them that you care about them and love them on a regular basis,
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00:00:52.285 --> 00:00:54.020 and make sure that their cups are filled,
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00:00:54.020 --> 00:00:57.123 and then make sure that they are also pouring into your cup as well.
 20
00:00:57.123 --> 00:01:01.861 Because in this literally disaster area of a world that we're in right now,
 21
00:01:01.995 --> 00:01:05.765 you have to have a tight knit circle that keeps you just kind of centered.
 22
00:01:05.765 --> 00:01:08.735 And also, just like I said, just be confident in who you are.
 23
00:01:08.735 --> 00:01:11.438 We're all uniquely put on this earth to do something.
 24
00:01:11.438 --> 00:01:14.541 So be confident in who you are and know whatever that vision
 25
00:01:14.541 --> 00:01:17.877 that you have to do whatever in your life, do whatever it takes.
 26
00:01:17.877 --> 00:01:19.379 Be relentless in that pursuit.
 27
00:01:19.379 --> 00:01:21.948 Even if people bash you, put you down.
 28
00:01:21.948 --> 00:01:23.950 Like I said, for me, coming from PE,
 29
00:01:23.950 --> 00:01:26.286 people were like, oh, she's just a PE teacher. Nobody cares.
 30
00:01:26.286 --> 00:01:28.621 And now look where I am because I sat there
 31
00:01:28.621 --> 00:01:31.624 and I said, I have a vision for wanting to revolutionize education.
 32
00:01:31.624 --> 00:01:34.494 I want things better for my kids and other kids.
 33
00:01:34.494 --> 00:01:39.032 And so don't let people kind of hamper whatever that vision that you have to make
 34
00:01:39.032 --> 00:01:40.033 the world a better place.
 

2025 SXSW Conference
Interviewed in Austin, TX but works in Atlanta, GA USA.
advanced-degree
career-change

I work at the intersection of racial justice and tech, aiming to close gaps for marginalized students in technology and computer science. I support teachers with professional development, help students explore their dreams, and uplift parents’ voices in education. I help build community in classrooms, expand access to computer science, and empower young people to thrive with honesty, confidence, and joy.

Director of CS Equity Initiatives

Confidence

Individuality

Support & Encouragement

Be Confident In Who You Are And Find People To Support You

Throughout your life, career or life,
 2
00:00:02.235 --> 00:00:05.839 what challenges have you faced and how do you overcome it?
 3
00:00:05.905 --> 00:00:10.905 The biggest challenge first that I face is covert racism.
 4
00:00:11.044 --> 00:00:13.346 And I ran into that a lot.
 5
00:00:13.346 --> 00:00:16.883 And that's kind of held me back where there's a times I'm like, man,
 6
00:00:16.916 --> 00:00:18.918 why I didn't get that job when I went to the interview?
 7
00:00:18.918 --> 00:00:20.320 I know I was qualified.
 8
00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:21.421 Those are some challenges.
 9
00:00:21.421 --> 00:00:25.625 Other challenges I faced was just myself, when I was working in
 10
00:00:25.625 --> 00:00:29.863 financial institutions, most of the people who were working there had degrees.
 11
00:00:29.929 --> 00:00:30.897 They were MBAs.
 12
00:00:30.897 --> 00:00:32.132 They were CPAs.
 13
00:00:32.132 --> 00:00:34.100 They were certified financial analysts.
 14
00:00:34.100 --> 00:00:35.568 And I had a sociology degree.
 15
00:00:35.568 --> 00:00:37.504 And they're like, what is he doing in finance?
 16
00:00:37.504 --> 00:00:40.507 So at first I felt a little bit inferior.
 17
00:00:40.507 --> 00:00:44.511 As I gained experience and actually learned how to produce a good product,
 18
00:00:44.577 --> 00:00:47.647 I realized I overcame that fear that
 19
00:00:47.647 --> 00:00:50.984 sometimes these people had a better opinion than me.
 20
00:00:50.984 --> 00:00:52.819 But confidence is so important.
 21
00:00:52.819 --> 00:00:56.122 And that's one thing I've learned when I got into the financial world
 22
00:00:56.523 --> 00:00:57.657 to be more confident.
 23
00:00:57.657 --> 00:01:01.461 But in order to be confident, what builds confidence is really getting
 24
00:01:01.461 --> 00:01:04.364 the foundation. I went back and took those classes.
 25
00:01:04.364 --> 00:01:06.332 I went did those special projects
 26
00:01:06.332 --> 00:01:10.170 that nobody else wanted to do, and it gave me the experience.
 27
00:01:10.170 --> 00:01:14.407 It gave me, the track and the knowledge to be able to feel more confident
 28
00:01:14.674 --> 00:01:16.843 and approach some of those barriers that were ahead of me.
 

One of the bigger struggles I've encountered in my career is racial discrimination. I've been left wondering why I wasn't selected for a position despite being qualified. It's held me back at times but I stayed motivated and found success regardless.

Every day, I work to break down the barriers that keep people from financial freedom. As the president of LIFE, a nonprofit for financial literacy, I teach workshops in schools, churches, and community centers. I give people real, practical tools to manage money wisely. It’s not just about numbers. It’s about changing mindsets, challenging a system that holds people back, and making financial knowledge accessible.

President

I need to get an advanced degree in order to compete with my peers.

Negativity

Adversity

Challenges I’ve Faced In My Career

When you walk through life and you're kind of aware of your ability,
 2
00:00:03.670 --> 00:00:07.007 but that hasn't really been validated much, you kind of
 3
00:00:07.007 --> 00:00:07.640 question it.
 4
00:00:07.640 --> 00:00:11.011 And I think without that writing getting published,
 5
00:00:11.011 --> 00:00:15.048 I don't think I would have even tried to attempt developing an app.
 6
00:00:15.515 --> 00:00:18.651 I don't think I would have tried to attempt a lot of the things that
 7
00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:20.653 I did shortly after that.
 8
00:00:20.653 --> 00:00:23.123 I never had that vocabulary for myself
 9
00:00:23.123 --> 00:00:23.790 growing up where I did.
 10
00:00:23.790 --> 00:00:27.227 But that was all because, I took the opportunity
 11
00:00:27.227 --> 00:00:30.497 to apply purpose to a personal narrative.
 12
00:00:30.597 --> 00:00:35.268 For people who grow up in those types of environments, they have a drive
 13
00:00:35.268 --> 00:00:39.072 that I don't really see anywhere else outside of that.
 14
00:00:39.072 --> 00:00:42.308 That's why I got involved in the communities the way that I did
 15
00:00:42.308 --> 00:00:46.179 and was a part of opening platforms of expression,
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00:00:46.179 --> 00:00:48.448 in these communities, because there is a drive
 17
00:00:48.448 --> 00:00:51.251 to want to get out and to want to see more.
 18
00:00:51.251 --> 00:00:55.188 But if there aren't, opportunities provided or even platforms
 19
00:00:55.188 --> 00:00:59.626 to even express that, then a lot of that energy gets directed into the wrong thing.
 20
00:00:59.626 --> 00:01:02.028 My biggest message in those
 21
00:01:02.028 --> 00:01:06.900 communities and what I even bring back to my own community back home is if you
 22
00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:08.568 don't have the money to go to school,
 23
00:01:08.568 --> 00:01:13.306 expose yourself to more travel, go meet new people, go learn new cultures,
 24
00:01:13.306 --> 00:01:16.810 go see something different in order to broaden your perspective.
 25
00:01:17.043 --> 00:01:19.546 And that will push your education further.
 26
00:01:19.546 --> 00:01:22.549 And it may even push you to go to school eventually.
 27
00:01:22.549 --> 00:01:23.616 I don't think you can really see
 28
00:01:23.616 --> 00:01:27.487 much value in anything outside of you until you see value in yourself.
 29
00:01:27.654 --> 00:01:31.257 And I think that's ultimately what the difference maker was for me.
 30
00:01:31.257 --> 00:01:33.293 It's that concept of purpose, right.
 31
00:01:33.293 --> 00:01:35.161 And that gives you the conviction.
 32
00:01:35.161 --> 00:01:37.397 What do I want to do with this moment?
 33
00:01:37.397 --> 00:01:39.032 What do I want to do with this time?
 34
00:01:39.032 --> 00:01:40.733 How do I want to leave an impact?
 35
00:01:40.733 --> 00:01:43.603 How do I even want to be remembered in this space?
 36
00:01:43.603 --> 00:01:46.106 I think if anybody applies a sense of purpose
 37
00:01:46.106 --> 00:01:49.709 to anything, really, it can become something special.
 38
00:01:49.709 --> 00:01:52.645 So just hold on to the things that you believe in and make sure
 39
00:01:52.645 --> 00:01:56.416 the things that you're doing, every choice kind of aligns with that.
 40
00:01:56.416 --> 00:02:00.053 Use that fuel, use that fire, use that passion, use that pain,
 41
00:02:00.053 --> 00:02:03.690 and channel it into something that is going to bring value back to you.
 42
00:02:03.690 --> 00:02:05.525 And ultimately, your community.
 

I had to drop out of university to prioritize work. I eventually re-enrolled in community college had a 1.2 GPA and was placed on academic probation. I started realizing the value that a good education has and decided to focus to succeed in school.

I fell on hard times, struggled to make money through negative avenues, and eventually ended up homeless. Through mentorship and community service organizations, I was able to find a renewed sense of purpose and pull myself back up.

As the creator of J.R. Stark, a signature info content app, I focus on simplifying life skills for users. My day involves curating concise, practical courses on topics like nutrition, self-reliance, and skill development. I’m also refining the app’s features, ensuring it builds a supportive community for users to exchange ideas and grow together.

Creator

Determination & Hard Work

Opportunities & Possibilities

Finding Confidence And Purpose

I wanted to know, what kind of personalities or like traits
 2
00:00:04.337 --> 00:00:08.575 that they need to have in order to be successful in this industry?
 3
00:00:09.009 --> 00:00:11.244 I've seen all personalities.
 4
00:00:11.244 --> 00:00:13.013 I've seen it all, right.
 5
00:00:13.013 --> 00:00:16.883 As for trades, I want to say, like, if you want to be successful in it,
 6
00:00:17.050 --> 00:00:19.986 you can't be the person to take everything too serious
 7
00:00:19.986 --> 00:00:22.555 because there are people that are pretty harsh.
 8
00:00:22.555 --> 00:00:25.825 There are people that will tell you things that you don't want to hear.
 9
00:00:25.825 --> 00:00:29.062 And it's not bad things, it's just they're not going to sugarcoat anything.
 10
00:00:29.129 --> 00:00:31.765 So if you're the type of person that's going to take it very seriously,
 11
00:00:31.765 --> 00:00:32.766 or you're the type of person
 12
00:00:32.766 --> 00:00:36.002 that's going to get their feelings hurt, it's not going to be fun.
 13
00:00:36.169 --> 00:00:37.804 Because there are those people,
 14
00:00:37.804 --> 00:00:41.674 you know, the old school journeymen and foremans, they will scream at you
 15
00:00:41.674 --> 00:00:44.244 and they will tell you that you're doing it wrong. They're not scared.
 16
00:00:44.244 --> 00:00:48.615 And so now if you let that get to you and you let it ride with you
 17
00:00:48.615 --> 00:00:51.251 throughout the day, you're going to have a bad day,
 18
00:00:51.251 --> 00:00:53.520 which means you're probably going to have a bad career,
 19
00:00:53.520 --> 00:00:57.057 because there's always going to be that one person that will pick on you, right.
 20
00:00:57.190 --> 00:00:59.626 You have to be a very confident person.
 21
00:00:59.626 --> 00:01:01.261 You have to be confident in yourself.
 22
00:01:01.261 --> 00:01:02.796 You just got to know that you got it
 23
00:01:02.796 --> 00:01:05.131 and that you can do it regardless of what people say.
 24
00:01:05.131 --> 00:01:06.766 You can't be too serious.
 25
00:01:06.766 --> 00:01:08.902 You have to know how to have fun sometimes.
 26
00:01:08.902 --> 00:01:12.305 It can get pretty serious, especially when things don't go your way.
 27
00:01:12.372 --> 00:01:15.175 And there's a lot of those days when things don't go our way.
 28
00:01:15.175 --> 00:01:17.077 You just can't be mad every day.
 29
00:01:17.077 --> 00:01:20.013 You can't do that. Don't ever be scared to speak up for yourself.
 30
00:01:20.013 --> 00:01:21.714 And don't ever be scared to talk back.
 31
00:01:21.714 --> 00:01:23.083 You know they're not scared to talk to you.
 32
00:01:23.083 --> 00:01:25.885 So why are you scared to talk to them? You've got to defend yourself.
 33
00:01:25.885 --> 00:01:30.423 Growing up with my dad, who was like, you know, very military minded.
 34
00:01:30.757 --> 00:01:32.392 Yeah, I definitely came in with that.
 35
00:01:32.392 --> 00:01:35.228 And then I grew up around a lot of guys also.
 36
00:01:35.228 --> 00:01:37.697 So it was like, I'm kind of used to that environment, too.
 37
00:01:37.697 --> 00:01:40.333 And it's like, nope, I'm proving you wrong.
 38
00:01:40.333 --> 00:01:43.336 And then it just makes those traits become even stronger.
 39
00:01:43.736 --> 00:01:44.704 It's crazy.
 40
00:01:44.704 --> 00:01:47.107 You get to the point where you're kind of like untouchable.
 41
00:01:47.107 --> 00:01:48.441 You know, like you just can't mess with me.
 

2024 NOVA Roadtrip
trade-school
did-not-attend-college

Work starts as early as 6 a.m. and can go as late as 6 p.m. Every day is different depending on the job site, project, or task that my foreman might want me to do. My work can include anything from rigging, welding, machine operating, or fire watching.

Millwright Apprentice

Talent

Characteristics And Skills Needed To Work In The Trades

What's cool to hear is like all the things that I want
 2
00:00:02.969 --> 00:00:06.306 to have happen in the school that I lead are possible.
 3
00:00:06.373 --> 00:00:11.144 I see you leading in a different way that is moving, moving mountains
 4
00:00:11.144 --> 00:00:14.214 right for students and therefore your community that's
 5
00:00:14.280 --> 00:00:18.551 reaffirming to hear that it's doable and obtainable
 6
00:00:18.551 --> 00:00:22.355 and that if it's on your heart that this is what you've been called to do,
 7
00:00:22.355 --> 00:00:23.890 like just do it.
 8
00:00:23.890 --> 00:00:26.126 Your feelings of can I do it.
 9
00:00:26.226 --> 00:00:27.727 I want to break the status quo.
 10
00:00:27.727 --> 00:00:29.729 I want to tell you that I felt the same way.
 11
00:00:29.763 --> 00:00:31.698 There are things that people, when they come in
 12
00:00:31.698 --> 00:00:34.067 like see me because people come and say, Hey, I want to pick your brain.
 13
00:00:34.100 --> 00:00:35.969 I'm like, How do you do it in like, you do that?
 14
00:00:35.969 --> 00:00:40.940 I'm like, Yes, it's a place of you respect the history of education.
 15
00:00:40.940 --> 00:00:44.677 I think education is a powerful thing, and I respect the foundation of it.
 16
00:00:44.677 --> 00:00:47.447 I respect the importance of it and the necessity of it.
 17
00:00:47.447 --> 00:00:50.183 But I also honor time.
 18
00:00:50.183 --> 00:00:52.352 With time, our country is changing, right?
 19
00:00:52.352 --> 00:00:56.256 The things that our scholars have access to is also changing.
 20
00:00:56.956 --> 00:01:00.126 So who are we to say that we must stay the same?
 21
00:01:00.126 --> 00:01:02.395 Always. It's impossible.
 22
00:01:02.395 --> 00:01:04.798 If we want to see our children be the best that they can be.
 23
00:01:04.798 --> 00:01:06.966 We have to also really look at our practices.
 24
00:01:07.000 --> 00:01:08.234 I mean, I'm 25, right?
 25
00:01:08.234 --> 00:01:10.837 So people always say like you are the cool principal.
 26
00:01:10.937 --> 00:01:11.471 Got it.
 27
00:01:12.772 --> 00:01:14.107 But I utilize my age
 28
00:01:14.107 --> 00:01:18.044 because it gives us a certain level of awareness and perspective.
 29
00:01:18.044 --> 00:01:19.546 And so I honor people
 30
00:01:19.546 --> 00:01:23.216 who are not my age, who are older than me, who've been in doing this for years.
 31
00:01:23.616 --> 00:01:25.752 But I also honor what I know also.
 32
00:01:25.752 --> 00:01:28.021 And so you got to be confident in what you know
 33
00:01:28.021 --> 00:01:29.322 and what you feel, what you're gut
 34
00:01:29.322 --> 00:01:31.825 and what you're desire is telling you because it's there for a reason.
 35
00:01:31.825 --> 00:01:34.828 We're talking like, Am I really about to have a school
 36
00:01:34.861 --> 00:01:38.498 themed after the Mamba mentality of Kobe Bryant?
 37
00:01:38.598 --> 00:01:39.866 Am I going to do that right now?
 38
00:01:39.866 --> 00:01:41.801 Yes, I am right.
 39
00:01:41.801 --> 00:01:46.801 Kids are now saying, oh, I'm having a hard day, But Kobe Bryant said this.
 40
00:01:46.906 --> 00:01:49.809 If you walk into the school and like he has Kobe Bryant on the walls?
 41
00:01:49.809 --> 00:01:51.744 Like, what's happening here?
 42
00:01:51.744 --> 00:01:53.746 But kids are winning
 43
00:01:53.746 --> 00:01:55.348 because they're taking Kobe's mindset
 44
00:01:55.348 --> 00:01:57.383 and applying it to their everyday interactions.
 45
00:01:57.383 --> 00:01:58.218 That's the goal.
 46
00:01:58.218 --> 00:02:00.587 Somebody might say, you know, don't do that like that's too much.
 47
00:02:00.753 --> 00:02:01.588 Oh, why not, though?
 48
00:02:01.588 --> 00:02:03.990 Of course we stay within reason, right? I'm not saying just
 49
00:02:06.092 --> 00:02:09.696 but I mean, I do say lead with who you are
 50
00:02:10.196 --> 00:02:14.367 because it is going to exude into your teachers, your families
 51
00:02:14.367 --> 00:02:18.071 and scholars, and they're going to appreciate your uniqueness.
 52
00:02:18.505 --> 00:02:20.306 And I think for me, that's the thing that's connecting me
 53
00:02:20.306 --> 00:02:23.877 the most is that like we see him, we Yeezys, or we see him with Jordans,
 54
00:02:24.010 --> 00:02:28.581 we see him blasted all the things during car arrival like they see it,
 55
00:02:29.015 --> 00:02:31.885 but they honor it because we also want to promote identity.
 56
00:02:32.485 --> 00:02:35.088 So you as a principal, you can say like, This is my identity.
 57
00:02:35.455 --> 00:02:36.589 My identity is this.
 58
00:02:36.589 --> 00:02:37.490 I believe this.
 59
00:02:37.490 --> 00:02:39.425 I want to do this because I know that you will win if I do it.
 60
00:02:39.425 --> 00:02:40.727 So I'm going to do it
 61
00:02:40.727 --> 00:02:44.197 and not expect people to always say that you're doing a great job.
 62
00:02:44.264 --> 00:02:47.700 Not expect all people to always say I agree with you because they are not.
 63
00:02:48.368 --> 00:02:49.302 They're not.
 64
00:02:49.302 --> 00:02:50.770 But your kids will appreciate you.
 

Find someone in the educational space that you can look to for mentorship and guidance. Even if you don't want to be in the exact same role as them, it's important to have someone who has a wealth of knowledge you can pull from.

I oversee the day to day operations of a middle school, charged with ensuring a high level of instruction as well as a student experience where children feel loved, seen, and valued. On the other end, I am also charged with ensuring the development of teachers and their instructional toolkit, in turn promoting scholar achievement.

Principal

You're too young to make an impact as an administrator.

Having The Confidence To Break The Status Quo

I do speech and debate and so tone and communication is very important. I was gonna ask how do you grow your confidence with that other than your support systems and everything? I think it's just being extremely confident what you just looked up or just the analysis that you did. And honestly thinking of the holes that might be poked in it too, right? Just kind of thinking and putting yourself in their shoes. I mean, okay, they're probably gonna think of some kind of hypothetical here, something that, has probably never happened in, the history of baseball. &gt;&gt; [LAUGH]. &gt;&gt; They're gonna bring it up and they're gonna be like, this is what happens sometimes. And so you just have to be prepared for that. But that just makes it better, right? Once you, actually look into those, holes that might be poked. Then you're even more confident in the information that you're relaying, right? But also just the amount of times that you do it, and also really the support from them. Because they will let you know, if for the most part, hey, that was really good. Or just like, hey, let me come work on this. And I'll be in the hitters meetings trying to talk about physics, [LAUGH] right? So the first time I did it, I felt like I rushed it but thankfully I had a player say that was really good information, don't be nervous. So having him step in and telling me hey what you're saying is valid, and we mean this, you need to actually lean into that. And know that what you're saying, we will understand it just maybe me slow down, just don't be nervous and be confident in what you're saying, really helped. And so the next few times that I've done that has been, it's gone a lot better. So I would say that first time, I might've in my eyes flubbed it, but in his eyes it was a really good starting point and just something to build off of. 

You need to be able to prove to the teams you want to work for that you're very interested and qualified to work in sports. I recommend finding any experiences you can to build your resume. I've moved to other states just for a three-month internship to add to my resume. Experiences like that not only help you figure out what area you want to work in, but they also help prove to teams that you're passionate about working in the field.

Manager of Baseball Research

You didn't play this sport, so what do you know about it?

Developing Confidence In My Work As A Baseball Researcher

Do you have any tips or tricks when it comes to applying for a role whose marks you don't, check off everything on that list? &gt;&gt; I think that's gonna go back to confidence because interviews are really in a lot of ways a performance. And it's a vibe check, like I said they wanna understand. Not just your qualifications, but these are folks that you would be working with. So they wanna know whether or not they'd like to work with you. Because chances are that list of requirements is aspirational. And a big piece of it is gonna be your background, it's gonna be your qualifications, but it's also going to be the vibe. It's gonna be the rapport. Do they feel like you will be a good fit for the organization? So my recommendation would be to, run some interview prep with one of your friends or with a family member. So you're able to think on your feet and work on giving informative but concise answers. And also research the company. So whomever you're interviewing with, look at their website, look at the bios of the people that you would be working with. Look at some of the past projects of the organization. So even if you don't have all of their aspirational qualifications, you can show them that you put in the time to be as informed as possible not only about the place you're trying to work. But about the folks you're trying to work with. Do your research and also work on becoming comfortable and also becoming comfortable with yourself and your qualifications. So don't let it come through when you're talking that you don't think you're qualified for that job. Approach it as if you have everything on their list and you are there because you can't wait to start and it's the most exciting opportunity you've ever had. Don't be worried about what you don't have. Be ready to speak eloquently about what you do. 

2023 NOVA
advanced-degree
Virtual Interview.
Interviewed in unknown but works in San Mateo, CA USA.

A degree is not required to do the work I do—I just happen to have a couple. For those wishing to pursue a degree as part of their journey toward a similar career, I recommend majoring in labor studies or political science with a minor in communications or public administration.

As the head of a Labor Council, there is no typical day at work. On any given day, I could be advocating for legislation at any and all levels of government, meeting with elected officials and community partners, writing an OpEd or LTE, conducting a training, walking a picket line, assisting with contract negotiations, delivering a presentation, speaking at a Council or Union meeting, attending a meeting of one of the numerous boards of which I am a part, or working through emails.

Executive Officer

Applying For A Job While Missing Qualifications

How do you give someone permission to say, I tried this, I did not like it, and it's not for me? &gt;&gt; A part of that is going to be a confidence piece, right? You don't wanna let down your caregivers, whether that's your parents or grandparents, whomever is important to you, you don't wanna feel like you let them down. But at the end of the day, ask yourself are you looking for a job or are you looking for a career? A job is episodical, you work a multitude of different jobs. Waiting tables for five years, that was a job. Being a lifeguard, that was a job. This is a career, and if you're going to find a career you're gonna be in it, probably for decades, but you will spend more time in your career than you do with your family. So you need to find the fit that is going to make you happy. There is no perfect job we look for a perfect job, you will never be satisfied. If you live your life to make your parents or caregivers happy, you will never be happy. So you should not sacrifice your own happiness and your own career fulfillment for somebody else's, because that's not gonna be sustainable for you and it's not gonna be healthy. Apply for things even if you don't think you're qualified, but also seek out mentors, not just career mentors, but personal mentors. I didn't have that coming up in politics and in labor, and I felt that lack. So it's been really important to me to try and serve in a mentorship role for folks coming up behind me 

Confidence

Be Confident In Who You Are And Find People To Support You

Be Confident In Who You Are And Find People To Support You

Shana V. White

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