When I became president of the Chicago Urban League three years ago, some of the leading Black women business leaders and philanthropists here in Chicago embraced me wholly and without exception.
When I became president of the Chicago Urban League three years ago, some of the leading Black women business leaders and philanthropists here in Chicago embraced me wholly and without exception. They supported and lifted me through periods of doubt. They invested and believed in my success and that of the organization. Through them, I gained assurance, I earned my pedigree and I learned to trust my sixth sense. I could do this!
Oh, they vetted me, I assure you. Wise and powerful women vouch only for those they know and trust. There are but a fraction of African-American women who can call themselves “power brokers.” They cannot mentor every sister who aspires to rise to the top of their field. These women ascended to the upper echelons of their respective organizations strategically and deliberately. Theirs is a brain trust anyone would be privileged to tap. They are well-respected and highly sought after. And the men and women they choose to mentor or sponsor are truly blessed.
On Wednesday, August 12, I have the pleasure of moderating a panel with three Black female power brokers at “The Tale of Three Winning Women,” the third in the Evening for Champions series sponsored by WVON Radio and N’Digo magazine.
Wednesday’s panelists include Donna Brazile, professor, author and syndicated columnist; Sheila Talton, vice president of Cisco Globalization; and Connie L. Lindsey, chair of the national board of directors for the Girl Scouts, USA, and executive vice president of the Northern Trust Company. The event (from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.) includes a reception and will culminate with a Q&A with the panelists. Tickets are $125 and available at www.wvon.com or at www.ndigo.com.
The purpose of our getting together is to unlock the secret power these successful Black women possess, how they got it, how they use it and how they can help you get some of it.
To be clear, this event is for women in hot pursuit of their leadership ambitions. It’s for the mid-level manager who hasn’t factored “emotional intelligence” into her success playbook. She may not even know what it is yet. Or the lower-tier executive who is doing more teaching than learning these days.
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