Empowering Bytes: The Urgency of Accelerating Action
This episode of the Empowered at My Skin podcast focuses on the imperative theme of accelerating action in the context of gender equality, particularly as we commemorate International Women's Month.
Nkechi and Gaby engage in a profound dialogue about the critical necessity of amplifying women's voices and fostering their leadership in various sectors. They explore the progress made in the realm of women's economic empowerment, while acknowledging the persistent barriers that hinder true equality. Furthermore, they emphasize that the journey towards equity requires not only awareness but also intentional, sustained action from all individuals.
As they conclude, they inspire listeners to actively participate in creating opportunities for women and girls, thereby reinforcing the collective responsibility we hold in advancing societal change.
Takeaways:
- Nkechi and Gaby emphasize the importance of women's empowerment and the acceleration of action towards gender equality.
- Listeners are encouraged to utilize their voices and take action in promoting women's leadership and economic empowerment.
- The hosts acknowledge the ongoing barriers to equity and the need for persistent effort to overcome them.
- Nkechi shares a personal story about highlighting the presence of Black women in leadership discussions to demonstrate representation.
- The episode concludes with a call to action for the audience to engage in supporting women and girls in their communities.
Have an empowering story to share on an Empowering Bytes episode? Submit your request, for a chance to be a guest.
Find us online: https://linktr.ee/nkechinwaforrobinson
Transcript
Great day, amazing human.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Welcome to Empowered at my Skin podcast where our mission is to help 1 billion people in this world think in more empowering ways.
Speaker A:Empowered humans empower humans.
Speaker A:So you are in the right place to become a lead domino for empowerment today.
Speaker A:My name is Nkechi Mwaho Robinson.
Speaker A:I'm not only your host, but I am a vibrant optimist obsessed to bring you empowering content with every single episode.
Speaker A:We will bring you weekly content alternating between longer episodes with featured guests and a shorter episode called Empowering Bites where I will be joined by my co host, Gabby Memone.
Speaker A:So if you're ready, let the show begin.
Speaker A:Great day, amazing humans.
Speaker A:Welcome to another Empowering Bites episode where I am here with my girl, my champion, the Queen Gab 1B Mammone.
Speaker B:Thank you very much.
Speaker B:It's always a pleasure.
Speaker B:I love these little bite sized episodes.
Speaker A:I love it, I love it.
Speaker A:And so as this is the last episode of March, it is fitting that we honor International Women's Month.
Speaker A:And let's just talk about the theme of accelerating action.
Speaker B:Yeah, let's talk about what it means.
Speaker A:What I think it, I mean I, I think it's, I think there's no better time for us to double down and just continue to do some really, really great work.
Speaker A:And Gab, it's interesting because I don't.
Speaker A:Gabby, I've never called you Gab, but many people do.
Speaker B:School.
Speaker A:Yeah, Gab.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:Gap.
Speaker A:We've never really had this conversation like field in your industry, has it?
Speaker A:How have you, like how do you face off with gender, equal equity or gender equality?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:So I'm a speech coach and a speaker and I also run a business that supports charities and not for profit groups and heart centered organizations.
Speaker B:And I have to say I am pleased with the way things have been presented in front of me.
Speaker B:So I work with a lot of newcomer women that come from their countries and I help them into integrate into the Canadian market.
Speaker B:I also work with people that want to use your their voice and many of them are professionals.
Speaker B:And so I have to say like when we're talking about forging women's like economic empowerment, I've seen an increase now than over the last 10 years from a very positive perspective.
Speaker B:So is there still an opportunity for like recruiting and retaining and developing diverse talent?
Speaker B:Talent, yes, in my opinion.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And we understand this could also be very subjective of topic and so certainly everybody's thoughts are welcome and certainly comment on on this episode.
Speaker B:But I would say, you know, supporting women and girls in leadership decision Making and stem.
Speaker B:And we're going to talk about that because that's, you know, that you, you've got a lot to say, I'm sure, about your industry.
Speaker B:Just building infrastructure, Women, girls, involving women in education and training.
Speaker B:Are there opportunities for growth?
Speaker B:For sure, absolutely.
Speaker B:You know, even when you just look at a panel of five people and they're, they're all men or one is a woman, you know, you know, there's an opportunity here.
Speaker B:And so, but as long as we are using our voices, as long as we are being creative and we're promoting talent for women and girls, you know, we will continue to improve.
Speaker B:I fully, fully believe that.
Speaker B:What's your take on this?
Speaker A:Well, at 52 years old, it's, I hate to start off by saying, you know, there's, there's a work to do.
Speaker B:For sure, there's work to do.
Speaker A:I know, but it's like, at what point does the work stop?
Speaker A:And I think for me, I think what I want to highlight, and it's kind of what we were talking about in B roll, is that, and, and I, and I'll keep it more so to gender.
Speaker A:But I think across the spectrum of diversity, this is even way more prevalent, right?
Speaker A:It's like, I feel like when new things launch or, you know, new ideas come to fruition and the next best thing, or, I mean, even if I think about like new governments take, take office or this, that the other, it's like, I feel, I feel like we're having to repeat so much of what we have learned from the past.
Speaker A:Like, if a, if a new government takes office and it's heavily male, you know, there's going to be a cry to invite more women to the table.
Speaker A:But like, so I guess the point I'm trying to make is at what point do we just get it right out of the gate, you know?
Speaker A:And I think like I said, At 52, these are some of the things that I, I still feel like, I feel disappoint me a bit.
Speaker A:Like, you know, and again, across the spectrum of diversity, it's very similar to like, like when new emergence, emerging text launch, and especially with the whole acceleration of tech with AI, the fact that we had to really talk about, like, and I know I'm digressing, but like, black people are left out of the conversation.
Speaker A:Like, it's like, at what, like, when does an emerging tech come out and everybody is included, right?
Speaker A:Because for sure, we have past experience that says this is what's needed, you know, so how are we still being Lazy and developing new things or creating new structures or creating new opportunities.
Speaker A:And people are still.
Speaker A:And people are still left out of.
Speaker A:Out of the gate.
Speaker A:Like, you know, I think this is.
Speaker B:Yeah, sorry, I didn't mean to cut you off.
Speaker B:Continue.
Speaker B:I was going to say, but this is why the power of the voice is so, so very, very important, because we can be silent or we can speak up, and it's imperative.
Speaker B:It's imperative that we do speak up.
Speaker B:You know, I.
Speaker B:I'm very blessed to be a speech coach, and quite often, I mean, I'm working with someone now and.
Speaker B:And she's working with me because she wants to hire someone for her team, but she doesn't feel confident asking her male boss because he'll.
Speaker B:He'll say no, and she's lacking that confidence.
Speaker B:I'm working with her to be more confident.
Speaker B:If she needs support, then she needs support.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:Period.
Speaker B:And so I just think that, like, whatever choices are made, all choices matter.
Speaker B:All choices are valid.
Speaker B:But we have to.
Speaker B:We have to speak, we have to listen.
Speaker B:We have to really be focused on a thriving global movement in order to make the next step.
Speaker A:No, everyone.
Speaker A:Everyone.
Speaker B:I've seen positivity.
Speaker B:I'm very optimistic, maybe blindsided, but I'm optimistic we're heading in the right direction, but there is still work to do, like you said.
Speaker A:And so I totally.
Speaker A:Like, how do I say this?
Speaker A:I totally concur with you 100%.
Speaker A:I think we're.
Speaker A:And where I just, you know, we're all continuously.
Speaker A:Try to be bold.
Speaker A:Like, in some cases, it's like very smart people think this is something that requires rocket science to get right or to fix and this any other.
Speaker A:And I'm thinking it actually doesn't.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:It's.
Speaker A:No, we have.
Speaker A:We.
Speaker A:There are winning tactics that have been tried, tested, and proven.
Speaker A:And I think everyone just needs to, you know, be intentional, keep it front of mind.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And like, I love the theme.
Speaker A:Accelerate action.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:Like, just take, like, take action on it.
Speaker A:So I'll share a story.
Speaker A:One that I found was really interesting.
Speaker A:So I was invited to sit on a panel.
Speaker A:And there was.
Speaker A:It was International Women's Day, obviously, and there was four of us and one of the party.
Speaker A:One of the last questions that we were asked was, are there new.
Speaker A:Like, what.
Speaker A:What are some new tactics that we can use to help continue to advance, you know, sort of the.
Speaker A:The presence of women in.
Speaker A:In rooms.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:And so I said, permission to stand.
Speaker A:So I get up.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:I stand on front of the stage.
Speaker A:So we were on this, actually pretty high.
Speaker A:I was at the.
Speaker A:It was at the.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:The ag.
Speaker A:The agm.
Speaker A:The.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And so we're on Art gallery.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And ago.
Speaker A:Yeah, Ago.
Speaker A:Not ago.
Speaker A:Yeah, I was on a.
Speaker A:So I got to the edge of the ST is full.
Speaker A:There was probably about 300 people in the room.
Speaker A:And so I said, can all the black women please stand up?
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:So there were seven.
Speaker A:I think I made it.
Speaker A:It was either six.
Speaker A:And I made it seven or seven.
Speaker A:I made it eight.
Speaker A:I think it was eight.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:If I recall.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And I could tell they were nervous, you know, I said, ladies, just.
Speaker A:Just bear with me.
Speaker A:And I said, so I've asked these women to stand because these are the only.
Speaker A:And I counted it eight.
Speaker A:It was.
Speaker A:I think it was eight.
Speaker A:It was either either seven or eight or I didn't count myself, but I think the number was eight.
Speaker A:And I said, of which.
Speaker A:Yeah, that was it.
Speaker A:Of which I'm one.
Speaker A:And I brought two.
Speaker A:And I said, so that means.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So that means the remaining five were contribute.
Speaker A:Were contributions.
Speaker A:And maybe not, because some of them may come on their own by the rest of y'all.
Speaker A:And I said.
Speaker A:And we were talking about new tactics.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:I said, we don't need anything new when the old tactics work, but they have to be actioned, you know?
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:And so as much as I got his, like, a.
Speaker A:Like, like, people were clapping.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like.
Speaker A:But it's that I think that we talk about accelerator accelerating action and.
Speaker A:And what I encourage people.
Speaker A:It's not about going to look about new, shiny and new things.
Speaker A:There's some existing things that.
Speaker A:That have demonstrated progress as it relates to gender equality.
Speaker A:And if you're not doing them, do them, you know, and if you're doing it summertime, do it all the time.
Speaker A:And if you see somebody not doing it, call it out.
Speaker A:Use your voice, you know what I mean?
Speaker A:Like, so I.
Speaker A:I think that.
Speaker A:I think that the quickest way that we can accelerate action and keep it going all this year is not trying to get into rooms to try to think about new tactics, but it's really about thinking about the things that have already worked and trying to do them faster.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Regardless of the barrier.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:And we have to want to.
Speaker A:I always say, we do what we.
Speaker A:We don't do what we have to.
Speaker A:We do what we want to.
Speaker A:And yeah, I'm also beginning to realize, like, in the wake of this season, that we're in globally and how quickly DEI dismantled since January 26th.
Speaker A:Like, like, the Speed of what it.
Speaker A:How it dismantled was like whiplash.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:So I.
Speaker A:It's like, it is so like, that's what I.
Speaker A:That's what.
Speaker A:That's why I say we don't do what we.
Speaker A:We do what we want to.
Speaker A:Like, you.
Speaker A:You'll do what you want to do, not what you have to do.
Speaker A:And I think that after, you know, D.
Speaker A:I saw such a rise after George Floyd.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Across the spectrum.
Speaker A:I think everyone kind of in the D.
Speaker A:I spectrum benefited from.
Speaker A:From the.
Speaker A:The onlooking eyes, you know.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I think that what we're seeing now is that a lot of it was very performative, which is why it was in a lot of cases, it was hard for me to latch on.
Speaker A:Like, I was like.
Speaker A:I remember there got to a time where we started to talk about how people seem to be fatigued.
Speaker A:And I remember in a speech that I had to.
Speaker A:To give, I said, you know, I've been black for 51 years.
Speaker A:Like, I don't get to tire.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:But let me just tell you something.
Speaker A:I have enough energy to feed each and every one of you to continue to do the work and still have reserve to serve.
Speaker A:So take my.
Speaker A:Take my energy and like, you know, like.
Speaker A:And use it to, like.
Speaker A:But I recognize, I recognize that a lot of what we're seeing now, it wasn't fatigued.
Speaker A:It was.
Speaker A:It was that it was very performative and.
Speaker A:And after some time, anything that is not done from a place of, you know, like, intention.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:A desire to really want to help resolve this problem is.
Speaker A:Is.
Speaker A:Will not stand the test of time.
Speaker A:Like there's a Napoleon Hill.
Speaker A:Remember we did the confidence.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:There's no wealth or position can long endure unless built upon truth and justice.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:I truly believe that.
Speaker A:Like, like even this whole gender equity, it's not going to long endure unless everyone that's leaning in is leaning in from a place of like that wants to seek truth to understand how did we get to where we are on today?
Speaker A:And justice.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:To say like it does.
Speaker A:Like, people deserve to be given a chance.
Speaker A:Like equality is our birthright.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:To every woman that's listening to this episode, we hear you.
Speaker B:We see you.
Speaker B:Your story is a testament of your resilience, your determination and the power of creating.
Speaker B:Creating your opportunity.
Speaker B:You know, we honor you on International Women's Month and celebrate, celebrate the girls, the women, the mothers, the aunts, everyone in your life.
Speaker B:Share it.
Speaker A:I love it.
Speaker A:And I also do recognize that there are significant barriers.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like, yeah.
Speaker A:Trying to say this in light that there are actually still some really significant barriers.
Speaker A:But think about it, like, how do we do the hard things?
Speaker A:We can't just get the easy things like locked and solid and, you know, barrel and, you know, done.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And so I think there's still work to do, and I'd love if the work that had to be done was on those significant barriers.
Speaker A:Like, we're saying that the easy, like.
Speaker A:Like we've knocked out the easy stuff, like, done, you know.
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, you're absolutely right.
Speaker B:Okay, so I'm going to put you on the spot.
Speaker B:This was not planned, but I must do this.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:So for those that know, the image for Accelerate Action is like showing your, you know, your muscle and flexing.
Speaker A:I didn't know.
Speaker A:I didn't actually know if that's what it was because I didn't see any musc.
Speaker B:But anyway, so if you're watching on YouTube, who here would like to see muscle?
Speaker B:Because this girl wakes up at 5:00am oh, my gosh.
Speaker A:They're not that big.
Speaker A:Come on.
Speaker A:But.
Speaker A:But for the purposes and the interest of time, because we're almost at 15 minutes, that's what Gabby wants me to show.
Speaker A:Yeah, they're a little bit smaller.
Speaker B:That's called dedication.
Speaker A:If you put it up to the camera, they look bigger.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker B:Well done.
Speaker A:I love it.
Speaker A:I love.
Speaker A:And so remember, it's on all of us to lean in and do a little bit more.
Speaker A:And.
Speaker A:And with the right action, the right support, there's nothing that we can't accomplish when we all just lean in and do it all together.
Speaker A:So thank you so much for tuning in, but this is where I have to say I'm Ank and I'm Gabby with one V.
Speaker A:And this is where we say, we're out there.
Speaker A:You have it.
Speaker A:I trust that you are feeling more empowered in your skin.
Speaker A:As the late Dr.
Speaker A:Maya Angelou said, when you get, you give, when you learn, you teach.
Speaker A:So it would mean so much for us at Empower to My Skin, Inc.
Speaker A:If you share this episode and tag us or teach an insight that you took from today's episode on your social and tag us.
Speaker A:Feel free to leave us a review over at itunes and follow us on social media.
Speaker A:Power to My Skin.
Speaker A:Finally, remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
