Speaking
There’s power in sharing our stories.
I carried the shame of my father’s imprisonment for a very long time. The more we share, the less foreign we feel and can begin to appreciate our shared experiences. We learn that we aren’t the only ones navigating difficult situations.
I share my story so that young women and men who look like me or were raised similarly know what’s possible, that there’s a different way to be in this world than what society dictates to us.
Our brokenness and our vulnerabilities are what allow the light in. We face tremendous challenges and the more light we shed on them, the less alone we feel in the world. Sometimes our brokenness is exactly what makes our story so beautiful.
Speaking Topics
Not Letting Anyone Dim Your Light
Ambition, Casting Out Doubt, Acceptance
People have been trying to dim my light since I was in the first grade. It was when I first heard that I wasn’t good enough— not good enough to be tested for my school’s gifted program. I would then experience the racism, insecurity, and struggles with body positivity that came with attending a predominantly white elementary school. As if growing up in Miami, where colorism plagued our communities and caused you to feel unworthy of being loved if you were of a darker hue wasn’t enough.
I would then find myself in high school where administrators made me feel guilty about being ambitious and told me to stop running for so much and to give other students a chance. I found myself within the walls of the White House as an intern during the Obama Administration being told by a fellow intern that I was taking up space and didn’t deserve the position because my primary major was Event Management, not Political Science. I speak to how this world may cause you to doubt the essence of who you are every day but not to ever let anyone dim your light.
Mentorship
I credit many of my accomplishments to the community that poured into me by way of mentorship. I have not only been the beneficiary of the power of mentoring, but I also believe in paying it forward. I’m able to relate to being a first-generation college student, black, LGBTQIA+, and a woman in business and politics.
My story is one that highlights how through mentorship you can empower personal development by instilling confidence, building trust, strengthening knowledge and bridging life’s learning gaps through sharing lessons learned.
Navigating High-Pressure Situations
Working at the White House is a job like no other. With the world watching the First Family’s every move, even the smallest misstep could make for a National headline. It required being ready for anything and everything. In dealing with some of the most powerful people and organizations in the world, I share how I ensured protocols, schedules, and core objectives were observed with grace and determination.
I believe that a cornerstone to navigating high pressure or stressful situations and environments is maintaining composure.
Becoming a Great Assistant
From discretion to leading with kindness, I speak to some of the key overarching things that lend themselves to being a great assistant. Assistants often strive for perfection. However, in such a demanding career, it is necessary to give yourself the grace to make a mistake here or there.
I discuss how I navigated my lessons learned and equip others with tactical advice for navigating their own paths. I share who I am at my core and the need to balance self-care while anticipating and planning for others’ needs before your own.