Thursday, June 07, 2018

My Vision for Tomorrow + How I'm Making It a Reality

Last night, the Centre for Social Innovation hosted its annual fundraiser. The theme was Make Tomorrow | Create a Better World.The CSI community consists of over 250 social entrepreneurs working to make our dreams of a better world come to life.

Here is a photo of me with our Agents of Change cohort at the fundraiser.


The public lobby of the IAC Building has two tiled video walls that provide an interactive experience of imagery display. Capitalizing on this innovative feature, CSI asked all of its members to describe our vision for tomorrow and how our social innovation is making that vision a reality. Our impact number (some metric or outcome measure of our work) along with a headshot and collage of pictures were displayed on the video wall during the event.

This is a phone capture of my headshot on the video wall.

I thought you might like to read my responses to the questions for my Social Impact Innovator Profile. I answered from the perspective of Start Within Coaching, the new brand umbrella that encompasses my coaching, EFT work, and public events/workshops for women.

My Organization Mission:
Start Within Coaching seeks to disrupt the conversation around self-worth and self-esteem for women of color. Motivated by Sustainable Development Goal # 3.4, we promote women's mental health and wellbeing via live and virtual workshops, events, and coaching programs. 

My Vision of Tomorrow:
To reduce the percentage of black women who live with feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and/or that everything is an effort all of the time. For the last point, nearly twice as many non-Hispanic Black women felt this way in 2014, compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts (9.9% vs. 5.8%). More than just the absence of a disorder, true mental health is a state of wellbeing in which a woman can realize her own potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively, and make a contribution to the community. "Tomorrow," women of color will feel a sense of worthiness; they will know that their dreams, their health, and their overall lives matter. Start Within to Finish Strong!

My Social Impact:
In 2017, we hosted 10 New Moon Circles at CSI designed for women to create supportive relationships with other women, and to receive rejuvenation and support (via Guided Heart Meditations, Intention-Setting Rituals, and other wellness activities). Other public workshops and events focus on topics including Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT-Tapping), Self-Care Strategies, and Stress Management. Through private coaching, we map out personalized strategies for women to enhance their interpersonal communication, leadership style, and personal wellbeing.

When I Joined CSI:
October, 2016

Impact of CSI on Me / My Organization:
Since joining, I've become an Agents of Change Fellow, which has connected with more female founders who are committed to improving the status of women and girls globally. I've also been a founding member of the Women's Lab at CSI, an experiment in creating a safe haven space for female founders and their mission-driven organizations. I have hosted my New Moon Circles at CSI.

What is YOUR Vision for Tomorrow?
How are YOU Making it a Reality?