Calling all "woke" women leaders
We women must create the world in which we are empowered to lead authentically if that world is ever to exist. That creative work must begin by telling the truth, acknowledging our own personal stories of leadership: that for most of us there was no smooth, linear path to becoming who we are, that we are constantly recalibrating, reassessing, and reinventing ourselves.
We women leaders are everywhere. But some of us are more awakened than others to the power and necessity of authenticity in our leadership practice, more awakened than others to the urgency of unlocking our collective powers as allies, more awakened to the yearning we possess to rise above the petty differences that divide us in discovery of the higher ground.
We women leaders in social impact, in particular, are endeavoring to make a difference for others in the very world in which we too are vulnerable to many the isms that undermine our own humanity— paternalism, racism, classism, ageism, to name a few. Rather than ignore these tensions, we must make room for the fullness of our lived experiences as leaders. Our authentic leadership stories, relatable in their fallibility and inspirational in their triumph, are the fertile soil in which we nurture and grow our leadership practice. Speaking these stories aloud to ourselves and others pushes us toward greater efficacy in our organizations and greater impact in the world.
She Thinks Purple’s Storytelling Essentials Experience for Women Leaders or “SEE” for Women Leaders is the professional development opportunity that we “woke” women have been seeking. The acronym is intentional. To be inspirational and effective, leaders must see themselves for who they really are, courageously acknowledging their mistakes and triumphs and modeling authenticity without apology.
Achieving this clarity is this first step toward creating a legacy that inspires others to dream, learn, do, and become more. SEE for Women Leaders grounds participants in their authentic stories and equips them with the clarity and confidence to develop and tell their leadership story, founder's story, and/or brand story with polish. She Thinks Purple offers an immersive full-day experience for entrepreneurs and enterprising social impact leaders. Together, we're building a #thinkpurplemovement, a powerful community of women committed to igniting and fueling sparks in other women.
We're currently accepting applications to SEE for Women Leaders Immersive Bootcamp in New York City and Washington, D.C. To learn more and apply, visit us at shethinkspurple.com.
Danielle Kristine Toussaint, founder + CEO of She Thinks Purple, is a storyteller, strategist and social impact leader. She has been the writing pen behind op-eds and speeches for Huffington Post, Forbes.com, and TEDx. Danielle holds a B.A. in Political Science and African American Studies from Yale University and a M.S.Ed from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.
Photo credit: Ferdinand Stohr on Unsplash
