How to Build Confidence and Leadership in Young Girls

WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.620
Welcome to Loud and Lifted. Today's conversation

00:00:02.620 --> 00:00:04.900
gets right into the root of so much of what we

00:00:04.900 --> 00:00:07.400
talk about here. We spend a lot of time talking

00:00:07.400 --> 00:00:10.359
about confidence, leadership, community, and

00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:13.359
finding our voice as women. But the truth is

00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:15.679
those struggles usually do not begin when we

00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:18.300
are adults sitting in meetings or trying to navigate

00:00:18.300 --> 00:00:22.179
our careers. They start much earlier. They start

00:00:22.179 --> 00:00:24.519
when we're young girls learning whether our voice

00:00:24.519 --> 00:00:27.000
matters, whether we belong, whether we should

00:00:27.000 --> 00:00:29.289
speak up. and whether we are allowed to take

00:00:29.289 --> 00:00:32.329
up space. This is why this conversation matters

00:00:32.329 --> 00:00:34.929
so much. Today, we are joined by Cherise Johnson,

00:00:35.149 --> 00:00:37.649
a youth empowerment leader, mentor, and education

00:00:37.649 --> 00:00:39.929
administrator at the Milton Hershey School, where

00:00:39.929 --> 00:00:42.530
she has spent years helping students build confidence,

00:00:42.929 --> 00:00:45.490
leadership skills, and a stronger sense of voice.

00:00:46.109 --> 00:00:48.250
She's also the founder of the Girls' Grace Empowerment

00:00:48.250 --> 00:00:50.530
Conference, and her life's work is centered around

00:00:50.530 --> 00:00:53.490
creating spaces where girls feel seen, supported,

00:00:54.009 --> 00:00:56.630
and stretched into who they can become. This

00:00:56.630 --> 00:00:59.429
episode is not just about mentoring girls. It's

00:00:59.429 --> 00:01:01.929
about catching confidence early. It's about helping

00:01:01.929 --> 00:01:04.129
the next generation build the muscle of using

00:01:04.129 --> 00:01:06.469
their voice before self -doubt gets too loud.

00:01:07.030 --> 00:01:09.590
And it's about reminding all of us that if we

00:01:09.590 --> 00:01:11.969
want stronger women leaders tomorrow, we have

00:01:11.969 --> 00:01:15.510
to start pouring into girls today. Cherise, welcome

00:01:15.510 --> 00:01:18.230
to Loud and Lifted. Thank you so much for being

00:01:18.230 --> 00:01:21.859
here. I'm so excited to be here with you today,

00:01:22.000 --> 00:01:25.159
Betsy, just to have the opportunity to share.

00:01:25.659 --> 00:01:28.180
Yes. Well, I'm very excited because, you know,

00:01:28.260 --> 00:01:31.239
on this podcast, we talk a lot about the importance

00:01:31.239 --> 00:01:34.819
of community and support. We talk about confidence

00:01:34.819 --> 00:01:37.939
and how to build your confidence. But the reality

00:01:37.939 --> 00:01:40.140
is we've always talked about it from a, you know,

00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:43.200
woman, professional woman standpoint. But a lot

00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:45.959
of those struggles that we have with confidence

00:01:45.959 --> 00:01:48.459
don't start when we're 25. They start when we're

00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:52.280
15 or younger and you have really made it your

00:01:52.280 --> 00:01:56.000
life's work to help support especially young

00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:58.140
girls and I want to use a quote that I saw that

00:01:58.140 --> 00:02:01.299
you recently said empowering young people is

00:02:01.299 --> 00:02:03.840
where my heart is and you call it heart work.

00:02:03.900 --> 00:02:07.180
So let's start with that. Tell me how this has

00:02:07.180 --> 00:02:10.340
come to be really your mission in life. I mean,

00:02:10.699 --> 00:02:13.180
you know, I used to be that 15 year old girl,

00:02:13.180 --> 00:02:16.580
you know, that didn't really have a voice. You

00:02:16.580 --> 00:02:20.840
know, I got all the right grades in school. I

00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:23.620
did all the right things, but I was very quiet.

00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:27.620
You know, my peers did see me as someone who

00:02:27.620 --> 00:02:31.949
was confident. But internal, you can hide behind

00:02:31.949 --> 00:02:35.129
that smile and really have some deep feelings

00:02:35.129 --> 00:02:40.210
of, or lack of confidence. And so that is kind

00:02:40.210 --> 00:02:43.110
of where it stemmed from. Working with young

00:02:43.110 --> 00:02:47.069
people has definitely become just my life goal

00:02:47.069 --> 00:02:50.270
of to make sure that young girls are provided

00:02:50.270 --> 00:02:56.210
spaces to practice how to build their leadership.

00:02:56.379 --> 00:02:59.699
how to use their voice in the right spaces, in

00:02:59.699 --> 00:03:02.400
the right way, and just ultimately prepare them

00:03:02.400 --> 00:03:05.500
for their future. So that has just been something

00:03:05.500 --> 00:03:07.900
that I'm really passionate about, and I'm good

00:03:07.900 --> 00:03:11.840
at it too. I really channel that young 15 -year

00:03:11.840 --> 00:03:15.039
-old in me when I'm in spaces with the girls,

00:03:15.180 --> 00:03:19.419
which helps me kind of be realistic in my approach

00:03:19.419 --> 00:03:21.879
with working with young people. So tell us more

00:03:21.879 --> 00:03:24.240
about what your work and exactly how you do that.

00:03:24.439 --> 00:03:28.060
Currently, I am an education administrator at

00:03:28.060 --> 00:03:30.699
a private residential school in central Pennsylvania.

00:03:30.979 --> 00:03:36.439
I recently just hit 20 years with my employer.

00:03:37.460 --> 00:03:39.900
And it's just, it's crazy, you know, when people

00:03:39.900 --> 00:03:42.620
say, Sharice, how have you been there so long?

00:03:42.900 --> 00:03:46.439
But my upbringing was really, really tough. And

00:03:46.439 --> 00:03:50.120
so join in this organization, it provided foundation

00:03:50.120 --> 00:03:54.560
for me. It gave me purpose and it ultimately

00:03:54.560 --> 00:03:58.659
fueled my passion. And so when people say, you

00:03:58.659 --> 00:04:02.080
know, how could you stay and do this for so long?

00:04:02.379 --> 00:04:06.159
It became who I am. And so I get to do that for

00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:10.110
my job. And then I realized, you know, a few

00:04:10.110 --> 00:04:12.909
years ago, you know, I was that 15 year old girl

00:04:12.909 --> 00:04:16.430
from Harrisburg. And, you know, although I do

00:04:16.430 --> 00:04:20.689
a lot for the students at my job, I wanted to

00:04:20.689 --> 00:04:24.550
also channel my community. And so I stepped out

00:04:24.550 --> 00:04:27.430
of the work environment to make sure that I was

00:04:27.430 --> 00:04:31.490
providing opportunities and experiences for city

00:04:31.490 --> 00:04:35.329
girls like myself. And so that's where the community

00:04:35.329 --> 00:04:38.649
engagement piece came in for me. Yeah. In case

00:04:38.649 --> 00:04:40.790
you didn't have enough going on, then you did

00:04:40.790 --> 00:04:43.569
that, not only in your, quote, nine to five job,

00:04:43.750 --> 00:04:46.529
right? Yes. In your spare time, you're doing

00:04:46.529 --> 00:04:48.930
that. Yes. And you sit on board. We just read

00:04:48.930 --> 00:04:50.790
a Girls on the Run breakfast, actually, this

00:04:50.790 --> 00:04:54.120
morning. So it's like, this is your life. 24

00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:57.519
hours a day, which is just so amazing. And I

00:04:57.519 --> 00:04:59.420
think you should get all the kudos in the world

00:04:59.420 --> 00:05:01.300
for being able to do that and make a difference.

00:05:01.899 --> 00:05:04.300
So when you're working with these young ladies,

00:05:04.540 --> 00:05:07.060
what's your approach? And how do you instill

00:05:07.060 --> 00:05:09.500
that confidence and that sense of community and

00:05:09.500 --> 00:05:11.939
having them to have the courage? How do you approach

00:05:11.939 --> 00:05:14.199
that? And especially in some instances, you're

00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:16.279
dealing with girls who come from disadvantaged

00:05:16.279 --> 00:05:18.560
situations or maybe don't have that home support.

00:05:18.879 --> 00:05:23.079
So how are you addressing that really? My approach,

00:05:23.120 --> 00:05:26.839
I would say, is realizing the space that I'm

00:05:26.839 --> 00:05:29.199
stepping in. When I step into a space with young

00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:32.259
people, I want to be a role model. I want to

00:05:32.259 --> 00:05:36.300
be someone that's leading by example. So I always

00:05:36.300 --> 00:05:40.699
step into a space exuding confidence, exuding,

00:05:40.699 --> 00:05:45.180
you know, that I am capable and I catch their

00:05:45.180 --> 00:05:48.959
attention. And it's so, it's really, it happens

00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:51.279
right in front of me where they're like, wow.

00:05:51.019 --> 00:05:53.839
you know, I catch their attention with my voice

00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:57.879
and how I present myself and then I bring it

00:05:57.879 --> 00:06:02.660
down to Being real with them. And so I I adjust

00:06:02.660 --> 00:06:06.339
to speak their language, you know of like understanding

00:06:06.339 --> 00:06:10.069
where they are at their age. And so I make sure

00:06:10.069 --> 00:06:13.069
that I'm speaking of like, I've been there before.

00:06:13.470 --> 00:06:16.290
I know, you know, some of the challenges and

00:06:16.290 --> 00:06:19.529
I make sure that they're aware that I'm human

00:06:19.529 --> 00:06:24.069
and I am not someone of authority. I am someone

00:06:24.069 --> 00:06:27.490
of support. And so my approach with young people

00:06:27.490 --> 00:06:32.170
is always that confidence, standing tall and

00:06:32.170 --> 00:06:35.889
sharing boldly. And then I bring it down so that

00:06:35.889 --> 00:06:38.310
they understand that I am somebody that they

00:06:38.310 --> 00:06:42.170
can open up to. I love that. And so how much

00:06:42.170 --> 00:06:44.379
do you have to... directly talk about confidence

00:06:44.379 --> 00:06:47.560
or is it more showing it? How do you get into

00:06:47.560 --> 00:06:51.160
that with teenage girls? It is definitely all

00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:54.879
about show for sure. When you say the word confidence,

00:06:55.560 --> 00:06:58.040
sometimes teenagers can kind of just go into

00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:00.620
their shell of like, I don't want to go there.

00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:04.100
It's uncomfortable. So I just model. I model

00:07:04.100 --> 00:07:07.879
and I'm big on role play with my young girls,

00:07:08.019 --> 00:07:10.899
even my boys as well. But I think role playing

00:07:10.899 --> 00:07:14.279
is very important. So for instance, I do host

00:07:14.279 --> 00:07:18.240
several after school programs. So on social media,

00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:20.680
a lot of people get to see the conferences, the

00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:23.779
big events. But I work with young people on a

00:07:23.779 --> 00:07:28.420
daily basis. I'm training them on how to be leaders.

00:07:28.699 --> 00:07:31.360
So these are kids that are the quiet ones. These

00:07:31.360 --> 00:07:33.699
are kids that are not always in the front. And

00:07:33.699 --> 00:07:36.660
I am pulling them out of their shell and helping

00:07:36.660 --> 00:07:40.660
them and stretching them to use their voice in

00:07:40.660 --> 00:07:44.720
front of others. to do behind the scenes planning,

00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:47.139
you know, exploring ideas. What are the things

00:07:47.139 --> 00:07:49.540
that you want as a teenager? What are the things

00:07:49.540 --> 00:07:53.420
that you need right now? And when I take those

00:07:53.420 --> 00:07:56.040
ideas from them, I show them how to implement

00:07:56.040 --> 00:07:59.620
it into something that fuels them and their peers.

00:07:59.959 --> 00:08:03.279
So it's a whole production of, you know, making

00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:06.259
sure that they see that their voice matters.

00:08:06.339 --> 00:08:10.839
And so I really like to, you know, take things

00:08:10.839 --> 00:08:13.990
from our students, asking them questions and

00:08:13.990 --> 00:08:17.329
letting them know, hey, I hear you, I see you,

00:08:17.529 --> 00:08:19.870
and I value what you're saying. And so we're

00:08:19.870 --> 00:08:22.689
going to create something based off of your current

00:08:22.689 --> 00:08:26.730
needs. I love that. And it's funny, thanks to

00:08:26.730 --> 00:08:30.569
my own podcast over the last year, the conversation

00:08:30.569 --> 00:08:33.350
of confidence and how it's not a personality

00:08:33.350 --> 00:08:36.450
trait, it's a skill and you have to muscle, you

00:08:36.450 --> 00:08:40.000
have to build it. I have to be honest. I've never

00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:41.820
thought about it that way as much as I have in

00:08:41.820 --> 00:08:44.179
the last year. So it's interesting to me and

00:08:44.179 --> 00:08:46.220
I have two teen daughters, right? So confidence

00:08:46.220 --> 00:08:48.539
is super important for me to help build them.

00:08:48.860 --> 00:08:51.019
But it's having that perspective of like, okay,

00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:53.340
I have to practice. I have to get outside my

00:08:53.340 --> 00:08:56.460
comfort zone. So having these kids have the opportunity

00:08:56.460 --> 00:08:58.679
to be exposed to that, like again, I think I

00:08:58.679 --> 00:09:01.399
was only exposed to that when I was 46 years

00:09:01.399 --> 00:09:04.580
old, which is so great to have that. instill

00:09:04.580 --> 00:09:06.700
in them now that they can practice and build

00:09:06.700 --> 00:09:08.779
and get the confidence as they continue to step

00:09:08.779 --> 00:09:11.240
out to their comfort zone. So when you're dealing

00:09:11.240 --> 00:09:14.659
with the concept of leadership with these young

00:09:14.659 --> 00:09:17.419
students, how do you talk about that? How do

00:09:17.419 --> 00:09:19.700
you share that? Like, how do you start to build

00:09:19.700 --> 00:09:21.759
this concept of like, hey, they can have a voice,

00:09:21.820 --> 00:09:24.279
you have confidence now, this is how you have

00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:26.480
the opportunity to lead people or influence in

00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:30.360
the future or even currently. So I try to inspire

00:09:30.360 --> 00:09:33.940
them, you know, I tap into stories storytelling.

00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:38.379
When I speak to them, I share of like, you know,

00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:41.580
providing opportunities like, for instance, my

00:09:41.580 --> 00:09:44.299
after school program that's focused on character

00:09:44.299 --> 00:09:47.350
and leadership development. I storytell and say,

00:09:47.710 --> 00:09:50.389
you could be the big brothers and big sisters

00:09:50.389 --> 00:09:55.409
of our elementary students. So I'm storytelling

00:09:55.409 --> 00:09:59.009
and I'm inspiring them so that they can see themselves

00:09:59.009 --> 00:10:03.370
as leaders. And once they channel that and they

00:10:03.370 --> 00:10:06.370
can see themselves as like, I want to do that.

00:10:06.750 --> 00:10:10.090
I want to be a leader in front of other girls.

00:10:10.250 --> 00:10:13.190
I wanna be a leader in front of other boys. When

00:10:13.190 --> 00:10:17.179
I do that, then they stretch themselves to say,

00:10:17.419 --> 00:10:20.440
okay, now I have to meet you halfway, Mrs. Johnson,

00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:23.399
I know that you're going to stretch me. And so

00:10:23.399 --> 00:10:26.580
there are moments where I will have them role

00:10:26.580 --> 00:10:31.220
play a scenario of working with younger kids.

00:10:32.200 --> 00:10:36.480
For instance, we can have, think about your daughters,

00:10:36.860 --> 00:10:39.820
if you're taking them to an event. a community

00:10:39.820 --> 00:10:42.299
event, you can role play with them. You can say,

00:10:42.419 --> 00:10:45.840
hey, we have this event coming up. I want you

00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:49.820
to answer this question as if you're talking

00:10:49.820 --> 00:10:53.039
to a peer. So what does kindness mean to you?

00:10:53.419 --> 00:10:55.679
They can answer the question. And then you can

00:10:55.679 --> 00:10:58.759
say, all right, now answer the same question

00:10:58.759 --> 00:11:03.700
as if you're talking to mommy's corporate partners.

00:11:04.200 --> 00:11:08.200
And then the tone changes. And so they realize

00:11:08.200 --> 00:11:10.159
they're no longer talking to little kids, they're

00:11:10.159 --> 00:11:12.320
talking to adults. So now they're practicing

00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:15.919
how to navigate those conversations based off

00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:18.399
of who they're talking to. And it's stretching,

00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:21.700
it's exercising that muscle of just, you know,

00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:24.799
repetition and practicing. And so when it comes

00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:28.149
time to do it, your girls are ready. Right. That's

00:11:28.149 --> 00:11:30.610
so true. That's so true. And I think I've used

00:11:30.610 --> 00:11:32.269
the example before, but even when they were little,

00:11:32.330 --> 00:11:34.350
it was like making them order at a restaurant,

00:11:34.350 --> 00:11:36.389
right? When they're like four or five and it's

00:11:36.389 --> 00:11:39.190
just talking to adults, making eye contact. And

00:11:39.190 --> 00:11:41.210
it's those little things along the way that I

00:11:41.210 --> 00:11:43.090
think they start to build. And now they're both

00:11:43.090 --> 00:11:46.490
pretty outgoing. So maybe that worked. I'm sure

00:11:46.490 --> 00:11:48.549
you've had an amazing impact on so many students

00:11:48.549 --> 00:11:50.970
through the years, but is there a story or a

00:11:50.970 --> 00:11:53.269
person that sticks out to you that you could

00:11:53.269 --> 00:11:55.850
see when their eyes finally lit up and they got

00:11:55.850 --> 00:11:58.110
it and they were able to move forward and to

00:11:58.110 --> 00:12:01.750
be able to just grow? There are so many, so,

00:12:01.750 --> 00:12:04.549
so many. There are so many that are now adults

00:12:04.549 --> 00:12:07.110
doing amazing things, right? And that I get to

00:12:07.110 --> 00:12:10.009
see that journey. But one in particular that

00:12:10.009 --> 00:12:13.870
I'm thinking of who's currently a senior at my

00:12:13.870 --> 00:12:17.450
employer, When I met her, she was a freshman

00:12:17.450 --> 00:12:22.190
and I was interviewing her for an opportunity

00:12:22.190 --> 00:12:27.049
and she froze, like couldn't answer one question.

00:12:27.570 --> 00:12:31.070
And it was truly like, just answer it and you

00:12:31.070 --> 00:12:32.730
have this opportunity. It was like literally

00:12:32.730 --> 00:12:37.210
just show up and she froze. And I looked and

00:12:37.210 --> 00:12:39.029
I just couldn't believe it. I was like, wow,

00:12:39.169 --> 00:12:41.809
you know. there's something in there. You could

00:12:41.809 --> 00:12:43.850
tell she wanted to say something, but she didn't

00:12:43.850 --> 00:12:46.570
have the confidence to speak in that space. You

00:12:46.570 --> 00:12:49.909
could see the anxiety and stress on her. And

00:12:49.909 --> 00:12:53.590
so, you know, she didn't do well, but I did reach

00:12:53.590 --> 00:12:56.649
out to her afterwards and I said, hey, you know,

00:12:56.649 --> 00:13:00.429
I don't know you at all. I met you at this interview.

00:13:00.830 --> 00:13:04.429
However, I have this program that you can come

00:13:04.429 --> 00:13:07.250
and, you know, tap into your skills and learn

00:13:07.250 --> 00:13:09.509
some leadership, get to know some other students.

00:13:10.180 --> 00:13:13.539
And I said, just try it out. And so I spent about

00:13:13.539 --> 00:13:15.779
10 minutes with her explaining the opportunity.

00:13:15.879 --> 00:13:19.340
And then she came to the after school program.

00:13:21.269 --> 00:13:25.330
She flourished. Oh Flourish she's now a senior

00:13:25.330 --> 00:13:29.250
and she is speaking in front of hundreds of people

00:13:29.250 --> 00:13:35.429
She has now been a leader to other girls to the

00:13:35.429 --> 00:13:39.090
younger girls in the program as well and Inspiring

00:13:39.090 --> 00:13:42.450
them to step up and to use their voice and to

00:13:42.450 --> 00:13:45.830
you know, make space for them And so it's been

00:13:45.830 --> 00:13:50.250
just truly It's transformational. It really is

00:13:50.250 --> 00:13:53.049
to see the growth over the years. And that's

00:13:53.049 --> 00:13:55.330
one thing about it. With young people, it's not

00:13:55.330 --> 00:13:58.409
instantaneous. It's not right in that moment.

00:13:58.909 --> 00:14:02.009
It takes time. It takes repetition. It takes

00:14:02.009 --> 00:14:05.549
practice. And we have to have the patience and

00:14:05.549 --> 00:14:08.409
wait for that reward at the end, which is their

00:14:08.409 --> 00:14:11.750
growth. That's so true. And that made me just

00:14:11.750 --> 00:14:15.169
think too. So as adults, what are we doing wrong

00:14:15.169 --> 00:14:17.990
and how we're not supporting the younger generation

00:14:17.990 --> 00:14:22.210
and what can we do better? I would say exposing

00:14:22.210 --> 00:14:26.970
them to our networks, exposing them to experiences.

00:14:28.250 --> 00:14:32.429
So there's some research that says every 15 -year

00:14:32.429 --> 00:14:35.970
-old should have at least one spark. And a spark

00:14:35.970 --> 00:14:39.470
is something that fuels them. It's their passion.

00:14:39.590 --> 00:14:41.690
It brings them joy. Every 15 year old should

00:14:41.690 --> 00:14:45.009
have at least one spark. And so think about your

00:14:45.009 --> 00:14:48.570
15 year old or your girls. I have a 15 year old

00:14:48.570 --> 00:14:53.669
conveniently. Whether that's sports, technology,

00:14:54.009 --> 00:14:56.769
science, whatever it is, there's something that

00:14:56.769 --> 00:15:01.049
fuels her. And so allowing her to explore different

00:15:01.049 --> 00:15:06.240
spaces, you know, taking her to different meeting

00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:09.220
different people in your network who have careers

00:15:09.220 --> 00:15:11.620
aligned with that or hobbies aligned with that,

00:15:11.799 --> 00:15:15.840
exposing them to things that they love. And maybe

00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:18.460
they'll realize, I just like that as a hobby.

00:15:18.659 --> 00:15:20.779
It's not something that I would like as a career.

00:15:21.159 --> 00:15:24.860
But we as women have to make room for them. We

00:15:24.860 --> 00:15:28.799
have to provide that space for them to be exposed.

00:15:29.539 --> 00:15:32.500
That is so true. And it's funny, I grew up, both

00:15:32.500 --> 00:15:34.899
of my parents were teachers. all her friends

00:15:34.899 --> 00:15:36.919
were teachers, right? So that was just kind of

00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:40.299
this bubble I lived in was education and just

00:15:40.299 --> 00:15:42.639
kind of who I was exposed to. So when I went

00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:44.159
to college, I was like, I don't even know what

00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:45.679
I want to do, but I'm not going to be a teacher.

00:15:45.919 --> 00:15:49.299
I knew that was. So I think part of that is because

00:15:49.299 --> 00:15:51.000
of growing up in that, I think I had nothing

00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:53.360
wrong with education just wasn't my thing that

00:15:53.360 --> 00:15:55.379
I was going to be passionate about. But I do

00:15:55.379 --> 00:15:57.899
that to my girls every time, you know, friends

00:15:57.899 --> 00:15:59.700
or whoever, like, tell them what you do because

00:15:59.700 --> 00:16:02.139
we have this very diverse friend group of like,

00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:03.980
whether it's attorneys, hairstyles. Let's name

00:16:03.980 --> 00:16:06.440
your profession. I feel like we have it representative

00:16:06.440 --> 00:16:09.039
of just getting that exposure because you're

00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:11.899
so right. Like you don't know unless you have

00:16:11.899 --> 00:16:14.340
somebody kind of pushing you out there or asking,

00:16:14.340 --> 00:16:16.700
you know, what your parents' friends do or anything

00:16:16.700 --> 00:16:19.820
along those lines. But I do a hundred percent

00:16:19.820 --> 00:16:22.840
agree with getting them exposed to just different

00:16:22.840 --> 00:16:25.379
areas and different, whether it's professions

00:16:25.379 --> 00:16:28.279
or whether it's hobbies to your point is great.

00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:30.080
I know when my younger daughter wanted to start

00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:32.080
playing an instrument, I was like, I never did,

00:16:32.200 --> 00:16:35.370
but awesome. Let's go. Let's get out there and

00:16:35.370 --> 00:16:37.309
get that exposure, whether that sticks or not.

00:16:37.370 --> 00:16:39.870
So I think that's a huge one. Is there anything

00:16:39.870 --> 00:16:43.909
else like that? Yeah. I mean, as women, we have

00:16:43.909 --> 00:16:47.309
a network, right? And so we have to be intentional

00:16:47.309 --> 00:16:51.230
about that. So one of my passions is also mentorship,

00:16:51.549 --> 00:16:56.169
right? Mentorship is meeting regularly with a

00:16:56.169 --> 00:16:59.070
young person, helping them figure out their goals,

00:16:59.610 --> 00:17:03.960
meet their goals, et cetera. It's beyond that.

00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:08.420
It's more about helping them. It's more about

00:17:08.420 --> 00:17:11.759
changing their behavior. We want to see them

00:17:11.759 --> 00:17:14.500
grow through this mentorship. We don't just want

00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:19.140
to be in a conversation. We want to see growth.

00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:23.319
And so I have been telling my students most recently,

00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:28.400
my mentees, hey, I got to do better. I'm well

00:17:28.400 --> 00:17:31.440
connected. And I know you're passionate about

00:17:31.440 --> 00:17:34.259
real estate. I know someone in real estate. I

00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:39.940
need to connect you with them. And it takes intentional

00:17:39.940 --> 00:17:43.460
actions on our behalf to make sure that we are

00:17:43.460 --> 00:17:46.819
setting them up for success. And so it's one

00:17:46.819 --> 00:17:48.839
thing for us to just know, oh, we have the answers.

00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:51.180
We know, we know. We've been there. We've done

00:17:51.180 --> 00:17:54.339
that. But no, really being the bridge for them.

00:17:54.650 --> 00:17:57.750
Because sometimes we can't have all the answers

00:17:57.750 --> 00:18:01.509
and and and we can you know share the space with

00:18:01.509 --> 00:18:04.170
others I love that and you know, it's interesting

00:18:04.170 --> 00:18:08.029
again We talk of mentorship a lot on this program

00:18:08.029 --> 00:18:10.470
But it's always from like sort of peer -to -peer

00:18:10.470 --> 00:18:12.410
or just obviously in a professional situation

00:18:12.410 --> 00:18:15.250
But mentorship of that younger generation is

00:18:15.250 --> 00:18:17.329
so important. So if someone's listening to this

00:18:17.329 --> 00:18:19.170
and they're thinking, okay I have you know my

00:18:19.170 --> 00:18:21.150
act together fair amount professionally and I

00:18:21.150 --> 00:18:24.279
want to help a younger generation. How does somebody

00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:26.579
even go about that? What's sort of the approach?

00:18:26.579 --> 00:18:29.579
Do you have any advice on how to get into a mentorship

00:18:29.579 --> 00:18:35.339
relationship? Yes. So many of our organizations

00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:40.079
have focused on community service. And so we

00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:43.099
have organizations like Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

00:18:43.619 --> 00:18:46.500
We have Girls on the Run, you know, different

00:18:46.500 --> 00:18:51.849
organizations where you as an employee can serve

00:18:51.849 --> 00:18:55.930
as a volunteer for these organizations. And so

00:18:55.930 --> 00:18:58.250
first thing I would say is to check with your

00:18:58.250 --> 00:19:00.730
own organization and say, hey, are we affiliated

00:19:00.730 --> 00:19:04.589
with any youth serving organization? And that

00:19:04.589 --> 00:19:07.869
way you are tapping into the strategic partnership

00:19:07.869 --> 00:19:12.480
between the organizations. and if not then maybe

00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:15.500
you're the bridge to explore what that partnership

00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:18.339
could look like because we have so many young

00:19:18.339 --> 00:19:22.660
people today who do not have mentors and we all

00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:26.900
know that one person can change the trajectory

00:19:26.900 --> 00:19:30.160
of a young person's life and so if your organization

00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:35.130
is not already affiliated or attached to a youth

00:19:35.130 --> 00:19:37.349
serving organization, you could be the bridge.

00:19:37.410 --> 00:19:39.970
You could explore that partnership and make sure

00:19:39.970 --> 00:19:45.349
that they are linked to a career exposing organization.

00:19:45.690 --> 00:19:48.630
And so I would say that, but also look at the

00:19:48.630 --> 00:19:50.809
youth serving organizations like Girls on the

00:19:50.809 --> 00:19:53.750
Run and Big Brothers, Big Sisters. That's a great

00:19:53.750 --> 00:19:56.809
point. And so sometimes I think people get overwhelmed

00:19:56.809 --> 00:19:59.009
that they think like, oh, it's not the right

00:19:59.009 --> 00:20:00.289
fit for me. I don't know what I could bring.

00:20:00.430 --> 00:20:03.079
But what do these young girls? especially, actually

00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:06.720
need from women in leadership? What they need

00:20:06.720 --> 00:20:11.440
is someone to, a common phrase I use, pour into

00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:14.839
them. That's what they need. So I'll give you

00:20:14.839 --> 00:20:19.000
this quick story. As an adult, I am very passionate

00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:22.500
about having a mentor myself. And so I had this

00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:24.799
mentor. I asked this woman to be my mentor, someone

00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:27.559
I was connected with. And I was so excited when

00:20:27.559 --> 00:20:29.500
I first started my LinkedIn page. And I said,

00:20:29.519 --> 00:20:32.490
hey, can you? take a look at my LinkedIn page,

00:20:32.490 --> 00:20:35.910
it's done, I'm so excited. And she looked at

00:20:35.910 --> 00:20:39.690
it and called me and she's like, Sharice, that's

00:20:39.690 --> 00:20:43.430
not who you are. You are so much more than that.

00:20:43.829 --> 00:20:47.710
And I was like, what? I was confused, I was like,

00:20:47.730 --> 00:20:50.230
what is she talking about? And so she started

00:20:50.230 --> 00:20:55.170
to name my strengths. She started to identify

00:20:55.170 --> 00:20:58.890
the work that I do and how she sees me in spaces.

00:20:59.450 --> 00:21:04.029
And it was eye opening to me of like, wow, you

00:21:04.029 --> 00:21:07.930
know, sometimes it takes someone else to identify

00:21:07.930 --> 00:21:12.390
our strengths. And as adults, we can do that

00:21:12.390 --> 00:21:16.470
for the young girls. We can take their strengths

00:21:16.470 --> 00:21:20.349
and let them know hey I saw what you did there

00:21:20.349 --> 00:21:24.789
that is leadership or you know identify hey I

00:21:24.789 --> 00:21:27.250
noticed how you used your voice in that space

00:21:27.250 --> 00:21:31.569
good girl like you way to go you know we have

00:21:31.569 --> 00:21:36.289
to pour into them and identify those traits and

00:21:36.289 --> 00:21:39.049
those strengths that they have so they can start

00:21:39.049 --> 00:21:41.789
to see it in themselves that is one thing that

00:21:41.789 --> 00:21:45.940
we can do for sure. Oh, I love that. So perfect

00:21:45.940 --> 00:21:51.099
segue. Talk to us about Girls' Grace. Okay. Girls'

00:21:51.400 --> 00:21:54.720
Grace, we just celebrated 10 years of the Girls'

00:21:54.920 --> 00:21:58.319
Grace Empowerment Conference. And what it is,

00:21:58.579 --> 00:22:02.259
it's a one -day conference, okay? When it first

00:22:02.259 --> 00:22:07.500
started in 2016, which is pre -COVID, it was

00:22:07.500 --> 00:22:11.259
an overnight conference. It was a Friday night.

00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:16.160
to Saturday morning, 12 hour confidence conference.

00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:19.220
So we had workshops all night long for girls,

00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:23.380
no sleep. There was empowerment all night long.

00:22:23.819 --> 00:22:26.420
Oh my gosh, 10 years ago, I don't know what I

00:22:26.420 --> 00:22:29.640
was like. It was honestly, what happened was

00:22:29.640 --> 00:22:35.140
I had an afterschool girls program. The young

00:22:35.140 --> 00:22:37.140
girls just kept clinging to me and I was like,

00:22:37.400 --> 00:22:40.000
they need a mentor. Maybe I need to start a program.

00:22:40.339 --> 00:22:42.460
So I started an afterschool program and I had

00:22:42.460 --> 00:22:46.220
that program and next thing you know, it became

00:22:46.220 --> 00:22:50.700
very popular. One year, I had over 40 girls join

00:22:50.700 --> 00:22:53.480
my program and I had to split them up into two

00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:58.259
groups and I was exhausted. It was a hard, hard

00:22:58.259 --> 00:23:01.539
year of just trying to be present for them and

00:23:01.539 --> 00:23:04.630
support them. And I said, hey, I can't sustain

00:23:04.630 --> 00:23:08.069
like that. So what's an alternative? And I came

00:23:08.069 --> 00:23:10.769
up with the conference. And so the conference

00:23:10.769 --> 00:23:14.470
was up to 200 girls that would come and sign

00:23:14.470 --> 00:23:20.630
up and be in the same space, a big, powerful

00:23:20.630 --> 00:23:24.009
sisterhood of space. And what I did was I tapped

00:23:24.009 --> 00:23:27.460
into my network. to facilitate the workshops.

00:23:27.720 --> 00:23:31.400
So I brought in the corporate leaders to speak

00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:34.859
on branding. I brought in entrepreneurs. And

00:23:34.859 --> 00:23:39.480
I leaned into my network to come in, trusted

00:23:39.480 --> 00:23:42.000
individuals to come in and lead these workshops

00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:44.799
for the girls. And it became very successful.

00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:47.759
And so year after year, the conference grew and

00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:51.740
grew. And so after COVID, we changed it to a

00:23:51.740 --> 00:23:54.559
Saturday format to where it's just a Saturday

00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:57.460
conference, but it also allowed flexibility for

00:23:57.460 --> 00:24:00.619
our community partners to come in and lead workshops.

00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:04.539
And so it is really you're thinking students,

00:24:04.759 --> 00:24:06.740
you're thinking staff, you're thinking alumni,

00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:09.579
you're thinking community leaders. It's a space

00:24:09.579 --> 00:24:13.539
where we're bringing all women together for a

00:24:13.539 --> 00:24:16.460
special day of empowerment for our girls. That's

00:24:16.460 --> 00:24:19.380
awesome. I love that. And doing that in person,

00:24:19.380 --> 00:24:21.279
I think has such an impact when you're in a group.

00:24:21.420 --> 00:24:23.359
Like the one -on -one mentorship is awesome and

00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:25.259
super impactful. But I think sometimes when you

00:24:25.259 --> 00:24:27.599
get a bunch of young girls in a room and they

00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:29.640
can feel that excitement and that power, that

00:24:29.640 --> 00:24:32.619
has to be super motivating, I would think, for

00:24:32.619 --> 00:24:35.819
them to understand that this is how you want

00:24:35.819 --> 00:24:37.640
to feel, right? Like you want to feel built up.

00:24:37.680 --> 00:24:40.980
So I love that. So let's talk about you. So you

00:24:40.980 --> 00:24:44.339
have a lot. And you're a mom and you're a wife.

00:24:44.819 --> 00:24:48.839
So how do you balance this from a time perspective?

00:24:49.039 --> 00:24:50.819
Because again, personally and professionally,

00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:55.420
your mission is to help empower and support the

00:24:55.420 --> 00:24:57.880
next generation. So how are you able to do that?

00:24:57.980 --> 00:24:59.799
And how do you say no to things? Do you say no

00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:03.460
to anything? I absolutely do say no to some things

00:25:03.460 --> 00:25:06.599
because I can't do it all. What I do is I make

00:25:06.599 --> 00:25:10.859
sure that whatever I say yes to, it's aligned.

00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:15.279
with my values and my mission, which is to make

00:25:15.279 --> 00:25:19.559
sure that I'm providing my voice for youth, for

00:25:19.559 --> 00:25:22.960
young people. If it's aligned with youth, if

00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:26.660
it's aligned with community leadership and bridging

00:25:26.660 --> 00:25:30.000
for other people, that is what I'm about. And

00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:32.539
if it doesn't conflict with my family, because

00:25:32.539 --> 00:25:35.500
of course my family is priority, if it doesn't

00:25:35.500 --> 00:25:39.140
conflict with my family, it's a yes. If it does

00:25:39.140 --> 00:25:42.349
conflict, I make sure that I provide space for

00:25:42.349 --> 00:25:45.009
others. Hey, I can't do it, but I know someone

00:25:45.009 --> 00:25:48.430
that can. And so I, you know, pay it forward

00:25:48.430 --> 00:25:51.910
for someone else if I can't do that. But for

00:25:51.910 --> 00:25:54.569
the most part, if it's aligned and I can make

00:25:54.569 --> 00:25:57.910
that balance, you know, I have a amazing partner.

00:25:58.289 --> 00:26:01.490
My husband, Kellen, is an avid community leader

00:26:01.490 --> 00:26:04.990
as well. So he's in the leadership space as well.

00:26:04.990 --> 00:26:07.970
And so he gets it and we balance together. There's

00:26:07.970 --> 00:26:11.339
times where he needs to go. you know, do community

00:26:11.339 --> 00:26:15.119
service. He's on boards as well. And so when

00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:18.400
he goes, I hold it down. And then when it's my

00:26:18.400 --> 00:26:20.440
turn, he holds it down for me. And we have that

00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:23.500
balance because we know it pours into us. It

00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:25.619
speaks to our heart. It's that heart work that

00:26:25.619 --> 00:26:29.940
we love. And so we just keep that balance. How

00:26:29.940 --> 00:26:33.680
old are your kids? I have two busy toddlers.

00:26:33.819 --> 00:26:37.259
OK. I have a six -year -old and a four -year

00:26:37.259 --> 00:26:40.460
-old. Okay. And so I've actually had my baby

00:26:40.460 --> 00:26:43.539
strapped on my chest for one of my Girl's Grace

00:26:43.539 --> 00:26:47.359
events. Like literally just gave birth and then

00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:49.359
I'm at the conference with the baby strapped

00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:51.900
to me. There's pictures floating around of that.

00:26:52.359 --> 00:26:54.859
But I'm just, you know, I'm passionate and I

00:26:54.859 --> 00:26:57.079
just love the work that I get to do. I'm so blessed.

00:26:57.910 --> 00:26:59.230
It's amazing. And the reason why I asked how

00:26:59.230 --> 00:27:00.690
old they were, because I was thinking I would

00:27:00.690 --> 00:27:02.910
love to see through the years how this impacts

00:27:02.910 --> 00:27:04.670
your kids, right? Like if you and your husband

00:27:04.670 --> 00:27:08.430
are both in this same mindset and are just so

00:27:08.430 --> 00:27:10.349
giving back, like how that your kids are just

00:27:10.349 --> 00:27:11.910
going to assume everyone's like that. And I love

00:27:11.910 --> 00:27:13.750
that, right? Like they're going to grow up just.

00:27:14.219 --> 00:27:15.900
knowing that they're going to these events and

00:27:15.900 --> 00:27:17.380
they're giving back and they're participating.

00:27:17.799 --> 00:27:19.799
So we'll check in in a couple years. They're

00:27:19.799 --> 00:27:21.279
a little young. They're a little young to catch

00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:23.799
on to that right now. Yes. Well, you know, it's

00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:25.359
interesting because you mentioned this a little

00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:28.200
bit, but sometimes I hear when women don't want

00:27:28.200 --> 00:27:31.799
to get involved in an event or a nonprofit, it's

00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:34.180
because they think they don't have time. So how

00:27:34.180 --> 00:27:36.380
do you position that? And you touched on this

00:27:36.380 --> 00:27:38.619
a little bit of like how it's important to make

00:27:38.619 --> 00:27:42.789
time and just a priority standpoint. Yes, I mean

00:27:42.789 --> 00:27:45.309
you make time for the things that you want to

00:27:45.309 --> 00:27:48.450
do right and so if it's something that you truly

00:27:48.450 --> 00:27:51.549
care about You you block your calendar and you

00:27:51.549 --> 00:27:54.029
show up and that that's the hardest part is showing

00:27:54.029 --> 00:27:56.990
up, you know It's something it's not just adults

00:27:56.990 --> 00:27:58.890
that experience that it's the kids too. They

00:27:58.890 --> 00:28:00.490
don't want to do it They don't want to do it.

00:28:00.569 --> 00:28:02.849
But once we show up, we're like, wow, I'm glad

00:28:02.849 --> 00:28:06.190
I came, you know, so getting you know to show

00:28:06.190 --> 00:28:09.509
up is the hardest part, but we have to be, you

00:28:09.509 --> 00:28:11.930
know, prioritize the things that bring us joy,

00:28:12.230 --> 00:28:14.710
our sparks, you know, block out the calendar

00:28:14.710 --> 00:28:17.529
and make the time and do it and show up. And

00:28:17.529 --> 00:28:19.670
then, you know, it feeds your soul, it feeds

00:28:19.670 --> 00:28:21.910
your heart. And then you're like, yeah, I'm glad

00:28:21.910 --> 00:28:23.890
I did that. And then you get to share it with

00:28:23.890 --> 00:28:27.450
other people. And so that's the joy of giving

00:28:27.450 --> 00:28:29.970
back and showing up for the things that we love.

00:28:30.200 --> 00:28:33.140
Oh, that's so true. And sometimes when it's something

00:28:33.140 --> 00:28:35.039
on the calendar, you think like, I don't have

00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:37.200
time for this. And it's like, I don't know, going

00:28:37.200 --> 00:28:39.319
to the gym or something where sometimes you don't

00:28:39.319 --> 00:28:41.839
want to go and do it because it's time and you're

00:28:41.839 --> 00:28:43.279
focused on something else or, oh, my schedule

00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:45.640
is so busy. But then you go and do it and you

00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:48.180
do. Your heart feels so full and you're so glad

00:28:48.180 --> 00:28:49.619
you don't. You're like, OK, next time, I'm not

00:28:49.619 --> 00:28:51.480
even going to flinch when that's on my calendar.

00:28:52.279 --> 00:28:53.980
But it's just putting on your calendar, making

00:28:53.980 --> 00:28:56.039
part of your routine. And I love that you hit

00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:57.859
some of the organizations that I think are amazing.

00:28:57.859 --> 00:29:01.099
And there's others too. there's enough of organizations

00:29:01.099 --> 00:29:03.759
around that there's the opportunity to find those

00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:07.440
relationships. And what about if listeners probably

00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:10.180
have, whether they have children or they're an

00:29:10.180 --> 00:29:13.920
aunt or just neighbors, how as just in the community,

00:29:14.059 --> 00:29:18.039
how do we support the younger generation? How

00:29:18.039 --> 00:29:20.960
do we support them in the community? I mean,

00:29:21.539 --> 00:29:24.240
well, first thing I say when I think of mentorship,

00:29:24.759 --> 00:29:27.579
I show up for young people all the time, right?

00:29:27.950 --> 00:29:31.470
I said to myself, oh, wait, I have nieces and

00:29:31.470 --> 00:29:34.650
nephews, you know, that I need to show up for.

00:29:35.069 --> 00:29:38.869
And so what I've started doing was I started

00:29:38.869 --> 00:29:42.730
to bring them along to some of the things that

00:29:42.730 --> 00:29:45.809
I'm doing in a community. Like my niece now.

00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:49.119
comes regularly to my girls conference that I

00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:52.960
have in Harrisburg and so making sure that our

00:29:52.960 --> 00:29:56.420
family is supported as well should be a priority

00:29:56.420 --> 00:29:59.579
because if we're not mentoring them someone else

00:29:59.579 --> 00:30:02.500
is going to develop that relationship with them

00:30:02.500 --> 00:30:05.720
and mentor your niece when you could do that

00:30:05.720 --> 00:30:08.519
and you could also expose them to some of the

00:30:08.519 --> 00:30:11.519
things that you love and enjoy as well so as

00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:14.109
as an adult you know, checking with your family

00:30:14.109 --> 00:30:16.089
first, you know, make sure that you're showing

00:30:16.089 --> 00:30:18.509
up for your nieces and nephews and your children

00:30:18.509 --> 00:30:22.069
as you should. And then, you know, take them

00:30:22.069 --> 00:30:24.630
along to some of the things, get them exposed

00:30:24.630 --> 00:30:27.750
to what it's like to give back and be of service

00:30:27.750 --> 00:30:30.869
to others and, you know, do it together. And

00:30:30.869 --> 00:30:33.710
then you create that, you know, intrinsic motivation

00:30:33.710 --> 00:30:36.589
together and it creates a bond, it creates trust,

00:30:36.769 --> 00:30:40.250
it creates reliability, it creates support. And

00:30:40.250 --> 00:30:42.789
our young people, whether they're our family

00:30:42.789 --> 00:30:45.609
or not, they need to see us in those spaces.

00:30:46.809 --> 00:30:48.809
So taking them along is definitely important.

00:30:48.990 --> 00:30:53.559
Oh, that's such great advice. kids in our life,

00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:55.279
right? Whether they're your kids or their friends

00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:58.819
or answered, whoever. So it's just paying attention

00:30:58.819 --> 00:31:01.380
to them around you. And sometimes there's people

00:31:01.380 --> 00:31:03.880
in your circle that are looking for even just

00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:05.680
more of a conversation. And I think of that with

00:31:05.680 --> 00:31:08.119
my daughter's friends, right? Like there's a

00:31:08.119 --> 00:31:09.599
few that I'm like, I know they need a little

00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:11.440
bit more time and attention, even when they're

00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:13.480
just at my house that like asking questions,

00:31:13.660 --> 00:31:15.740
talking about their future, just sort of trying

00:31:15.740 --> 00:31:17.839
to facilitate some type of relationship that

00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:20.269
I know that it they'll feel comfortable if they

00:31:20.269 --> 00:31:22.269
want to reach out, they want to do more. So yeah,

00:31:22.470 --> 00:31:25.130
it's just being intentional. We all have people

00:31:25.130 --> 00:31:27.170
in our lives that need a little bit more time

00:31:27.170 --> 00:31:29.349
and attention and looking for those, I think,

00:31:29.410 --> 00:31:32.430
signs can go a long way. So I love that so much.

00:31:33.230 --> 00:31:36.279
Well, Sharice. You are literally living a loud

00:31:36.279 --> 00:31:39.180
and lifted life for our future generation. I

00:31:39.180 --> 00:31:41.640
love it so much and I love the hard work that

00:31:41.640 --> 00:31:43.880
you do. So thank you for all that you're doing

00:31:43.880 --> 00:31:45.720
that you continue to do to influence the next

00:31:45.720 --> 00:31:48.140
generation. Hopefully this will help facilitate

00:31:48.140 --> 00:31:50.200
some thoughts for our listeners. That's how they

00:31:50.200 --> 00:31:52.740
can get involved and also help. But thank you

00:31:52.740 --> 00:31:54.619
for all that you do and thank you for being on

00:31:54.619 --> 00:31:57.359
Loud and Lifted. Thank you so much for having

00:31:57.359 --> 00:32:00.180
me. What I loved about this conversation with

00:32:00.180 --> 00:32:02.420
Sharice is that it's such a powerful reminder

00:32:02.420 --> 00:32:05.099
that confidence does not just appear later in

00:32:05.099 --> 00:32:08.420
life It gets built little by little through someone

00:32:08.420 --> 00:32:10.960
noticing potential through someone making an

00:32:10.960 --> 00:32:14.000
introduction Through someone creating space through

00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:17.599
someone saying I see you keep going and that

00:32:17.599 --> 00:32:20.700
is really the invitation in this episode Not

00:32:20.700 --> 00:32:23.099
just to admire the next generation from a distance,

00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:25.500
but to show up for them and to encourage them

00:32:26.349 --> 00:32:29.210
Until next time, stay loud and stay lifted.