Dreaming Bigger
By: Tokiwa T. Smith, WOC Member and Founder and Executive Director, Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link Inc.
Dreaming Bigger is one of my 2020 mantras that I am taking into 2021. My 2020 was an emotional rollercoaster both personally and professionally. As a Black woman who is the Founder and Executive Director of a small nonprofit organization, my life is filled with many uncertainties. Despite those unknowns, I have always had dreams and set goals for myself and my organization. However, all the emotions that I experienced due to the events of the first few months of 2020 caused me to stop dreaming dreams and setting goals. I decided to take a few months off to focus on my emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, and during that time off, I was reminded of an important lesson: I am a woman first and a nonprofit professional second.
Women of Color tend to take care of everyone and everything before we take care of ourselves. When a pandemic transpires and we are forced to shelter in place, it gives us the opportunity to slow down and re-examine our priorities. During the pandemic, my priorities have become self-care and finding moments of joy. While on hiatus I rested, journaled, and found support in my network and with a therapist. In this time, I learned and re-learned lessons that were important to who I am and who I am becoming as a Black woman in both my personal and professional life. My perspective changed as well about who and what receives my time and energy. One of the biggest lessons I learned is that I must be okay before I begin working on my project list; otherwise, I am not my best self nor am I producing my best work.
As Women of Color, we must also dream bigger for ourselves as individuals.
As I start 2021, continuing to shelter in place, I am excited about what will happen in all facets of my life. I have hope because I have started to dream again and now I am dreaming bigger. Like many of you, I work in the nonprofit sector to make a difference in the world; I want to work towards the change that I want to see. In 2020, we saw “norms” and systems change and attention was focused once again on the economic inequalities, racial inequities, and systematic racism in our country. In addition, the nonprofit sector was called out on both its systematic and implicit racism. This presents an opportunity for change and growth within our organizations and the nonprofit sector. As Women of Color, some of us will work with our colleagues to develop policies and procedures to implement change within our organizations and our sector. We as Women of Color can dream bigger for our organizations and our work and I believe that those dreams can come true.
As Women of Color, we must also dream bigger for ourselves as individuals. We do not have to live up to societal norms for Women of Color. We can determine the things we want for our lives both personally and professionally. This pandemic is a perfect opportunity for a personal and professional reset. Ask yourself:
What are the ways that you will prioritize your emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual well-being?
How can you find moments of joy?
What things do you enjoy doing alone and with others?
What goals do you have for your life and your career?
Once you have answered those questions, make a plan, work that plan, and watch the plan work. The key to dreaming bigger is seeing a vision of the life that you want for yourself and believing that it is possible. With your expertise, skills, and the support of your network, you can make your dreams come true.
In closing, I offer you lyrics from a song I listen to when I need motivation to move forward in the direction of my dreams—Jazmine Sullivan’s Dream Big. “I gotta dream big, ‘cause when it happens it’s gone happen real big, yes I feel it.”
Tokiwa T. Smith, Founder and Executive Director, Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link Inc.
Ms. Tokiwa T. Smith is a leader in STEM Education and Philanthropy; having over 17 years’ experience in academia, government, and philanthropy. An alumna of Florida A & M University, she is an Author, Consultant and Social Entrepreneur. Ms. Smith is the Founder and Executive Director of a nonprofit organization, Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link Inc and CEO and Principal Consultant of Kemet Educational Services. She is the author of several books and a sought-out contributor to magazines and other publications. Ms. Smith has been honored by her peers and the community receiving several awards and serves on several advisory boards and committees. Her work has been featured in media outlets, she is the author of several books and a sought-out contributor to magazines and other publications.
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