March 20, 2015
These ideas are meant to get you moving. I encourage YOU to see them as only the beginning of moving towards intentional change.
Dear You: I’ve been asked countless times over the last week from folks across the community, “What can I do to help?” I often want to tell them, “You already know what to do; “you’re just too uncomfortable and afraid to do it!” On occasion that’s exactly what I say and we are then able to move into a healthy discussion. So what can YOU do?
1 Leverage your voice. It’s your right? Well you don’t need to wait on me or anyone else to give you permission to use it. There are multiple ways to use it to create real change. If you’re uncomfortable and afraid, please stop it! Beautiful things can come from those places. It’s time you decided to go ahead and say something love! Your local elected officials need to hear your stories. How are they supposed to know what?
2 Leverage your dollars. Invest in viable solutions. Tell your local officials where to spend your dollars and why. Spend your dollars and encourage others to spend them at minority owned businesses. Oftentimes there’s a lot of talking about helping people of color create wealth but the follow through is poor. I encourage everyone to make it a habit to seek out minority owned businesses. Your dollars and support are also very much needed in the creation itself of minority owned businesses!
3 Leverage your relationships. We all know someone who knows someone who can help us get to the root of change. Connect with those people! You don’t have to and shouldn’t go at change alone. For example, partner with your friends, coworkers, employer, congregation, local officials and collaborate to create initiatives that get to the root of the issues you already know must change.
The point of it all is simply: leverage your individual and collective power for real and intentional change! You need not wait on anyone to tell you what to do…at all.
– Peace
Named one of BRAVA Magazine's 2015 Women to Watch, Sabrina Madison or as you may know her “Heymiss Progress” is a poet, motivational speaker, entrepreneur and change agent. She can be reached through her website, About Sabrina "HeyMiss Progress" Madison, at www.heymissprogress.com.
