The responsibility of highlighting: "INSPIRE INCLUSION" must also hold space for what that means for those of us who have no other choice.

This year's International Women's Day theme is #InspireInclusion. I felt mixed feelings about it because so many of us, including myself, "inspire inclusion" every single day--not just on March 8th. With the DEIB industry being attacked, defunded, weaponized, and politicized, it is hard to feel inspired about inspiring inclusion. For those of us at the frontlines of this work--we are dogbone TIRED. Yesterday, I had multiple conversations with women in the DEIB and/or "women's empowerment" space where we vulnerably shared our struggles, fears, trauma, and lived-experiences within this work.?

Another founder shared: "The women in women's empowerment are the ones who need to be empowered because they often sacrifice their self care to keep this work going." Women like me sacrifice their livelihood to keep impact and social good initiatives alive because they are simply not valued in the same way a "regular ole" tech conference or leadership event is. If you keep it simple, make it fun and pretty--there are marketing dollars to be thrown at a thing. But the moment you add impact, or black and brown humans, or women--these initiatives are funneled into the "allocated funds" section which is dwindling by the day.

Yesterday I had a breakdown and cried. I went to bed feeling a sense of sadness after having really wonderful conversations with people praising my work and sharing how they had no idea the deeper impact I have made. So many women feel unseen or unworthy. We are told to be humble and lead with humility and that we cannot toot our own horn lest we ruffle feathers or be called a narcissist.

How have I inspired inclusion?

I have been in the trenches of this work, overlooked, undervalued, devalued, bullied, silenced, and even stolen from by individuals, companies, a prominent university, and even a city.

Before WWT there was EqualityTV--an InternetTV?ecosystem that featured representation. I was ahead of my time.?

I LAUNCHED:

A campaign hugging THOUSANDS of humans of all walks of life. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/what-i-have-learned-from_b_4688682

A global "I Am Equality" event held in 17 cities and 5 countries on a single day where photographers captured representations of family and individuality. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_U3x2lmn5NM

Hackathon for humanity: https://hacks4humanity.com/ and Wonder Women Hacks addressing challenges women and girls face.

Other Initiatives: https://e-policestation.com/index_en.html and https://www.mygamemyname.com/en?

A decade of global conferences and events with Wonder Women Tech.

Created countless multimedia projects and even a talk show that never saw the light of day.

How many of these do you think have been funded??

SPOILER ALERT--I sold every single thing of value I have ever owned to keep this work going because inclusion is in my DNA. I don't know any other way to operate.

I won't even cover the boards I'm on, my 8 years of work in Public Service on the Commission for Technology and Innovation for the City of Long Beach, or the things I volunteer for. There are hundreds of humans I have mentored or offered free thought leadership or resources all in the name of inclusion.

The people who ask to "pick my brain" that I have let pick and pick and pick who want "solutions" on how to be more inclusive. The Fortune 500 companies who ask if they can have the annual package (with a million deliverables) for the 6 month price to "see" how we do. The companies who ask me to speak for free, offer my expertise, or even submit a full marketing plan and strategy to "prove my DEIB work" will work. (And then never hire me but use my ideas.)

I have scores and scores and scores of stories over the last 15 years.

Inspire Inclusion. This isn't a 2024 #IWD Theme for me. This is my LIFE'S WORK.

So many #InternationalWomensDay posts are light hearted and show smiling women seemingly doing heroic things. We read stories of how women overcome, but we rarely learn the grit of what they have had to overcome, or what they have had to carry on their backs.?We talk about women as superheroes and yes--the irony is not lost that I chose to name my company after Wonder Woman. It is because so many women are seemingly doing the impossible and are expected to be the ALL and to deliver it consistently.

Do you know how often I hear: "How do you do it? How do you have the bandwidth?" I have to be perfect at all times. Otherwise I lose support.

The responsibility of highlighting a theme like: "INSPIRE INCLUSION" must also hold space for what that means for those of us who have no other choice but to inspire and fight for inclusion Every. Single. Day.?

Women everywhere in every industry are tired. They are feeling the weight of the world as our reproductive rights and basic human rights are being attacked and politicized. We have to keep it together so the cracks don't show. We are asked to be our "authentic selves" but not too authentic because they don't want you to actually be human in the workplace. We share happy posts and triumphant success on social media while our fingertips bleed as we tell our story.

I want to invite us to inspire inclusion with each other. Take a woman out for lunch. Send a kind message. Give a warm hug. Be there when you see a woman in the dark. Shine for another.

International Women's Day is a beautiful campaign. I am grateful for opportunities to celebrate the power, the innovation, the vision, and the lived experiences of being a woman. It is my hope and prayer that more and more of us can truly rest and celebrate this day and this month without feeling the weight of the world in silence.?

I see you. Thank you for showing up. <3