Tell TheTruth!

One of the things we learn very early is the truth matters. As we go through life, we learn a lot of things about people and values. But the thing that does not change over time is our expectations regarding the truth. We respect people who tell the truth even if we do not like them.

--Nona O.

Happy Holidays!!!

Hoping this is your most happiest Season ever!

--Nona O., @womenatliberty and WomenMakingHistory

All Human Life Has Value

Your behavior toward others reflects the value you place on human life. 

--Nona O.

Trust Is A Gift...@vnona

In any relationship, trust is a priceless gift. Don't squander it.

--Nona O.

The Purpose Of Society...Alvin Toffler

Any decent society must generate a feeling of community. Community offsets loneliness. It gives people a vitally necessary sense of belonging. Yet today the institutions on which community depends are crumbling in all the techno-societies. The result is a spreading plague of loneliness.

Alvin Toffler, The Third Wave

Beautiful!

A beautiful thing is never perfect. --Unknown

On Race Relations...Jimmy Carter

"Well, I think we kind of breathed a sigh of relief back in the ’60s, after we had 100 years of racial discrimination with separate but equal, and the Supreme Court and the Congress and everybody else agreed to that, all the churches.

And after the Johnson years of Voting Rights Act and Martin Luther King Jr., Andy Young and others being successful, I think the United States kind of breathed a sigh of relief and said, well, we have resolved the race issue now, and there won’t be anymore, detectable, at least, elements of an American society where whites are in the supreme position, to the detriment of blacks.

...the recent high publicity about the police and black confrontations and the tragedy in Charleston (Shooting death of Walter Scott, 4/4/15) have reminded us that we still have a long way to go. There’s still an innate racism in our country that needs to be addressed accurately."

--Jimmy Carter, 39th President of the United States

#LeadershipTuesdays: Designing Our World By Defining Ourselves And Those Around Us

If we stop defining each other by what we are not and start defining ourselves by who we are, we can all be freer. It’s about freedom.

--Emma Watson

Every other Tuesday, WOMEN AT LIBERTY provides Leadership Tuesdays, a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage and strengthen women leaders. Today we are featuring Jody Gerson, Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG). She has been in the business for over 30 years and has risen through the ranks. This quote kind of sums up the reason why she loves her job and the business:

To check out today's article, "Women in Music 2015: Jody Gerson Named Executive of the Year" by Shirley Halperin in Billboard Magazine, go to Women Making History (Facebook Page) today or click here. For more information on Leadership Tuesdays or WOMEN AT LIBERTY, click here.

Education Is Quintessential To Liberty

Liberty without learning is always in peril and learning without liberty is always in vain.

--John F. Kennedy

Spiritual Force...Franklin D. Roosevelt

Physical strength can never permanently withstand the impact of spiritual force.

--Franklin D. Roosevelt

Fighting Racist Beliefs At Work...Lucy Liu

Being Asian in this business is something you have to consider, because sometimes people aren't as open. They'll say, I can't see you with a Caucasian person.

--Lucy Liu, Actress

*Lucy Liu is currently starring as Dr. Joan Watson in the crime drama series, Elementary, on CBS network. (2015)

The Equality Of All: Where Do You Stand?

"From ordinary women stepping into an extraordinary role, bravely fighting for their right to participate in our democracy, to a coalition of conscience that marched on our Nation's Capital and protested for equality, the last century and a half has been defined by those who stood resolute in keeping lit the flame that burned in the hearts of all those determined to secure what they knew to be their God-given rights."*

 --President Barack H. Obama, 44th President of the United States

*https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/12/05/presidential-proclamation-150th-anniversary-13th-amendment

#LeadershipTuesdays: Motivating People For Optimal Results...Cindy Holland

"How do they need to hear the input to get the best results out of them? In management, it’s about understanding how the person thinks and even figuring out the right choice of words that will help unlock their creativity and desire to do something."

--Cindy Holland, Vice President-Original Content, Netflix

Every other Tuesday, WOMEN AT LIBERTY provides a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage and strengthen women leaders. Today's Leadership Tuesdays feature is Cindy Holland. She is the Vice President for Original Content at Netflix, the company who provides on-demand streaming of television shows and movies via the internet and subscription-based rentals to more than 65 million subscribers in the U.S. and over 40 countries in North and South America, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Europe. Netflix has been an innovator in how people access entertainment and they have soared in popularity and revenue as traditional competitors in the space, like Blockbuster, has fallen by the wayside.

With shows like House of Cards and Orange Is The New Black, Netflix has made a name for itself in the original programming space. Ms. Holland, responsible for “greenlighting” original content, has been with the company for 13 years and assumed her current role in 2012. In a November 2015 article entitled "Learning To Lead On A Pair of Skis", she talked with Adam Bryant of the New York Times’ Corner Office column about her approach to leadership at a disruptive technology and entertainment company like Netflix.

The fun part of her job is saying “yes” to projects starring lesser known talent that may have been rejected by other networks. But at the same time she also has the unenviable task of saying “no” to projects that are attached to well-known names and talent that she feels is not right for her company. One of the things that Cindy talks about is how it can be challenging to give feedback in these circumstances and how a leader must think and what they have to know about people, the projects being presented, and the overall goals/objectives of the organization to get the best results for the team.

Click here to see the Corner Office interview and to read a more in-depth article written by Adam Bryant. For more information on Leadership Tuesdays or WOMEN AT LIBERTY, click here.

Setting Priorities...Valorie Burton

Not everything on your to-do list is a real priority. Narrow your list into four categories:

• Do it. 
• Delay it. 
• Delete it. 
• Delegate it.

--Valorie Burton, Best-Selling Author, Motivational Speaker and Certified Personal Coach

http://valorieburton.com

Courage In Action...@vnona

Many confuse power with courage. Having power is not the same as being courageous. Bullies have power, but they are surely cowards.

The biblical stories of David and Goliath, and Queen Esther and King Xerxes reminds us that the courageous are those who take a stand and act in faith despite their fears.

--Nona O.

Making Smart Sexy...John Hope Bryant

“It takes 20 years to change a culture, says my mentor Quincy Jones. Well, in the last 20 years, we have made dumb sexy. We have dumbed down, and celebrated it. And now we must make smart sexy again.”

--John Hope Bryant

Postively Impacting A Generation

Education by itself is not the end all be all. To positively impact your generation and environment you must have character and the ability to discern what is right and wrong for yourself.

--Nona O.

Your Behavior Speak Volumes...@vnona

The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.  

--Matthew 12:34b, NIV, The Bible

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your day be filled with happiness and giving thanks for today's provisions and future blessings!

Thank You...Sarah Ban Breathnach

Every time we remember to say "thank you", we experience nothing less than heaven on earth.
 
-- Sarah Ban Breathnach

#LeadershipTuesdays: Demonstrating Appreciation As A Leader

Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it.

--Ralph Marston

Every other Tuesday, WOMEN AT LIBERTY provides a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage and strengthen women leaders. Today and all this week #MotivationalMoments is featuring quotes on thankfulness and gratitude. Again today I start off with the familiar adage, "Actions speak louder than words". And this is very true for Dan Price, the CEO of Gravity Payments.

Gravity Payments is a credit-card processing and financial services company that is based in the Seattle, Washington area. Dan Price and his brother Lucas founded the company in February 2004. A few years ago he had an encounter with an employee that changed the way he pays his employees. He talked to one of his employees who was a phone tech making $35,000 a year and an employee who was a former veteran. Both struggling trying to make ends meet on their current salaries. Dan was bringing home a $1.1 million dollar salary at that time. Gradually, Dan made a decision to pay all of his employees a minimum salary of $70,000 and he announced it this past Spring. (See Remember the Guy Who Gave His Employees a $70,000 Minimum Wage? Here’s What Happened Next.)

Everybody knows leadership is a tough job. But, when you strive to do right by people and you are really concerned about the welfare of your employees, you demonstrate to them the values you expect to flow through your organization. Dan Price put his money where his mouth is and this is a great leadership lesson on demonstrating appreciation and concern.

To learn more about Dan's decision and how he came to change the pay structure at his company, see the video below. For more information on Leadership Tuesdays or WOMEN AT LIBERTY, click here.

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Get More: Comedy Central,Funny Videos,Funny TV Shows

Blessed To Give and Grateful To Receive

Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting.
 
-- Author Unknown

#LeadershipTuesdays: Leadership By Example...John Wooden

The most powerful leadership tool you have is your own personal example.

--John Wooden

Every other Tuesday, WOMEN AT LIBERTY provides a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage and strengthen women leaders. Actions speak louder than words. People may not always tell you, but they watch to see if you 'walk your talk' or live by the principles you "preach" to others. Hypocrisy in a leader is one of the things that can kill morale in a organization or group.

Today's leadership resource provides seven simple ways that a leader can effectively lead by example. Check out "7 Simple Ways to Lead by Example" by Brent Gleeson on the Inc.com platform. For more information on Leadership Tuesdays or WOMEN AT LIBERTY, click here. Also, feel free to visit the Women Making History web page to stay up to date on information and resources to help you live a better life.

Where Your Focus Should Be...Shaquille O'Neal

"I never worry about the problem. I worry about the solution."

Shaquille O'Neal, PhD, Entrepreneur, Sports Commentator,
Championship-winning Professional Basketball Player, Actor and Artist

Our Gift To God...Eleanor Powell

"What we are is God's gift to us. What we become is our gift to God."

--Eleanor Powell, Dancer and Actress, 1912 -- 1982

The Power Of One Courageous Voice...Malala Yousafzai

"There is a moment when you must choose whether to be silent or to stand up. Our voices are our most powerful weapon."

--Malala Yousafzai

Malala.org

#LeadershipTuesdays--Leshell Hatley: Hello World. Hello Robot. Hello Me.

"The question is not whether we can afford to invest in every child; it is whether we can afford not to."

--Marian Wright Edelman

http://www.upliftdc.org

Every other Tuesday, WOMEN AT LIBERTY  provides a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage and strengthen women leaders. The technology industry has been in the press a lot lately for its lack of diversity and its steps (or lack thereof) to increase the representation of women and minorities. I recently heard a statistics from Vann Jones that the industry will have 1.4 million new tech jobs in the next 10 years. He's one of the advocates bringing attention to the need for more diversity in the tech industry. Current forecasts suggest that the U.S. will only be able to supply 400K of these jobs.

Leshell Hatley, an engineer, educator, researcher, and entrepreneur based in the Washington, D.C. area, is preparing a diverse population of youth to be ready for the future jobs in technology. For more than ten years, she has been teaching children the "how to's" of technology. Leshell has developed unique programs that expose youth to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics, and Computer Science and she has documented best practices for how to teach technology to African American youth.

Through her non-profit foundation, Uplift, Inc. and as a teacher in public and private schools, Leshell teaches K-12 students how to create mobile apps, build robots, and design gaming systems. Earlier this year she spoke to an audience in the Nation's Capital on the power of creativity in using programming and robots in education. Her work has been recognized by companies like Microsoft, the MacArthur Foundation, and Google.

Leshell is currently finishing up her PhD (2016) in Learning Technologies Design Research at George Mason University (Virginia). She is also on the staff of Howard University (Washington, D.C.) managing a National Science Foundation grant that supports women STEM faculty members.

To find out more about how Leshell is preparing today's youth for tomorrow's opportunities in technology and science, see below. For more information on Leadership Tuesdays or WOMEN AT LIBERTY, click here.

--Nona O., Founder, womenatliberty.com

On Integrity...Tom Peters

"There is no such thing as a minor lapse of integrity.”

--Tom Peters

Don't Forget To Enjoy The Sunshine...William Feather

“Some people are making such thorough preparation for rainy days that they aren't enjoying today's sunshine.”

--William Feather 

Life Is...Sai Baba

Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it.

--Sai Baba

 

Insecurity...Drew Barrymore

I never have been insecure, because I see what a waste it is. I know there is a solution to insecurity. I don't tend to be thrown by problems that don't have solutions. And insecurity has a wealth of alternatives.

--Drew Barrymore

Get What You Want...Ben Stein

The first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: Decide what you want.

Ben Stein

Loving Deeply & Being Deeply Loved...Lao Tzu

“Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”
 
 --Lao Tzu

A Test Of Conscience...Gaylord Nelson

“The ultimate test of man's [woman's] conscience may be his [her] willingness to sacrifice something today for future generations whose words of thanks will not be heard.”

--Gaylord Nelson

Making You A Priority..Jennifer Lopez

You've gotta do things that make you happy. As women, we tend to give away a lot. We take care of a lot of people, and we can't forget to take care of ourselves.

Jennifer Lopez

How Can We Make A Difference...George Lopez

How we can we make a difference ? Speak for those who are voiceless, and nothing speaks louder than unity.

--George Lopez, Actor and Comedian

#LeadershipTuesdays: I Know Who I Am

We’re constantly being told what other people think we are and that’s why it is so important to know yourself.

--Unknown

Every other Tuesdays, WOMEN AT LIBERTY provides a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage and strengthen women leaders. Today on the last Tuesday of the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we feature Johnson & Johnson executive, Arisa Batista Cunningham. She is the Vice President of Global Diversity and Inclusion for the Medical Devices and Diagnostics Group, a $24 billion medical devices and diagnostics business.

Some time ago Ms. Batista Cunningham talked with Aurelia Flores of PowerfulLatinas.com about being born and growing up with her family in rural Panama. She described facing discrimination and low expectations in grade school because she was a girl and she was not from a prominent wealthy family. Ms. Cunningham also spoke about overcoming her own insecurities regarding her accent and adjusting to the American culture when she came to the U.S. for college.

As she reflected on her experiences from her current vantage point as an accomplished C-Suite executive at a Fortune 100 company, she shared wisdom that will inspire Latinos, and any woman, man, adolescent boy or girl who has had to confront adversity.  

To listen to the interview, click here. For more information on Leadership Tuesdays or WOMEN AT LIBERTY, click here.

Arisa Batista Cunningham

Trust Me...H.L. Mencken

"It is mutual trust, even more than mutual interest, that holds human associations together."

--H. L. Mencken

Finding What You Want...Abraham-Hicks

Let go of the oars... Everything you want is downstream.

 --Abraham-Hicks

The Importance of Our Origins...Mike Norton

“When we reject our origins, we become the product of whatever soil that we find ourselves planted; the colors of our leaves change as we consume borrowed nutrients with borrowed roots and, like a tree, we grow.”

--Mike Norton, Fighting For Redemption

What Did You Do About It?...Rosario Dawson

"I remember my friend said that she had talked to Chelsea Clinton after [Chelsea had read] Bill Clinton's book. And she'd never thought about it, but her (Chelsea) Dad was a little boy during segregation. ...and she was like,  'Whoa, Wow Dad...what that must have been like. What did you do about it?'

And just know each and every one of you at some point will get asked that question. Cause there is a lot of things that are happening right here and right now. It's not about being nostalgic and looking at the past. Or just about always assuming we're just gonna get there somehow in the future. We have to participate. And there's going to be a lot of kids at some point that are gonna look at you and go, 'Wow during all of these things that were going on in the world, what did you do about it?' And hopefully you all can say that you voted...at the very least."*

--Rosario Dawson, Actress and Entrepreneur

*An except from: Q & A Panel from Comicpalooza June 2015 

Be Better...Antonia C. Novello

“I do believe that the spirit of entrepreneur[ship] and wanting to be something else every single day of my life, . . . comes from her [my mother]. Because I always remember a mother who always worked, who always studied, and who always tried to better herself. 

--Dr. Antonia C. Novello

#LeadershipTuesdays: The Power Of Images

As the first Hispanic female governor in history, little girls often come up to me in the grocery store or the mall. They look and point, and when they get the courage, they ask 'Are you Susana?' and they run up and give me a hug.

--Susana Martinez, 31st Governor of New Mexico

Meet Governor Susana Martinez

Every other Tuesday, WOMEN AT LIBERTY provides a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage, and strengthen women leaders. Images are so important in today's society. So much of what we see on television or in the media, whether accurate or not, is taken as the norm. It is very hard to become what you do not see. Meaning, it is very hard, not impossible, but hard to become an astrophysicist if you grow up in a town of farmers, come from a family of farmers, and you are never exposed to people who have studied astronomy or the sciences. But if you watched "Cosmos: A Personal Voyage" by Carl Sagan on PBS or became familiar with his work through that exposure, you would be able to decide whether you had interest in astrophysics.

Now that's an extreme example, nonetheless it amplifies a broader point: it is important for little girls and boys to be exposed to powerful images of accomplished women, men and minorities who are leaders. It shows them what is possible. Governor Susana Martinez's story as told in the quote above is a powerful one. Being the first Hispanic and woman to be elected as Governor of New Mexico creates a legacy for other Latinos and women that are sure to follow her. So today, during Hispanic Heritage Month, we salute Governor Susana Martinez for her accomplishments and legacy.

As mentioned earlier, the images we see in the media are important to our worldview. I invite you to check out this brief video blog entitled, "Women and The Media: Miss Representation?", which talks about the images of women and minorities that we are expose to on American television and the power that we, especially women, have to impact what we see in the media.

For more information on Leadership Tuesdays or WOMEN AT LIBERTY, click here. 
 

Looking At History Through Colored Lens...James Feinmore Cooper

“History, like love, is so apt to surround her heroes with an atmosphere of imaginary brightness.”

--James Fenimore Cooper, The Last of the Mohicans

The Power Of A Dream and A Vision

"You can't be what you can't see."*

--Marie Wilson, Founding President, The White House Project

 

Check out this video that discusses images of women in the media and what those images tell us about how women are viewed in popular culture:


Feel free to leave a comment below!

*Quote from the "Miss Representation" Trailer, a documentary by Jennifer Siebel Newsom. View it here: https://youtu.be/W2UZZV3xU6Q

#LeadershipTuesdays: What Do You See?...Virginia Satir

We must not allow other people's limited perceptions to define us.
 
--Virginia Satir (1916-1988), Author and Psychotherapist

Every other Tuesday, WOMEN AT LIBERTY provides a platform for a variety of voices and resources to develop, encourage, and strengthen women leaders. Gloria Steinem said in a New York Times article that, "it's hard to think of anything except air, food and water that is more important than the media". Given the importance of the media, what do you believe that the images of women we see on television and in film are telling us about the value and worth of women in our society?

Congresswoman Brenda Lawrence of the 14th District of Michigan recently hosted a forum at the Congressional Black Caucus' 45th Annual Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. to discuss this topic. Entitled "Miss Representation: How Women Are Portrayed In The Media" (based on a documentary by Jennifer Siebel Newsom), panelists from the national and local media as well as women from national advocacy groups and public relations professionals led a discussion that helped the audience understand their power to change how women are currently being portrayed in the media.

Today's Leadership Tuesdays features a video commentary and a few interviews from the seminar as well as an excerpt from actress Viola Davis' acceptance speech at the 67th Emmy Awards where she made history by winning Best Actress In A Lead Role In A Drama Series. 

To see the video, click here. For more information on Leadership Tuesdays or WOMEN AT LIBERTY, click here. To view the trailer from the documentary, click Miss Representation.