Her Story
About Kay
I started my career working in fast food while putting myself through college, then worked as a career planning specialist at a cosmetology school where I really enjoyed the community aspects of the work. After running a business with my partner for a couple of years, I went into corporate but realized I was spending so much time doing work in advocacy and organizing and community that I ended up making a career change to focus on this full-time, and I have never looked back. I've been in this field for about 10 years now, and I'm currently serving as Southern Regional Director, a role I've held for about 2 months. In a typical day, I'm checking on my folks in the field, having conversations in community and with elected officials, providing support wherever I can, and connecting people to resources they may need as part of their development. Basically, I'm putting people in spaces and community with each other and doing anything I can to help grow and develop someone else's leadership. Every day looks different, which is what I love about it. Some of my proudest achievements include being awarded the Keeper of the Flame Award and receiving an award from JFCS (Jewish Family and Community Services). I'm particularly proud of growing field programs from being able to knock 30,000 doors and dials to getting them to close to 400,000 in a year. When I served as NAACP president, I was able to put a lot more younger people into leadership and support them in their growth and development. I've also been encouraging other women of color to run for office, and seeing them not only run but win has been amazing. Beyond my day job, I sit on the board of the Interactive Resource Center, which works with people experiencing homelessness, and I'm also on the board of JFCS, which provides support to immigrant and refugee communities. I've also sat on police review boards. I do consulting work on the side and am looking to continue growing that over the next few years, with the hope of one day hiring young folks to learn what I do and building something I can pass off to the next generation.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Kay
01What do you attribute your success to?
Outside of God, I would really say that even when things were hard, I couldn't see anything else but the thing happening. I was always very much so convinced that this is the path, this feels like a calling, and even when everybody else couldn't see the vision, I could, and that was enough. That unwavering belief in the vision and calling, even when others couldn't see it, has been the foundation of my success.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Just say yes to stuff. Just go. Just do it. Just try the thing. Even if it's a hard thing, even if it feels overwhelming, you would be surprised what you learn from just doing it and not overthinking it. Don't let fear or uncertainty hold you back from opportunities. Take the leap and trust that you'll learn and grow through the experience.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenges include when you see things that don't seem inclusive, when you hear things that make you question if it's a good place for women to grow and develop. There are concerns about financial security, like wondering if you're going to be okay, if you'll be able to buy a house. Sometimes you get inundated with all the things that are going wrong or could go wrong. But the key is staying mentally on top of it and knowing that typically the arc will bend towards justice. You have to just stay in it and stay consistent, even when it feels like everything is falling apart around you. That persistence and mental fortitude is what gets you through the challenging times.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Ethics are incredibly important to me, as well as doing your best. If you said you're going to do a thing, you need to show up and do it, and do it in the spirit that it needs to be done. Being consistent and showing up matters. I value having respect for yourself and deep respect for others, including their different experiences and opinions. I also place a high value on continuous improvement. I don't know everything about everything, but there's a lot that I may know a lot about, and I have something to offer. Being open to trying new things has been a really big value for me, as well as being open to critiques of maybe you got it wrong and maybe there's something you could have done better. That openness to growth and learning is essential.
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