Latefah Poole

I attribute my success to perseverance, determination, and the ability to just keep going. Passion is important, but what really trumps everything is the dedication to push through even when things are hard. You're not always going to have wins - you're going to have some losses. You're not always going to feel like you're the person for the job or think you're talented enough or good enough. That may not always be the case, but as long as you push through, you will overcome that. It will continue to go and grow as long as you have the dedication to your work, to what you're doing, and to your career. Just don't give up. It doesn't matter how talented you are or how beautiful you are - as long as you keep pushing yourself forward, you'll make it there, you'll get there. Every mountain climb started with one step at a time. Every journey starts with just those first couple steps. If you look at a journey and say you can't climb that mountain or can't go that distance, that's not the right mindset to have. The right mindset is to just keep going - you'll eventually land there, you'll eventually get to where you need to be. Just don't give up.

The best career advice I've ever received is about perseverance and determination. I've learned that these qualities trump everything - even passion. The ability to just keep going is what matters most. You're not always going to have wins, you're going to have some losses. You're not always going to feel like you're the person for the job or think you're talented enough or good enough. But as long as you push through, you will overcome that. Your work will continue to go and grow as long as you have the dedication to what you're doing and to your career. Just don't give up. It doesn't matter how talented you are or beautiful you are - as long as you keep pushing yourself forward, you'll make it there, you'll get there. Every mountain climb started with one step at a time. Every journey starts with just those first couple steps. So if you look at a journey and say you can't climb that mountain or can't go that distance, that's not the right mindset to have. The right mindset is to just keep going - you'll eventually land there, you'll eventually get to where you need to be. Just don't give up.

My advice to young women who want to start their own nonprofits is not to be fearful and not to cripple yourself under your own fears or doubts. You really just have to believe in yourself. I teach my kids that what you believe you will achieve, and what you see yourself as is who you will be. So you really just have to find that confidence. Sometimes that can be hard to muster up that confidence, but it's really just about believing in yourself. You may not have all the tools, you may not have everything you need, but if you believe in yourself, it'll come. You just work on it, and it will come.

Right now, we're in the startup phase with my nonprofit, so we're facing everything that comes along with being a startup. The first couple years were just about getting all the paperwork together and everything like that. Last year, we started to get the partnership with HISD, and that has been taking a while because of them passing it through their legal team and everything. Capital is a huge thing for us, and partnerships are critical. I didn't have trouble getting partnerships because once I reached out to organizations and schools, a great majority of people were interested in working with us and liked the mission and wanted to do it. But it's definitely a matter of us being a startup and having the proper capital and just everything that we need to operate smoothly. In Houston, it was more of a legal hindrance because HISD is the largest school district in Texas, so I understand that. But here in Chicago, it's easier for me to incorporate it into schools. I just moved back here and reached out to a middle school to start it, and they're really interested, and it's less of the legal hurdles.

To be completely honest, I have a big passion for youth because I believe in that old saying about planting trees that you won't be able to sit under, but it's important to still plant those trees. I have that mindset of training the next generation in the way that they should go. I'm really big on helping those who don't usually get help, speaking for those who don't have a voice, and seeing those who usually aren't seen. That's just a big thing for me because I understand that side of things, and I know that there are a lot of kids and youth and people, period, who are in that category. People won't see them or won't invest in them or won't help them grow because they're overlooked. So I am someone who believes that it's important to teach them. I believe in teaching people and enlightening people and letting them learn and letting them see and understand the value of themselves so that they can do big things and go far places. In my personal life, I have 7 kids and they are like my life for the most part. Most of the time when I'm having fun, it's with them - a movie date, going out on a picnic, doing something fun. I really invest a lot in my children and they fulfill me. I come from a big family and I have a big family, and most of the time when I'm having a good time is when I'm with my kids, even if we're just in the living room doing karaoke, dancing, singing, or having a game day. That's usually what fulfills me the most.