Michelle Langster

I attribute my success to being confident and authentic, which I feel is the way to go in life. I'm wanting to change my life for me and my family, and that's really the bottom line. I was raised on Southwest 48th Street, Southside. My mom was on welfare and a single mother, and she came from nothing. We were eating green beans from a can, and that was all she had. I just want to break the chain. I want to break the chains and the curses that most generations continue to follow, and I don't want that anymore. I want my kids to look up to me and say, look, my mom was a strong leader, she helped others. And that's really what's in my heart.

The best career advice I ever received was from a co-worker at Tinker Air Force Base who told me to keep effin' going, like don't stop. She said I have a lot of potential and don't let anyone hinder me from that. It stuck with me because it's defeating being in the military, working with the military, and being a woman, a Black woman, and young. So for me, I just kept telling myself I can do this, keep going. And when I did that and kept instilling that in my head that I got this, I've had laterals, I've been promoted, and I've went up through the process ever since then. Nothing has been in decline, it's only been inclined ever since then. I think that's the best advice I've possibly gotten from someone that doesn't really know me, but just seeing my work ethic, she knew there was something in me.

I would say that it means a lot when we're able to support and encourage one another. As women, we go through so much and we carry so many different hats. I think that it's important for us to encourage and give guidance where it's needed. Also, being a listening ear to one another, empowering others to walk confidently in their purpose and goals, is something that I feel like each and every woman should be influenced by.

Right now, the biggest challenges I'm facing include a major issue with our bank that ended up wiring $33,000 to China instead of to us, which has been the hardest thing financially. We're having to take care of our home and fill our needs and dreams while waiting for that money to come back into our personal account. Being a mother with two under two has been the real deal. I have my daughter who just turned five today and an 18-month-old, and motherhood with two under two has been the most challenging for me. They keep their eye on me like a hawk, they watch my every move, I gotta smile even when I don't want to. My personality changes constantly because I'm dealing with my 10-year-old son who wants to be 18, and then I gotta be with my toddlers and give them that type of attention and care and nurture. I have many hats to fill. When it comes to the business side, I think I'm figuring it out, I got that down.

The values most important to me are resilience, pushing through challenges gracefully. My 10-year-old son told me that I persevere through everything, and I explained to him that perseverance is about enduring in the process and walking confidently in my truth. I do that with any and everything I go through in life, paying attention to detail. My faith has always been important. My mom was a believer, I'm a believer, trusting God and His purpose through every season has helped me grow into the person that I am now. I've learned integrity and staying true to who I am and what I believe. Being an advocate for myself, knowing that if no one else will fight for you, you gotta fight for yourself. I do that with grace and strength. Family is one of the biggest, most important things to me. If I can be true to myself and care for myself, I know I can care for anyone. Right now, my husband and I are caring for his mother and father who moved in with us in 2022. They've been a blessing to us just as much as we have been to them, with three different generations in the home.