Recognizing that there are infinitely more than 10 brilliant Black Women in 2021 to celebrate, acknowledge and learn from, we at Take The Lead looked at the latest contributions from only some of the multitudes of Black women leaders who are making a difference—in politics, economics, literature, business, science, academia, sports and retail.
Read MoreWe await near-universal availability of vaccines and see the daily morbidity and mortality toll of COVID, while the economy takes a dive and frontline workers are nearing their breaking point. An initial solution to slowing the spread of the disease—working from home and schooling at home—is taking its tangled toll on families, creating a whole new set of problems, particularly for women.
Read MoreWomen were hit the hardest in the pandemic economically and women can reshape the recovery “to build back better,” says Cherita Ellens, president and CEO of Women Employed.
Ellen was one of six women leaders who set out to offer as many solutions as possible in one lunch hour zoom panel sponsored by the Chicago Foundation for Women in the recent, “Rising Above The Shecession: Concrete Steps To Ensure Women Emerge Stronger.”
Read MoreIssue 159 — February 1, 2021
Oprah’s O Magazine is a rich resource if you are looking for information about Black History Month. And no doubt your inbox is filling up with proclamations and programs in celebration of the month that highlights the past accomplishments of Black men and women.
Read MoreLesley Eccles does not gamble and is not particularly fond of sports.
ThIs may not seem remarkable for the CEO and Founder of Hello Relish, a relationship coaching company with a self-care and relationship app. But considering that Eccles and her husband, Nigel, were the co-founders of Fan Duel, the billion-dollar fantasy sports betting startup, it says a lot about her ability to separate work innovation from her personal life.
Read MoreIssue 158 — January 25, 2021
Each week I write about what the week just past has taught us. I reflect on what happened and search for the larger meaning in its disparate events. I look through the lens of whether it’s been good for women or bad for women. I search for trends. And I look for moments of power shifts related to gender and race.
Well let me just say last week took the prize on all those fronts.
It was one to the most meaningful weeks of recent American history.
Read More“Women have to be front and center in all of our discussions,” Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot declares in a virtual panel discussion hours before the inauguration of Joe Biden as President of the United States, where a cascade of firsts for women and BIPOC were literally center stage.
Read MoreIssue 157 — January 17, 2021
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience and comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” — Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
That’s my favorite quote from Dr. King. And I feel sure that if he were writing those words today, he would include “woman.” Because as he himself often noted, justice must always expand to be inclusive of all.
Read MoreIssue 156 — January 10, 2021
Were you eager to leave 2020 behind?
Surprise. The first week in this brave new year has tried our souls even more than the year we thought we left behind. Whoever said the past is never really past knew what she was talking about.
Read MoreThroughout history, very few women have avoided the rudeness label for speaking up and speaking her mind on important issues.
Read MoreThe good news is 2020 is over. Even better news is that for 2021, it is possible to jump in and design the year you intend to have with purpose, deliberation and intention.
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