My blog
Desirée Glapion Rogers didn’t plan on being a trailblazer, and being one didn’t always come easily. But her courage led the way. In fact, fearless is one of the first words she uses to describe herself. As the first African American woman to run the Illinois State Lottery, the first African American woman to become…
Read More
Talita Ramos Erickson’s upbringing in Brazil served as the perfect backdrop for building a career in diversity and inclusion. Talita’s neighborhood, near the Argentina and Paraguay borders, was “extra diverse,” she says, exposing her to a wide variety of cultures and people. With a grandmother who was half Black and half Indigenous Brazilian, and a…
Read More
Those of you who read Become the Fire know how much I love to sing. It’s a fun form of self-expression, but the release it provides is also therapeutic. Especially when you’re in the car. I’ve had a lot of medical appointments and disappointing lab results lately, more so than usual. This means I’ve been…
Read More
In a world that is strewn with obstacles of every imaginable kind, is it possible to achieve your goals and aspirations? YES! Remember, pure gold comes out of fire. I recently sat down with Anita Brick, director of career advancement programs at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, for an episode of the…
Read More
Each Thanksgiving, I pause to reflect on how very grateful I am for the blessings all around us. With each passing year, I realize how important it is to express gratitude. The pandemic continues to affect us. This was year three of the pandemic altering our holiday plans. With one of my kids sick with…
Read More
When your friends at Google invite you to their super-cool offices, you know you’re going to have a good day. But the Google and Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) Internet for Growth Publisher Meetup was even better than I anticipated. I had an absolute blast and learned so much, and I want to share the experience with you.…
Read More
This year for my annual birthday post, I don’t have any fancy dresses to share with you. Another trip around the sun and, this year, that ball of fire in the sky has been extra fiery. This weekend, we have no hot water in our house. But we have running water, and I am grateful.…
Read More
Northwestern University’s Council of 100 is a mentoring organization composed of NU’s leading alumnae that I’ve been part of for many years. It was while serving as a mentor at a C100 meeting that the seed for my book, Become the Fire: Transform Life’s Chaos into Business and Personal Success, was planted. I was so…
Read More
If you’ve been following my journey of writing, publishing and now launching my new book, Become the Fire: Transform Life’s Chaos into Business and Personal Success, you know that I share the milestones in the hopes to inspire others. Whether you want to write a book, start a business, take the next step in your…
Read More
Perseverance and grit have served Winnie Park her entire life. At age 2 1/2, the new CEO of fashion retailer Forever 21 and former CEO of Paper Source emigrated from Korea to the United States with her parents, who had only $500 in their pockets. Growing up in rural Tennessee, Winnie was bullied because of her race, gender and…
Read More