I was recently a guest on a show called “Cocktails with Nickie,” on the GoodGirlPR Facebook platform. While Nickie Robinson and I are both PR pros, I was excited about her invitation to discuss travel and the Pink Girls Run The World movement on her social media platform [CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THE ORIGINS OF PGRW]. I was in the middle of my usual explanation on how empowered women take responsibility of their own lives and choose empowering relationships, when a male listener chimed in with “how can men empower women?” [CLICK HERE TO HEAR MY ANSWER DURING THE FULL INTERVIEW].
Some men hear women empowerment and instantly think, anti-men and that is so far from the reality for me. What better woman to have in your corner than a woman who lives up to her own actions? While I unapologetically embrace my feminine energy, I wouldn’t be who I am today without the men who had my back since childhood and continue to support me as a woman (my uncle, grandfather and male cousins).
My uncle cutting the cake at my Sweet 16 birthday party. Yup, that’s me in the black & white!
It takes a strong man to accept somebody else’s children and step up to the plate that another man left on the table. That’s exactly what my Uncle Charles did, when my biological father decided that he did not want to have an active role in my upbringing. The husband to my mother’s sister, I have so many fond family memories with Uncle Charles. The Miss Teen USA pageant, fishing, vacations, motorcycle rides, 2nd grade spelling bee, sledding, driving lessons, teaching me about commitment & ethics during those commutes to my high school job. So many moments that have had an impact on the woman that I am today.
My cousin on my uncle’s motorcycle
My uncle SHOWED me that a man with solid character will always do what he says he is going to do. Because of him, I always judge a man’s character by how often he follows through with his commitments. Through him my cousins and I learned the importance of harmonizing our words with our actions.
Now in his late 60’s, I was crushed to learn of my uncle’s kidney disease diagnosis. To the world he is 1 of the 35% of Black Americans that suffers from kidney failure (3xs higher than Caucasian Americans), but to me he is my beloved uncle. A life changing opportunity; a kidney transplant can increase his chances of living a longer, healthier life with his wife, children, grandchildren, nieces/nephews. CLICK ON THIS LINK TO FIND OUT MORE INFO ON HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.
“To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today.” - unknown
My uncle is influencing the next generation of strong women….his granddaughters. Pink Girls Run The World.