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Syncing Ambitions: Alignment with UN Women’s Day Message:
The alignment between the UN Women’s Day Message for 2024 and the vision, mission, and goals of Women Accelerators is unmistakable. Both underscore the pivotal role of investing in women to expedite progress towards gender equality and empowerment. By backing women’s organizations, championing women’s leadership, and nurturing inclusive spaces, we can spark transformative shifts and forge a fairer, more inclusive global community for everyone.

1. Educate Yourself: Dedicate time to deepening your understanding of the challenges confronting women and girls worldwide and committing to becoming a well-informed and empathetic supporter.
2. Amplify Voices: Utilize your platform and privilege to amplify women’s voices, particularly those belonging to marginalized communities, and advocate fiercely for their rights and recognition.
3. Support Women-Owned Businesses: Deliberately support women-owned businesses and initiatives, whether through mentorship, collaboration, or financial backing.
4. Advocate for Change: Engage with policymakers and stakeholders to push for policies and practices that champion gender equality, diversity, and inclusivity locally and on a broader scale.
5. Lead by Example: Serve as a beacon of inspiration in your personal and professional spheres, embodying the values of equality, respect, and empowerment in every interaction and endeavor you undertake.

To celebrate Women’s History Month, Women Accelerators is highlighting a few women who inspire us to reach our potential and follow our dreams. Imani from Tafari Wraps and Daniela from Selfie World share their advice and solutions to challenges that come with running your own business. A bonus, these two tenacious women are local from the Boston area.

TAFARI WRAPS

African-Inspired Head Wraps, Accessories & Décor | Tafari Wraps

Instagram: @tafariwraps

Imani from Tafari wraps knew she always wanted to run her own business from the early age of eighteen. She won a fashion competition in Boston, MA, and was awarded a trip to Bermuda with the opportunity to design a competition gown for Miss Bermuda to wear in the Ms. World and Universe Pageant. Now you may wonder, how does one find the inspiration to create something of their own that leads to entering competitions and designing clothing for models? Imani was homeless at the age of fourteen because of her personal journey in acceptance of her Rastafarian faith. She took an unfortunate situation and created something beautiful. She shares, “I had to learn how to make my own clothes because what I envision myself wearing wasn’t available and even if it was, I couldn’t afford them.”

Why did you start your company?

Imani shares that she started Tafari Wraps to erase the negative stigma placed upon black cultural attire and home décor. Her goal was to celebrate her African and Caribbean heritage through head wraps, wearable art, and art education. Tafari Wraps was created to inspire change and restore dignity by using African textile which depicts the landscape of Africa and bold colorful silks with the vibrancy of the Caribbean to uplift the spirit.

Imani and her daughter, Delmeshia, currently run Tafari Wraps.  Imani also tells her goal is, “To build a family legacy.”

What was your inspiration?

Experiencing racism in corporate America is what fueled Imani to start Tafari Wraps. She shares being chastised by co-workers and clients while working as an on-the-road decorator in a high-end decorating firm in Boston’s Back Bay.

Do you have any motivators?

Imani shares that one of her coworkers made a derogatory statement while she was on the job. This fueled her to move from the corporate world and start the House of Tafari Collection. She also shares with us some of her personal mentors and credits them to, Ms. Joyce Williams, Cynthia Kalian- Kaminsky and as well as a host of others. Her sister Lee and Dotsilee McFarlane, always advertise my work through word of mouth. My daughter Delmeshia Haynes is my partner, friend, mentor, and teacher.  Friends and business associates from the Caribbean and African American communities in Boston.  Organizations such as Nu Market, local and international media platforms, such as The Boston Globe, Bay State Banner, Exhale Magazine, Boston Magazine, and WGBH.

What is a piece of advice you can give to readers who are thinking about pursuing their own business?

Make sure you start a business with products or services that solve a problem or problems.

Selfie WRLD Boston

Instagram: @_daniela.ma

Daniela Martinez is an influencer/Youtuber who runs Selfie WRLD located in Boston, MA. She was always looking for a new place to take pictures and decided to put her creativity into power by creating Selfie WRLD. Daniela knew she always wanted to run her own business, but she was not sure what that would be. That being said, Selfie WRLD ended up being an added bonus, and she shares her dream business is “yet to come.”

Do you have any motivators?

She shares that she wouldn’t be where she is if it wasn’t for Ashley Wilkerson, the owner of the first-ever Selfie WRLD and the Selfie WRLD brand. Daniela credits her fellow co-workers and teammates, Emiel Barbosa and Jermoe Wilson who she shares “are the rocks that keep us running. They are very knowledgeable in the operations and finances of running a business and taught me everything I know.” Daniela also credits having a solid friend group helped her ideas become a reality.

How did you grow your team?

We hired close family and friends to begin with and then hired more employees to join the family. We established a sense of family and trust from early on. Whether we were related or not, we were all one big family trying to learn how to run this business together. There were a lot of obstacles in the beginning, but that was expected.

As a female business owner, what has been your greatest accomplishment?

The year 2021. She shares she was juggling a full-time job, budding a social media career and was also in the process of buying her first home as she was ALSO starting the development of Selfie WRLD Boston.

How did you preserve through tough times?

My family and friends were always telling me, “it’s only a matter of time before everything is perfect and you’re going to look back to this day and laugh.”

What’s next?

Daniela shares that she wants to focus on her Youtube account,  Daniela Eliza. “Youtube has become a huge part of me and I love making videos.”

What is a piece of advice you can give to readers who are thinking about pursuing their own business?

If you have an idea in mind, do it. Don’t think about it because you’re just going to talk yourself out of it. You just do it. Stay consistent, and it’ll eventually pay off. The road to success isn’t linear so you’re going to run into obstacles. You just must keep pushing.

Do you remember your first transaction?

Yes! We were open for reservations before we were officially open, and we received so many sales. It felt amazing seeing so many people booking tickets so soon.

The power of following your dreams and reaching your own potential has no bounds. It is all about making that first step out of your comfort zone.

model: Ashley Gelin, instagram: @ashmarieee_

Hello W.A comrades,

Like many Americans, I grew up in a foreign household where English was NOT my first language. Communication to others outside of my family and friends was a bit blurred. I knew I loved to talk because every time we had guests over I would go hangout with the adults and just talk all night long. Clearly, I wanted to be heard whether the content is interesting to my audience or not.

As I started learning English in Preschool, Kindergarten, and so on I now became a dangerous talker… now I know how to speak in 2 languages.  May God help everyone in my path at that point. Eventually as I got older and “wiser,” I started to learn/realize that talking does not mean communicating. You may talk for hours and hours on end, but if your intended audience does not understand what you’re saying or are engaged, you have lost them. Which can lead to lack of communication. Since communication seems to be a key component of human interaction, I decided to take note and see how I can improve my communication skills to avoid such calamity.

Here are some tips I discovered that helped me communicate and I hope it can help you to:

• Active listening: Talk less listen more. Truly try to hear what the other person is trying to say. Try your best to not be distracted with your thoughts of what you are going to say next. I know I was always guilty of thinking of what I am going to say next that I missed half of what the other person was trying to tell me.
• Reiterate: Sometimes it helps to reiterate what you think you heard them say to avoid any confusion or misunderstanding. 9 times out 10 they would correct you if you misheard or misunderstood.

• Be proactive and considerate: Having the conversation is one thing but following up and following through are also very important. If you have a conversation that ends with some sort of delivery or expectation to someone it’s important to stay proactive to deliver and to stay in communication about it. For example, if it’s taking a bit longer than expected to deliver, it’s good to communicate that things are getting delayed, you have not forgotten, and you will try your best to follow-through as soon as possible. A timeline usually helps, but if it’s not feasible and open ended it’s good to touch base. I am not saying communicate every hour or everyday with constant updates (even though I have done that before..oops), but every couple of days does not hurt. Trust me people appreciate you circling back, knowing you haven’t forgotten them, and you value them. 

• Avoid bulldozing: When someone is speaking try your best to avoid cutting them off and start talking about what you wanted to say. It’s rude to your audience and you might end up annoying the other person, which can lead into an unnecessary argument. Sometimes you end up missing an important part of what they are trying to say, because you interrupted).

• Be empathetic: If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it at all. As fun as it is to throw that saying around, it holds some truth. When you try to wrap your head around what the person is saying and see it from their point of view you are practicing empathy. As the saying goes, “you attract more flies with honey than with vinegar”. Honey being the sweet and empathetic vs. the vinegar being sour and mean. Choose your words wisely.

Sincerely,

Nora Hamdeh

Scrum Master, Fidelity Charitable

International Women’s day is March 8th, 2021, on this day we remember what our ancestors and women that have come before us have done for us; to be who we are today. This year we have decided to choose to challenge, not just individuals’ political views, or our stance on health care or equal pay but ourselves.

 “A challenged word is an alert word. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day. We can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality. We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.” 

So with this in mind, I challenge you to take the pledge to choose to challenge something, anything. 

Today I choose to challenge gender bias in the fitness industry, in health care. Women can be just as strong, just as powerful, and just as hardworking as their counterparts. 

But how does one do this? Take a stand in what you believe in, follow individuals that have the same ideas and beliefs as you do. Sign petitions, stand up in public meetings, and make your voice heard. Because if you don’t stand up then who will. 

If you’re still not sure where to start, use the link and educate yourself. Knowledge is power, and that is how things change. 

Resources on how to get started 

Happy International Women’s Day, now go change the world! 

#ChoosetoChallenge 

It is safe to say that 2020 was not what any of us expected. Many of us have overcome great things this year, but before 2020 leaves us, it is time to plan our success and what we will achieve in 2021!

The best way to get where you are going is to actively plan the way…. Failure to set goals may result in not achieving things that are most important to you. Goal setting can include personal and professional goals to help provide you with focus and direction. Creating goals you are passionate about and working towards goal achievement provides you with things to look forward to each day when you wake up and start working.

As you start thinking about your goals, it is necessary to take a step back and figure out why something is important to you, why might this goal motivate you?  If you can’t articulate why a goal is important, then you are not likely to achieve your goals.  It is important that you know what you want and if the work needed to achieve the goal is worth your commitment.

“By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be.  Put your future in good hands – your own.” 

Mark Victor Hansen

When setting goals, work to make short and long term goals that are reasonable, measurable, and time specific.  Make sure to write these goals down and keep them visible be it in your planner or computer screen to allow you to reflect and track your progress through the year.  You may want to allow for 15-20 minutes each week on Sunday evening to evaluate your success and any adaptations that are needed.  Reflecting on the past week can display your achievements and work done to help you visualize success is achievable.

After setting your goals make sure that you put your well thought plan into action.  Setting goals is the easy part, action becomes the hardest part.  Trust in yourself and put in the work necessary to achieve goal success.

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off the goal.” 

Henry Ford

Time is your most important asset, be cautious what you say yes to and make sure that your time aligns with your goals!  Stay focused on what matters and persist on until you achieve your goals.

Make 2021 a great year!

I grew up white and privileged without realizing it until June 2020. I lived in a small town and went to a big high school. I went to football games and played sports. If you could look up a typical middle-class white female family of four, mine would probably pop up.

I had two black individuals in my school. Just two, in a sea of 400 students per grade you could see how I grew up thinking that race and color didn’t matter in my eyes, everyone was equal.

I went to a public college in Rhode Island. I had a small awakening to the amount of race and colors I saw. Again, it didn’t bother me if you were Black, White, Hispanic, Latino, etc. As long as you were kind, I had no problem with you.

The first sign of racism I ever saw was when I was with one of my housemates. A black female, we went shopping and were being followed in the store. I couldn’t figure out why, so I asked the sales rep. I told her we didn’t need any help and she just gave this look. Like I was lying to her or something; so we left the store. Again, it had never occurred to me that this was an individual being racist against my best friend and me.

Of course, there have been incidents in the world since that but it never got my attention, I never took the time to learn until George Floyd. If you missed it, or were under a rock somewhere hiding out from being exposed to COVID. Then here’s a brief overview of what happened.

George Floyd a man who was killed by a police officer for no reason. He was strangled by the officer’s knee until he physically could not breathe anymore. This ignited a tumulus movement, Black Lives Matter that spread across the country. A civil rights movement that has been needed for quite some time. It brought out all the wrong full deaths that have occurred to black individuals for generations. The worst of it that no one was paying attention to these deaths until George Floyd went viral.

Since then everyone, well everyone should be taking the time to learn and educate themselves about black history, race and how people of color have been treated. I want to say that we haven’t been aware but the awakening of it all is that we have been sitting by and watching everything happen. When a black man is atomically assumed that he will rob or fight you. When a position is passed on from a black to a white individual is it because they are more qualified or is it because of the color of their skin? Do you automatically think basketball player when you see a black man? You think angry b***h when you see a black female complaining? This my friend is bias and racist.

I have read five books since June especially teaching me about black culture and history and what the heck it was like growing up as a black individual (listed below). Here is what I have learned.

• If you see a black individual on the streets greet them like any other human being.
• If a black female was passed up for a position in your workplace and a white female or male got it, bring it to HR’s attention and ask why this happened.
• Stop thinking just because someone in the news is black means they deserved what happened to them.
• Stop and remember what Martin Luther King Jr. stood for instead of using the holiday as a day off of work.
• Sign petitions, donate to Mutual Aid Funds
• Buy from Black-Owned Business, look up black-owned stores.
• Stop thinking color doesn’t exist.
• Go vote

Now, I know this isn’t everything I learned but if you want to learn more then pick up a book, listen to a podcast. This isn’t going to go away, it’s time to start the change today and we need to do this together.

 Books:

• So you want to talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo
• White Fragility by Robin Diangelo
• Me and white supremacy by Layla F. Saad
• Eloquent Rage by Brittany Cooper
• Stamped from the Beginning  by Ibram X. Kendi

Life is not something we could be taught about. We can be warned, lectured and told about the experiences of our elders that have already gone through. With every day that passes and every new milestone I hit. I find that I carry those lessons and experiences with me to the next big opportunity that presents itself in my life. These are the lessons that change us, lessons that shape us. Lessons that we learn by actually being engaged and living. These are the things that cause us to change, not the people we surround ourselves with.

1.   Life presents itself as it should, Not according to my schedule 

Wishing for things would happen the way you want typically doesn’t go the way it is planned. No one expected there to be travel bans and businesses to be shut down, but it happened. All those plans that were put into place months ago have now been postponed or canceled. It can be upsetting and frustrating in that moment but think about in the long run. This one moment may be super frustrating right then and there but think about how this can help you adapt to other situations that don’t go your way. 

2.   Less is More

I don’t know about you but when I see something, I usually go full force and invest all my time into it. By doing this something those other things that are in my life get the short string. I point out that balancing those priorities should be at the top of your list whenever you pick up a new interest. 

3.   People deserve a second chance

That moment you forgive somebody, chances are that you will also give them a second chance, that chance to be close to you, without trying to remind them of what they did. By doing this you are allowing them to grow and become better and better every day.

4.   The world won’t change if you don’t change 

You hear people all the time complaining about how crazy the world is now and how they want it to change, but if you tell them to make the first step. They will back away and make excuses on why they can’t. If we want the world to change, we have to start with ourselves. 

5.   Your education is never complete 

Determine to live fully and continually learn. Prepare for what life has to teach by being open to the lesson in everything you do and experience 

6.   Never settle for average

Whether you are applying for a new job, a significant other, working on yourself. Never just settle for the easy way out; you will never find your everyday joy if you just go through the motions everyday. So if you’re sitting in an interview and they say they will hire you for ‘X’ amount but you know you are worth ‘Y’ amount then why not ask and show initiative and prove that you are worth that experience and degree you have worked so hard for. 

Think about it now. What challenges or achievements have you brought along with you to your next milestone? What have you learned, make a list of the things you want to change next time and what you want to keep. I guarantee you that it will make a difference in the next time reach that milestone.

When I was told that I had to come home for quarantine I was thrilled. I was going to use it to my advantage to broaden my horizons and learn new things I’ve been putting off. I wanted to add to my business by learning how to code and increase my skills for school, I wanted to read books that have been sitting on my shelf for months.  

If you’re in the same boat and want to take advantage of this time of being home here’s your kick in the butt to keep motivated and maybe even make a positive mark on a negative situation. 

So why not increase your appeal to a potential job: Get a new certification in your field. A lot of certification can be gained online quickly and can be inexpensive as well. Use this time to become familiar with the companies that your interested in; social media presence. If they don’t have one learn about graphic design apps that are user friendly so you can help build their presence. You can use this opportunity to completely redo your resume. Make it bold and stand out, the top 1/3 of the documents should grab your attention. Use key words that have been used in the job description you are applying for.  If you don’t feel comfortable working on it on your own you can hire someone to look over your resume for you. You can use zoom or team meeting for a face to face meeting. 

Take on a new language: Since most of us are connected to your phones just about 24/7 what better way to use them, than by downloading an app to teach you something new. Such as Babbel or Duolingo, both apps are user friendly and slowly introduce you to learning a new language. 

Get creative: Have you also enjoyed art and graphic design but never had time to really learn the ins and outs of it? There are hundreds of tutorials on YouTube for free that can teach you how to use Photoshop and lightroom and edit your designs, even just take a free art class.  If you have a camera, take the time and go outside. Social distancing doesn’t mean you have to stay inside all day.  Were you a painter at one point in your life and put it away because life got a little crazy? Well now is the perfect time to idle those hands again. 

Take control of your health: Have you been struggling to stay on track with your goals, do you want to avoid losing all your progress you’ve made in your health in the past few months? Join an online fitness community following a live workout that personal trainers and gyms are hosting on social media. Test out new recipes with items just in your home, replace out habits with new ones. Start by drinking more water each day, small changes like this can make a big difference down the road. 

           So now that I’ve shown you the limitless opportunities you have why not take advantage of them. Start showing up for yourself and prove that quarantine isn’t just a period of isolation. 

I lost my job due to Covid-19. It was a fantastic job that I was lucky to have. The job was in my chosen field, I was well qualified for it, I had a lot of responsibility, trust, overcame many challenges, and I loved my boss. At the time of writing this we are faced with the uncertainty of whether the company will be able to reopen once this wave has passed. Despite how much I loved my job, I must admit this job was never my end goal.

I double majored in English and Studio Art in college. Two years in I discovered that my passion was painting. I had been painting since I could walk; my first mural came at age four on the second floor wall of our brand new family home, made using finger paints, spanning the length of the hallway and as far high as I could touch. I was quite proud of my masterpiece. My mother was less pleased. It took until my Senior year of college to hear someone tell me that they believed I could pursue painting as a career. Those words of encouragement came from my painting professor who I held in the highest regard. The most startling part of what he told me was not that he believed I could become great; it was that he expected me to become great. Unfortunately, there is no linear way to be an artist. In most fields people are said to have “paved the way” for others. I often feel that I am bushwhacking my own path.

There is one proven way of becoming a successful artist. Making. As often as possible. There are these programs called artist-in-residence. These programs are designed to take an artist of any medium and provide them a prescribed amount of time away from distractions and their normal life in order to produce their work. Usually these occur out in the forest, on deserted islands, or in foreign cities. Anywhere that will give the artist inspiration and freedom. They are usually expensive and often competitive but every artist I know who has participated in one has raved about their experience, created killer work, and immediately searched for another opportunity.

Given my sudden abundance of free time and nowhere to go this seemed like the perfect moment to create my own artist-in-residence or what I like to call my “artist-in-quarantine”. As things began to shut down, I ordered an abundance of art supplies and got to work. I spend most days now locked in my apartment creating. I usually have a podcast or audiobook playing and I create however I feel like on that day. This was important to me as I did not want to box myself into a specific goal or obtuse expectations. I wanted to see what would come of me making art for my own sake. My work has spanned drastically so far from huge paintings to small paintings, drawings, and even making a coloring book for my niece and yes, okay, I painted a bedroom like everyone else. My apartment is covered in art supplies. There is a painting in progress on almost every flat surface. I have a rolling cart with my tools, and I follow the light and any spark of inspiration around my space like a sundial. I take my dog for walks and I make indulgent desserts. My techniques are developing, and I try to remember to breathe.

This is a stressful and frankly terrifying time for us all. I’m not trying to be heroic or make light of what is going on. I also know that I am not the only artist to be doing this. I am incredibly lucky to have a stable place to live and a loving family who are making sure I don’t starve and occasionally take a painting away from me before I destroy it. I am doing what I need to do to feel sane during a time that is not sane at all. I don’t know the right way and I am not naive enough to think how I am proceeding is the right way for everyone, but it is the right way for me.

You can request custom paintings by Christina Mignosa via emailing [email protected] or by checking out her Instagram @christinamignosaart

Painting: “Self-portrait: quarantine” (16×20)

Painting: “Gooseberry Beach” (16×20)

As an organization, Women Accelerators aims to help advance women and promote gender equity though creating a centralized network and community where women can access resources to help achieve their career goals.

Women Accelerators welcomed Dr. Alexis Stokes in February to meet their community to discuss issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion.  Dr. Stokes serves as the Director of Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging at the Harvard School of Engineering where she creates systematic changes to support the success of unrepresented minorities, nontraditional students, and education programs.

Below is a summary of Dr. Stokes presentation with information and tips that can be discussed and utilized in your workplace.

Why are diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations essential?

The world demographics are changing which impacts all environments.  This creates a need to change and innovate the way that organizations have always done things.  Organizations can empower their communities to get involved and create an environment where the culture values diversity, equity, and inclusion.  Inclusive practices benefit everyone within an organization, not just diverse employees.

How can organizations help create diverse, inclusive, and equitable spaces?

It is much more than just hiring an individual for a diversity position.  It is about influencing the organizational culture to move beyond simply working in an inclusive environment to contributing to an inclusive environment.  Understanding the culture (beliefs, customs, acts) of a group helps develop a strategy to invite and encourages individuals into a conversation and create connections to what is valued.  The process should allow individuals in a group to use their privilege and powers to help others.  Organizations need to prioritize this as important work that they do as individuals as well as teams.

It is essential that organizations are clear and transparent with employees as to where they currently stand in the journey to become diverse, inclusive, and equitable environments.  Sharing a process and timeline can be helpful to allow individuals to visualize how getting involved can impact this work.  Being open and honest around data and decisions can allow people to feel more included in work that is going on and to start conversations and help make connections.

For an organization to work on diversity, inclusion, and equity, what resources are necessary?

Organizational culture is a shared responsibility where everyone needs to contribute.  Creating diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment requires ongoing commitment and resources to make the initiative successful.  Necessary resources include: budget, staffing, a communication plan to internal and external groups, connection to those who hold influential positions in the organization, visibility within the organization, access to data and resources, and training that enhances knowledge and action.

What steps should an organization take to create action around diversity, equity, and inclusion?

An organization needs to include these values as part of their mission. All departments and groups should be held responsible for reporting on their progress and success. Creating accountability as individuals, teams, and organizations helps to develop a culture where expectations, commitment, and reporting become the norm.  Additionally, organizations need to share data with people as this knowledge helps to influence actions.

What are some suggestions around how reporting can be done to understand the impact on efforts around diversity, equity, and inclusion?

There are several ways that impact can be evaluated.  They include:

• Develop initiative into an organizations strategic plan and create a congruent diversity, equity, and inclusion strategic plan that supplements the larger plan.
• Develop/implement a community standard or code of conduct.
• Goal setting on measurable activities or tasks.
• Include in employee evaluations a way for each induvial to share what they have done to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Track progress on initiatives implemented and shared findings with the organization.

What can individuals do to support the creation or further development of diversity, equity, and inclusion through their work?

Individuals have the power to influence and create change in many ways:

• Provide micro affirmations of positive things you see and experience. These can be very effective and help others create a culture that respects diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Give credit to others when appropriate and try to use “we” more than “I” to create a group culture.
• Ask others for opinions and feedback, especially if you notice that they have not had an opportunity to speak.
• Use the preferred pronouns for individuals and work to use inclusive language and images.
• Make eye contact with those you are working and speaking with to create a connection.

Lowell, MA – The Greater Lowell Community Foundation announces the recent fiscal sponsorship of Women Accelerators, an organization passionate about promoting the advancement of women and bridging the gender gap. Women Accelerators is based in Massachusetts with chapters in Lowell and Cambridge.

The mission of Women Accelerators is to provide a centralized network where career-focused women can access resources tailored to their career goals. By offering educational programs, networking and mentoring, they help women navigate opportunities that nurture female leaders efficiently. Their vision is to generate a community of like-minded, high-achieving women, who help each other succeed in the workplace.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Greater Lowell Community Foundation as the fiscal sponsor for Women Accelerators. The GLCF has a wealth of experience and the necessary resources to assist us in our mission of helping women with their career advancement. By pairing with GLCF, we gain valuable insights into fundraising and learn the tools for being more efficient in managing a nonprofit. Teaming with GLCF will help us to build a stronger community,” said Susu Wong, co-founder of Women Accelerators.

“We see the foundation’s support of Women Accelerators as an important opportunity to optimize the excellence of this organization that serves women in all stages of their careers,” said Jay Linnehan, GLCF President and CEO. “We are proud to partner on their vision of equity in the workplace.”

For more information and a full event listing, visit: womenaccelerators.org.

Donations to any fund at the Greater Lowell Community Foundation, including the Women Accelerators, can be made online at www.glcfoundation.org/donate or by mail to the Women Accelerators c/o GLCF, 100 Merrimack Street, Suite 202, Lowell, MA 01852.

For more information on the Greater Lowell Community Foundation please visit www.glcfoundation.org.

About Greater Lowell Community Foundation

The Greater Lowell Community Foundation is a philanthropic organization comprised of over 350 funds, currently totaling over $39MM, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life in

20 neighboring cities and towns. The Community Foundation annually awards grants and scholarships to hundreds of worthy nonprofits and students. It is powered by the winning combination of donor-directed giving, personal attention from its staff, and an in-depth understanding of local needs. The generosity of our donors has enabled the Community Foundation to award more than $15 million to the Greater Lowell Community since 1999.

Written by Huan Rui, Ph.D., a computational chemist at Amgen. Huan is currently the president at Women Accelerators. She served as the program chair during the 2019 mentoring program. 

No one can deny the benefits of having mentors who lift us up and help us in our careers. There can be times when it feels uncertain who could guide us through difficult situations.

But remember, mentorship does not have to be formal and you can have more than one mentor. One of the informal mentorship models I like is peer mentoring. It happens more often than you think. Think of a time you asked a friend or a coworker about something that you did not know well but they did. Usually, you get the answer you need. You come to them because you think that they are the experts in the topic and this is often well perceived and appreciated. Another way to get mentoring opportunities is to talk to your manager or advisor directly and express to them your needs. Many companies and academic institutes already have a mentoring program in place, but in case yours do not, it is absolutely OK you ask. 

If you are too shy to ask for help from people you know, there are also many mentoring opportunities online or in-person offered by different organizations that can fit your needs. At Women Accelerators, we have been running a mentoring program for seven years. We have an extensive network of mentors and our graduates are in a variety of fields like academia, biotech, law, and management. The program starts in January and ends in June of each year, but the applications start in October the year before. (That is if you want to be part of the 2020 program, the application is coming up.) As a mentee of the program, during each month you meet with your mentor for an hour to discuss the issues you need help with. Some popular topics include effective job search, salary negotiation, self-branding, and so on. Many of our previous year participants have expressed their appreciation of the program:

“My mentoring experience has been great so far! I feel so lucky for being matched with my mentor. She has introduced countless helpful resources in career building and was so supportive when I told her (halfway through the program) that I have decided to make a career change. I think we have made a relationship that will continue on far after the mentoring program has ended.”  – Candace Anderson, 2019 program mentee

A lot of efforts have been put in by our passionate volunteers to improve the program each year. For example, in the past year, we implemented a matching algorithm based on the common interests of the mentors and mentees. It follows the work done by the 2012 Nobel Laureates in Economics, Dr. Alvin Roth on market design and game theory (Roth and Peranson, 1999). It works by matching the parties by their preferential rankings of each other, therefore maximizing the overall commonality between the mentors and mentees. We have also started a Slack channel for the mentees to communicate with each other and share what they have learned. We will keep on testing new ideas and make the mentoring program experience better. 

Roth, Alvin, E., and Elliott Peranson. 1999. “The Redesign of the Matching Market for American Physicians: Some Engineering Aspects of Economic Design.” American Economic Review, 89 (4): 748-780

Check out a Mentee’s Perspective of the 2018 Mentoring Wrap up

Written by Huan Rui, Ph.D., a computational chemist at Amgen. Huan is currently the president at Women Accelerators. She served as the program chair during the 2019 mentoring program.

After more than twenty years in school, I finally landed a job that I like and pays well. I moved to Boston with loads of ambition and an open mind. When Susu Wong, the cofounder of Women Accelerators approached me at a networking event and told me about her non-profit that helps women succeed in their careers, I instantly took a liking of her and her organization. I decided to volunteer. Once I found out that Women Accelerators has an annual mentoring program, with my academic background and my enthusiasm in helping others, I became the program chair for 2019. 

Coming from an engineering background, I understand how hard it is to not have a mentor to guide you through difficult times. I studied bioinformatics in college. It is one of those majors that have a severe skewed male to female ratio. On top of that, the school I went to was an engineering school and that did not help restore the ratio balance. Almost all my teachers and peers were men. It was very difficult to relate to them. But still, I finished my degree with a reasonably good GPA and moved to the US in pursuit of a Ph.D. in computational biology. Again, I had the same problem finding a role model. This is also the time I realized that I am not only woman, I am a queer woman. At the time, marriage equality was only in a few states and many members of the LGBTQ community in academia were not publicly. I could not find a single faculty member in my department or any related departments that is both woman and gay. I was lucky that I found a community of folks who support LGBTQ rights in the small college town. We became friends; we supported each other. We organized “Food Not Bomb” events feeding the homeless and the poor. We went to underground art shows and concerts. We participated in marches demanding women’s rights. It was through these events that I learned how to organize and lead. These people are my friends and also my mentors. We helped each other grow.

Photo by Kaique Rocha from Pexels

Often times we may find ourselves in situations where we are the only ones and there is no place we can turn for answers. When this happens, do not be afraid. Instead, we should give ourselves a pat on the back, because this means that we are on a road that no one else has traveled before and we are truly the pioneers. There is a Chinese saying, “to be the first one eating the crabs”. Imagine if you have not seen a crab before, would you be willing to eat it? Only after you taste it that you discover its deliciousness. The moral of the story is that being brave and having an open mind can lead to pleasant discoveries. Be brave when you are on your own. 

Continue to read Huan’s next blog on Women Accelerator’s Mentoring Program. 

Written by Susu Wong based on Etta Jacob’s How to Improve Your Management Skills Webinar.

Etta Jacobs, Founder of Hermes Path and an Executive and Career Transition Coach has a  passion for helping people reach their highest potential.  We were honored to have Etta as a speaker for two webinars in January where she shared  “How to Improve Your Management Skills.”

The webinars were highly interactive and the attendees were encouraged to chat about their challenges and experiences as managers. Many attendees said that one of the hardest adjustments was delegation because they were used to being individual contributors. Why do new managers have a hard time delegating? An underlying reason is managers think they can do it faster and better than their team members. Training people takes time and can take as much as eight months but the time is worth the reward.

Why Delegate?

New managers are no longer being judged on their own merit, but rather by the performance of their entire team. They also have other responsibilities and assignments from their supervisors creating a wedge in the ranking file. When a new strategy rolls out, such as a new product, programs, or service offering from their supervisors, the middle managers have to make sure it gets implemented on time, on budget, and on top of everything else on their plate. Delegating tasks and setting expectations for their team will make it easier for managers to get their jobs done because they can no longer do everything.  Let your team figure things out on their own and guide them along the way. Be clear about communicating your expectations and the outcomes you are looking for— this will help them know if they are heading in the right direction.

One of the observations Etta made was that no matter how you think of yourself, your title will precede you into the room. Your team is constantly watching everything you do and sizing you up. You should assume competence, and fake it until you make it!

Can friends be your employees?

This is especially challenging if you become your friend’s boss after a period of acting as peers. Your new status can make it difficult for you to remain friends so you have to consider your day to day roles and may have to change your behavior and interaction. Set boundaries between you and your friends to help avoid conflict of interest issues and even perceptions of favoritism. Needless to say, you don’t want to give your friends—who are now your employees—the impression of any special treatment.  While at work, always keep it professional.

Team dynamics

Here are some tips from Etta:

1. Do not reprimand your team in front of your boss, it will make them look bad and lose the respect of your authority.
2. Watch your body language. Don’t make eye rolls when you’re unhappy with someone!
3. What if I make mistakes as this is common for new managers? The important part is what can I learn from this? Don’t bury your mistakes and don’t blame someone else for your mistakes. You need to own it and come up with a plan to improve the situation.
4. Encouraging questions will help you to understand what the underlying issues are so you can come up with a solution or work-around.
5. It is important to set aside time to manage your budget and hiring. Sometimes it is tempting to hire someone quickly when you are short on staff and your team is working extra hours.
6. Remember to hire the right people that compliment your strengths and weaknesses.  Making thoughtful decisions in terms of hiring talent will go a long way.
7. Stress, what stress? Etta said that a lot of stress is self-induced and it is helpful to shift your mindset. Your Inner Critic is really watching out for your best interest not trying to undermine you. Learn how to interpret the signals from your Inner Critic.
8. Say to yourself, I got this and quiet the noise. Visualize positive outcomes, and ask yourself – what is stressing me the most? Please stop trying to be perfect!
9. You can’t fix your boss but you can change some of your approaches to him/her and take a different view.  Try to think of the boss as a teacher or a mentor. Keep listening and be open-minded to suggestions.
10. Your boss hates surprises and hates being blindsided.

Here are some strategies to de-stress:

1. Find what works for you such as a to-do list, exercise to de-stress, etc.
2. Ask for help –  self-care is the “secret sauce” to be very effective at work.
3. Find a safe space – a circle of peers who you feel comfortable talking to.
4. Embrace risk and try something new.
5. Don’t beat yourself up over trying to be perfect.
6. Learn to see your mistakes as opportunities to be better.

Etta recommends reading Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck to get more in tune with your mind.

For more middle manager tips from Etta, visit her website at: https://www.powerinthemiddle.com/

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