Daily Archives: September 26, 2021

by Janet OShea |September22,2021

The climate breakdown, which so many of us assumed lay far in the future, is upon us now.

Extreme weather conditions abounddrought, wildfires, super storms, floods. A recent and terrifying report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change suggests that more of the same is inevitable, and that the window to avoid the most horrific outcomes is rapidly closing. Only by reducing emissions by 45 percent by 2030 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 can we limit the temperature rise to 1.5 Celsius, the panel concluded. Even that best case scenario involves devastationsuch as an Arctic region that sees a month every year without sea iceand damage that is irreversible. Still, world leaders ignore pleas for action.

In this situation it makes sense to be scaredand to take a cue from empowerment self-defense (ESD), a feminist self-defense practice that pays close attention to the relationships among fear, anger, and action. By harnessing the power of fear, ESD shows a path forward for climate activism, too.

Its worth thinking about the benefits of fear. In the home, in public spaces, and on a global scale, fear is an emotional and cognitive response that expresses itself through physical states: hair standing on end, a tightness in the chest, an accelerated heart rate, a queasy feeling. These signals appear as the brain picks up on sensory cues that the conscious mind might miss. Together, they form what we call our intuition, and they fuel self-protection and survival. Fear helps us figure out which threats to respond to and how quickly, and what obstacles are mere annoyances that we can safely ignore.

And yet, modern society teaches us to second guess our fears, to allow our minds to slip into denial in the face of potential danger. So its no wonder that some politicians, journalists, and scientists urge restraint in how we talk about the climate crisis. Scientific reticence has, until recently, encouraged climate researchers to speak in the bland language of parts per million, and of change rather than breakdown, allowing scientific skepticism to blur into climate denial. Journalists have adopted neutral-sounding terms for ecological catastrophe such as global warming rather than global heating, and climate change rather than climate crisis. Even some climate activists suggest that fear can only motivate people in destructive ways.

In fact, a healthy dose of fear might motivate us to work harderand empowerment self-defense shows how and why. For instance, ESD teaches us to confront denial, a common response to interpersonal violence (and to environmental breakdown). When a person encounters a strangers violencea grab, a slap, a shove to the groundthe defender often spends precious response time thinking this cant be happening. Many of us, especially those of us raised as girls, are taught that our safety is someone elses responsibility and that a bystander or an expert will intervene and save us.

Fear helps us figure out which threats to respond to and how quickly, and what obstacles are mere annoyances that we can safely ignore.

Empowerment self-defense confronts this kind of withdrawal directly, replacing the denialist statement this isnt happening with a question: Whats going on? ESD students practice actively enlisting the support of bystanders, through specific instructions or requests. These strategies replace a dependence on others with the ability to actively engage them, acknowledging fear and confronting it head-on.

An insidious form of climate denial contends that someone elsepoliticians, scientists, or entrepreneurswill solve the problem for us, or that individual, incremental change aloneenergy-efficient lightbulbs, carpooling, recyclingwill avert disaster. By using ESD methods, we can train ourselves to respond more actively to the environmental crisis, replacing I cant believe this is happening with This is happening, and its occurring more quickly than expected. What can we do about it? And how can I mobilize others to tackle this problem?

ESD provides a roadmap for that mobilization. When women, the feminine-identified, and non-binary people train in self-defense, they fight social norms that tell them to be polite and accommodating at all costs, and to doubt their physical strength and cognitive skill. ESD normalizes the resistance of women and other marginalized groups to violence and makes the unimaginablea society that celebrates their autonomyachievable. Because it brings together threat appraisal, social critique, and the expansion of our options, empowerment self-defense demonstrates that individual, self-protective action can support systemic change. We can replace a justificationIm just one person; what can I do?with a provocation: What can I do?

In climate action, too, our personal choices can be springboards for larger interventions. We can ride the bus and we can lobby city leaders to make public transit more efficient, welcoming, and comfortable. We can choose a plant-based meal and convince our workplace eatery to shift its menu toward a plant-forward approach.We can forego one airplane ride and encourage our employers to offer extra vacation days to employees who chose ground over air travel. Personal choices show us what is possible. They also remind us where constructive action remains difficult, thus illustrating where we need structural change.

In a situation of harassment, aggression, or even outright assault, ESD acknowledges, many people are so unwilling to make a fuss that they quietly convince themselves that a situation cant be urgent if others are allowing it. The psychologist and climate activist Margaret Klein Salamon makes a similar point about environmental collapse: People look to one another for cues as to how to behave. If everyone around us just shrugs and moves on, we assume that we are alone in our assessment of the situation, a phenomenon known as pluralistic ignorance.

Salamon offers a solution to pluralistic ignorance, one that is familiar within empowerment self-defense: Get loud. This can mean joining a climate march or participating in a climate strikeor talking to friends, families, and elected officials about the life and death nature of this crisis. When we make noise, literally and metaphorically, we also give others permission to put forward their demands for a safer, cleaner, more just world.

Fighting, in ESD training, refers to literal, combative action. But fighting also includes complete commitment. It entails using all the resources we have at hand: If one thing doesnt work, try another, and dont give up. Research on ESD suggests that active resistance works. Activism is effective when the improbable becomes normalized; personal and small group actions make such alternatives conceivable. Smaller efforts can encourage us to question a broader economic and political system built on the burning of fossil fuels and on industrial, animal-based agriculture.

In order to protect life on our planet, we need to treat the climate crisis as the self-defense situation that it is. We do not fear climate catastrophe enough. When we cut through our denial, resist climate doom, call attention to the crisis, and recognize that we can make a difference, we can reshape our world, and push our leaders to enact better policies. Heeding our immediate responses to environmental breakdownthe surge of adrenaline and cortisol that can accompany images of disaster, the unease in the realization that our home or our neighborhood could be next, and the accompanying sense that we need to do somethingcan motivate us to save our environment. The key is reacting to these responses before we rationalize them away.

Effective self-defense harnesses fear and anger to generate an appropriate response. It focuses on the many things we can do, not on the one or two things we should do. Empowerment self-defense shows us that when we fight we expand our world rather than narrow it. And this is the most exciting lesson of all for the environmental movement: When we fight, we can win.

Read more from the original source:

The Feminist Self-Defense Practice That Could Give the Climate Crisis a Beatdown - zocalopublicsquare.org

Vancouver Island Universityssuluqwa Community Cousins Aboriginal student mentorship programis celebrating its 10thanniversary in September 2021. In honour of this important milestone, we are sharing stories of people closely connected with the program every month leading up to the anniversary. Stay tuned for a celebration of this important milestone in February 2022 when we hope to be able to gather in-person.

The suluqwa Community Cousins program builds capacity for mentors to gain leadership and employability skills through outreach and mentoring activities. Students hone skills in self-awareness, communication, leadership, self-care and an exploration of personal values, with an emphasis on telling ones story as a path to self-empowerment through outreach to others.

Participating in the Community Cousins program at VIU allowed Aaron Moore to connect with his Coast Salish culture through activities such as learning from Elders teachings, participating in Tribal Journeys and forming bonds with other Indigenous students.

Ive learned first-hand that its never too late to better understand who you are, and what or who brought you to this very moment, says Aaron.

Now Aaron, who graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Arts in Child and Youth Care, makes a positive impact in the lives of Indigenous youth. He works as a SeYeYu Kinship Social Worker with Kwumut Lelum Child and Family Services. He is also currently working with a co-worker to launch a program called 9 Nations Lacrosse to bring the sport to each on of Kwumut Lelums member Nations and make it as accessible as possible for Indigenous children to participate in.

Aaron shares some of his experience at VIU, what hes been up to since graduating and whats next for him.

Uy skweyul, my name is Aaron Moore. I am son of Leonard and Suzanne Moore. My Fathers Mothers family is from the Stzuminus First Nation and Cowichan Tribes, with connections to the Penelakut Tribe. My Fathers Fathers family is from Denmark and Finland. My Mothers family is from Ireland and England. Id like to say huy steep qu to the Snuneymuxw People for letting me live and learn on their traditional territory.

Ive always heard good things about the CYC program at VIU and I wanted to attend school close to home and as someone who grew up in South Nanaimo, VIU made the most sense for me.

I grew up playing lacrosse in Nanaimo. I played a lot with fellow su luqw a Sheldon Scow, so I spent plenty of time at his mothers house. Sylvia Scow is Manager of Indigenous Protocol at VIU and coordinator of the Community Cousins program. When Sylvia saw me on campus, she asked if I wanted to be a part of this amazing program. I graciously accepted.

Being a Community Cousin has given me the opportunity to make a connection to culture that was never presented to my father. Growing up I was always considered an Aboriginal Student in elementary school, but at the time, I couldnt really tell you what that meant. After becoming a Community Cousin, learning from Elders teachings, participating in Tribal Journeys and being so much closer to everything that I come from as a Coast Salish person, I know what that means now. I raise my hands to every Indigenous student that displays pride in where and who they come from.

I was fortunate enough to represent the Community Cousins at various conferences and events, but I have to say that Tribal Journeys will forever be one of my favourite experiences. The practices brought us together and made us stronger. The paddling from nation to nation brought us closer. The laughs, songs and dances shared were amazing. I definitely wont forget that experience.

I think its really easy to keep your head down and focus on survival in your first year of university, but it is very important to make connections and find like-minded people. It makes the whole experience easier when youre going through it with someone by your side.

Currently I am a SeYeYu Kinship Social Worker with Kwumut Lelum Child and Family Services. In my role I advocate for and support children who have been placed in the care of extended family voluntarily. At Kwumut Lelum we serve nine Nations in the mid-Island, including the one that my fathers family comes from. I love my job and I really enjoy working for Kwumut Lelum due to our practices being very culturally informed.

I am applying to complete my Master of Social Work through either Wilfrid Laurier University or the University of Toronto.

Here is the original post:

Making a positive impact on youth: Aaron Moore - Vancouver Island University News

Jenna Burk is a freshman journalism major at MU. She writes about feminism and social justice for The Maneater.

As I scroll through my Instagram feed, I witness tidbits of the lives of people I went to high school with. I see my friends having awesome experiences, like going to concerts or on vacations. I see them posing with their loved ones, families and pets.

Not long into my social media venture, Ill typically encounter content that is performative. Then, I am met with a social dilemma. By default, I am inclined to comment a compliment on that persons post. I naturally want to make that person feel good about themselves.

However, if I validate that person for sexualizing themselves online, am I unconsciously telling that person that they need to keep delivering that kind of content to maintain their self-esteem?

There is a difference between posting a picture that features a body versus exploiting a body for a picture. This past winter, there was an Instagram trend that especially exacerbated this issue. In Kansas City, the lowest temperature of 2020 was zero degrees. I was surprised to see so many young women posing in two-inch-deep snow wearing nothing but bikinis.

Although the pictures often turned out very artistic, I couldnt help but see the demeaning, not to mention dangerous, element of the trend. Demeaning, because the picture itself represented female discomfort equating to sexuality. Dangerous, because well, frostbite.

It begs the question, what messages are young girls getting that would make them degrade themselves for societys beauty standards?

The nature of Instagram provides a sort of social status based on numeral reward systems. It is easy for the human brain to hyperfixate on rewards, creating an incentive to sexualize ourselves.

Jenna Preuss, a freshman at MU, shared her internal battle between her self-perception and her online-perception.

I did sexualize myself, Preuss said. I noticed I was getting attention and I liked it.

Preuss said she was feeling the pressures that come with putting yourself on the internet.

After I put [photos] up, I got anxious. I would panic and look over my account, Pruess said.

Pruess said thoughts like, This is embarrassing and I need to delete it, would circulate around her head.

The cycle would continue until I decided that I couldnt do it anymore.

Preuss said she made a choice that best suited her mental health by diversifying her social media to include images that she had less of a personal connection to.

If Im not in the picture, I dont have an attachment to it, Preuss said.

Now, Preuss Instagram is centered around her life rather than her physical appearance. She only posts content that she is fully comfortable sharing: images of herself, her friends and cats. She has chosen to post pictures for herself, rather than for others.

She recognizes that these posts get significantly less attention, but Preuss doesnt feel the need to have that validation anymore. She can maintain her self-image without it. Preuss experience is purely personal and self-reflective.

Some people struggle with it [posting] more than others, Preuss said.

It is equally as misogynistic to assume that women cannot handle their autonomy and need to be protected. The sentiment that women should only post images that do not exhibit their bodies is insensibly sexist. This isnt a preachy call to modesty.

Social media provides an illusion of autonomy. Once a choice has been made it exists online permanently. Autonomy is then stolen, as the picture no longer belongs to the poster, it belongs to the internet.

Instead, social media is an acknowledgement of how the patriarchy operates under the circumstances of our modern world. The patriarchy retains relevance in social media by demonstrating the objectivity of women for the consumption and entertainment of men.

It becomes clearly misogynistic when patterns related to gender are apparent. Female influencers are far more prevalent than male influencers.

Female influencers dominated trends such as The Silhouette Challenge on TikTok. Posters would get naked or in underwear and pose in a dimly lit room, so that you could only see their silhouettes.

The challenge proved to be especially dangerous because viewers would remove the filter, revealing nude images of the original creators. Tutorials on how to remove the red filter from The Silhouette Challenge became almost as popular as the original content.

Despite criticism from the general public, edits are still being manufactured and can be found all over the internet: YouTube, Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.

Its as if the traces left behind from this old trend will never entirely disappear. Nothing that has ever existed on the internet will die out completely. Although that is an alarming idea, we push it to the back of our minds. However, we should be aware of the implications of our actions.

Yet, collectively, there seems to be a lack of awareness. Perhaps that lack of awareness is a self-defense mechanism. If we pretend that we want to contribute to the objectification of women, or even declare it as empowerment, we feel less exploited by society. This way, we are able to rationalize it as an independent choice, rather than a form of indoctrination.

The importance of practicing self-reflection is key. Not only does self-reflection entail facing personal queries, it has to do with how we project our intentions onto other people. It is crucial to be mindful of our own boundaries and the boundaries of others when creating an online identity.

The best remedy is to monitor yourself to make sure that you are not sharing any content that is for the enjoyment of others, at the sacrifice of your own well-being. Remember, you are more than an image.

The Maneater encourages all readers to commit to the fight against domestic abuse and donate to Futures Without Violence. Futures Without Violence is a health and social justice nonprofit with a simple mission: to heal those among us who are traumatized by violence today and to create healthy families and communities free of violence tomorrow. Please donate here: https://www.futureswithoutviolence.org

Edited by Sarah Rubinstein, srubinstein@themaneater.com

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Self-sexualization on social media is all too prevalent - The Maneater

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --Following the enactment of SB8 in Texas an unconstitutional law that will leave millions of women without access to critical abortion care Corporate Accountability Action is fighting back by launching #OffTheBANWagon. The new project will shine a light on the corporations that have bankrolled the campaigns of the Texas state legislators who sponsored this cruel abortion ban.

AT&T, NBC Universal, Time Warner, and Charter Communications spent over $1 million financing the campaigns of Texas legislatorsthat effectively ended 50 years of precedent established by Roe v. Wade and repeatedly affirmed.

These powerful corporations have been publicly advocating for equity and empowerment for women while behind the scenes spending hundreds of thousands of dollars propping up state legislators who continue to push and champion harmful legislation that stands in direct contradiction to the company's statements.

Click here to watch CAA's first adcalling out AT&T that's set to air in the Dallas media market and on digital beginning this week.

Corporate Donor Contributions to Anti-Abortion Lawmakers

AT&T, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, donated the largest amount to the sponsors of the extreme Texas abortion ban while widely claiming that "one of the company's 'core values' was 'gender equity and the empowerment of women."

"Women in Texas and across the nation deserve to know that companies they've long patronized, which claim to want to empower women, are actually doing the exact opposite. Through their support of anti-abortion extremists, companies like AT&T helped enact one of the most cruel and disgraceful laws in the country, and they should be held accountable," said #OffTheBANWagon spokesperson Julie McClain Downey. "This law not only put an end to safe and legal abortions in Texas, but it interjected perfect strangers into the private, time sensitive, and deeply personal medical decisions of individuals on strict and baseless timelines and without exceptions for victims of rape and incest. We must call these companies out for their hypocrisy and put an end to the enactment of similar bans being proposed around the country."

"This abortion ban part of the Republican plan to make reproductive health care completely out-of-reach is devastating, which is why companies that backed the lawmakers responsible for this cannot be permitted to bury their heads in the sand," said reproductive rights advocate and American Bridge co-chair Cecile Richards. "By funding politicians that have made clear their disdain for reproductive freedom, corporations are giving lawmakers across the country the green light to ban essential health services while giving lip service to 'equity' and 'empowerment.' We cannot let this go on, which is why it's so important to call out their hypocrisy and stop them from continuing to harm people."

SB8, recently passed by the Texas legislature and signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott (R), effectivelybans abortions for millions of women with no exceptionsfor victims of rape or incest. Moreover, it allows for vigilante justice giving any individual the right to sue another over a personal medical decision. A similar law has been passed in Mississippi and is on the docket to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court this fall. As a result of the Texas ban, state legislatures across the country are considering extreme abortion ban laws of their own, taking away long-established reproductive rights.

The #OffTheBANWagon campaign, a project of Corporate Accountability Action and American Bridge 21st Century, will be releasing advertisements focused on educating Texas residents on the corporate backers of the ban, along with the critical role these major corporations played in the ultimate passing of the law.

To learn more about how to hold these corporations accountable, visit OffTheBANWagon.org or Twitter @CAAction2021, Facebook at /corporateaccountabilityaction, or on Instagram @corporateaccountabilityaction.

SOURCE Corporate Accountability Action

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Corporate Accountability Action Launches #OfftheBANWagon Campaign To Hold Financial Backers of Texas Abortion Ban Accountable - PRNewswire

INDIA

The pandemic should be a wake-up call for all educators to see the world around us in a different light. We may be able to see more clearly what is important and what perhaps is not.

This has given us the chance to ask ourselves whether what we are teaching is really preparing our students to be good citizens and the global leaders we need, the kind of leaders the world needs at a time like this, the kind of leaders who can make decisions based not just on spreadsheets but in a truly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous environment.

COVID-19 shows the need to include entrepreneurship education in the curriculum of Indian higher education institutions. It is a powerful means of reducing poverty, creating sustainable governance, stimulating resilient infrastructural growth and boosting innovation, in addition to enhancing social and environmental sustainability.

It includes innovative ways of thinking, openness to new experiences and assessing issues such as value creation.

If students are developed with an entrepreneurial mindset, they will become self-reliant and self-confident. They will be ambassadors able to resolve their local and regional problems with innovative ideas, solutions and sustainable business models which are aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9) of the United Nations.

Investing in entrepreneurship education can create an entrepreneurial mindset and eventually this translates into developing an entrepreneurial orientation among young people. An effective entrepreneurship education policy is a prerequisite for any emerging economy to empower its people with the knowledge and ability to fish rather than just giving them a fish.

However, the broader objective is to increase the number of individuals starting new ventures and developing an entrepreneurial culture to reduce poverty (SDG 1) and to play a key part in reducing inequalities within and among countries (SDG 10).

National Education Policy

In the past five years, the Indian government has sought to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem and has been supporting young peoples enterprise, encouraging them to leverage their entrepreneurial skillsets and knowledge to become self-employed. This has acted as a catalyst for entrepreneurship as a career option for graduates across the nation.

To help young people to pursue this entrepreneurial passion and become job creators, the new National Education Policy 2020 of India has set a roadmap for Indian higher education institutions with its emphasis on the holistic development of students through multidisciplinary education and vocational training.

It has emphasised that education must move towards less content and more experiential learning to create positive outcomes, including increased creativity and innovation, risk-taking ability, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, teamwork, communication skills, more in-depth learning of curricula across fields at all levels and a spirit of service towards the social community.

Quality education must build character, enable learners to be ethical, rational, compassionate and caring, while at the same time preparing them for gainful, fulfilling employment (SDG 4).

In this way, Indias higher education institutions have been bestowed with a great responsibility to prepare young generations to become more self-reliant, independent and sustainable. They need to bridge the gap between the perceived desirability to become an entrepreneur and the feasibility of creating a new venture.

Entrepreneurship education should help them to bridge the gap between the current state of student learning outcomes and the vision of the National Education Policy. It must prepare young students for more meaningful and satisfying lives in terms of successful careers which in turn add economic, social and cultural value to society.

The channelling of young people away from taking a job that someone else has already created towards creating jobs by conceiving and starting up new businesses is aligned with the prime ministers Self-Reliant India Mission concept and with SDG 8 of the United Nations.

Innovation and entrepreneurship

The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) has encouraged its accredited colleges to deliberately include coverage of specific topics like social responsiveness, responsible leadership, sustainability, engagement and societal impact in undergraduate business curricula by revising their standards and integrating them into their curriculum.

AACSBs proposed 2020 business accreditation standards give hope that business schools will rethink their activities and focus more on integrated approaches to the curriculum (SDG 4) as well as their engagement and societal impact (SDG 9).

Entrepreneurship education, innovation and technology were chosen as a grouping due to the critical impact they have on one another. Although all AACSB-accredited business schools (and probably those not accredited as well) have included some type of course related to information technology, there is wide scope to enhance student learning outcomes around developing their entrepreneurial skills.

Technology is often a source of entrepreneurial opportunity, which is the result of the creative process. Likewise, entrepreneurial thinking sometimes results in technological innovation and the creative process can result in both new technology and-or entrepreneurial businesses.

Global challenges

Entrepreneurial capacity building is not simply linked to employment, but also plays a pivotal role when it comes to addressing some of societys toughest challenges by constituting a synergy between economic development and achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Many of the worlds governments, think tanks, non-governmental and international organisations now look towards entrepreneurship as a key part of the solution to ending poverty and social inequity, promoting womens empowerment and implementing business solutions for our global societal challenges.

To achieve these United Nations SDGs, Indian higher education institutions and universities need to foster the development and infusion of entrepreneurship education curricula that explicitly target and enable young people to successfully become the next generation of entrepreneurs.

In doing so, we must ensure that the entrepreneurship curriculum is preparing leaders to deal with situations such as COVID-19, shocks to business as usual that are likely to continue to occur in the future, and helping educators and students to adapt quickly, to work together and innovate.

As we move past merely surviving this crisis, what happens next is becoming increasingly important. We need to think how we can use this crisis as a crucial opportunity to rebuild better than before, and how we, as higher education entities, as teachers, as researchers and as consultants, can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Professor Dr Balvinder Shukla is professor of entrepreneurship, leadership and IT and vice-chancellor of Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. Professor Dr Anupam Narula is professor of marketing and deputy director (alumni relations) at Amity University, Noida, India. The views expressed are personal.

More:

Why entrepreneurship education can help meet the SDGs - University World News

Earlier this month, mourners, including senior government officials and ministers, gathered in Johannesburg to remember Hlengiwe Mkhize. (GCIS)

Maite Nkoana-Mashabane pays tribute to Prof Hlengiwe Buhle Mkhize, who died earlier this month, describing heras aa seasoned leader, a comrade in good standing, a friend, a sister, a wife and a mother.

The untimely death of Professor Hlengiwe Buhle Mkhize, the Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities is still so painful to come to terms with. I join the Mkhize family, and South Africa at large in shock and sadness as we mourn a seasoned leader, a comrade in good standing, a friend, a sister, a wife and a mother.

Since the news broke of her death, I have reflected on her life and her contributions to our country and the world. Her invaluable contributions to society are perfectly captured in Albert Einstein's words, "The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive".

Professor Mkhize embodied the true meaning of servitude. She devoted her personal and family time to serving the people of our country, her movement, the ANC and our government.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with her at the Ministry in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities. She had a fine political mind and a genuine commitment to public service. Over the past couple of years I witnessed her passion for the empowerment of our people and the end to social injustices.

She was particularly driven by the need to empower and capacitate women and vulnerable groups in society. She passionately spoke of the need for the voices of youth, especially young women, in all decision-making processes.

READ |Official funeral declared for deputy minister in the presidency Hlengiwe Mkhize

Even in governance, Prof Mkhize always encouraged us to serve the people of this country to the best of our ability.

Her professional background in clinical psychology and serving as a Commissioner at the Trust and Reconciliation Commission, her unwavering spirit to understand the human being and internalise the pain we suffer due to subjugation has remained with me through the years. She will be remembered for her extensive contributions to the development and advancement of our country, among many for being a critical thinker, and an intellectual of note.

She was indeed a visionary who was brilliant, innovative and strategic. As the Ministry of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, we have lost a trailblazer, a humanitarian and a leader who was not afraid to take a stand against injustices.

Beyond governance, I also witnessed her contributions in strengthening the ruling party of South Africa.

Several leadership roles

She served in several leadership roles within the ANC. She passed on the baton to me as the former Treasurer General of the African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL). We also served together in the United Democratic Force and grew together in the sector of diplomacy, where she excellently represented our country as the country Ambassador to the Netherlands.

In addition to her love for transformational leadership, Prof Mkhize was a teacher at heart and a scholar of note. Those of you who knew her personally would recall her passion for education as an essential tool for addressing many of the social ills facing the vast majority of society. And when given the opportunity, she always used it to teach those around her about her experiences, knowledge and skills.

Over the past few years we have worked closely to ensure that the mandate of the Ministry of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities is met and is evolved.

READ |Mourners remember Hlengiwe Mkhize as principled and a fighter for women's rights

She often challenged me to continue to amplify the needs of the people we serve, particularly those with disabilities. As the world recognises September as International Month for the Deaf, we remain committed to keeping the teachings and convictions of Prof Mkhize alive to building an inclusive country for all.

As our country continues to celebrate the year of Charlotte Mannya Maxeke, I cannot avoid drawing linkages between these two amazing women of our country. Professor Hlengiwe Mkhize will be forever remembered as a stalwart, as an innovator, and someone who has made a tremendous contribution to so many areas she has touched.

We are grateful to the Mkhize family for sharing Prof Hlengiwe Mhkize with us. May the family and country be consoled by the fact that she lived a life of purpose. I am reminded of the words of one classic Greek author who once argued that"What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others".

We commit to continuing the work that Prof Mkhize believed in the advancement and full recognition of the rights of women and vulnerable groups. We remain inspired by her legacy and teachings that will sustain us to continue to serve our country and its people wholeheartedly.

- Maite Nkoana-Mashabane is Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities

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TRIBUTE | Prof Hlengiwe Buhle Mkhize was the embodiment of servitude - News24

This article has been sponsored by TVS Motor Company.

A few years ago, a group of men living in a remote village in south India had discovered an alarming threat the handbag.

The handbag was not like any ordinary bag they had seen. It was not as much about how it looked but what it did and carried that bothered the men in this village.

Available in different shapes, sizes and colours, they noticed that the handbag had the same effect on the wearer a seemingly dangerous transformation for every village woman who donned these handbags. She became confident, fearless and free.

This is an observation that author Snigdha Parupudi points out in her new book, The Silent Revolution The Journey of the Srinivasan Services Trust. The book encapsulates the two-decade-long journey of rural development initiated by a trust called Srinivasan Services Trust (SST).

A symbol of upward mobility for a marginalised section of society the women, carrying a handbag represented the act of breaking patriarchal shackles.

Inside the bag there is money, there is freedom, there are plans for the future. A woman with a handbag has things to do and places to be, writes Parupudi.

With SSTs support, women who were working in self-help groups (SHGs) were able to earn a good living, provide education for their kids and ensure financial stability for their families. They carried their money and their agency in these handbags, which soon began to intimidate many men in the village, says the author in conversation with The Better India (TBI).

However, the wave of positive change soon swept over them when the realisation dawned that financial empowerment of women is indeed beneficial for their families and the whole of the community, in the long run.

Such are the instances of positive impact that Parupudi captures in her book that introduces readers to SSTs inspiring journey of being an enabler of this transformational change in underserved rural communities. Through interesting anecdotes and unique first-person narratives, the book unfurls the inspiring stories, which are both deeply personal and empathetically collective.

The Srinivasan Services Trust (SST), the social arm of Sundaram-Clayton Limited and TVS Motor Company, was founded in 1996, in honour of the companys founder T S Srinivasan, with an aim to realise his dream of initiating an equitable, participatory and sustainable development in society. For this, SST focuses on empowering communities from within through a sustainable model of converting individual beneficiaries into community leaders.

The Trust partners with government agencies, at the state and district levels, as well as like-minded corporates to drive large-scale transformation.

One of the primary goals for SST at the initial stage was to remedy the severe income inequality, especially in the rural communities. For any change to take place, they had to inspire faith in the people, which was only possible by improving their ability to earn a living.

Hence, SST began by identifying better livelihood opportunities. They established self-help groups, initiated skilling programmes, helped them benefit government schemes and assisted those with a job to optimise their work through sustainable practices, be it in agriculture or livestock.

It was only after the community members realised their own potential to earn a good living to sustain comfortably that they considered improving other aspects, which includes education and better hygiene.

From empowering women, educating farmers, to setting up primary health centres, balwadis and anganwadis as well as supporting rural schools, SST has managed to intervene at every level to implement its holistic developmental approach.

The book narrates such exemplary interventions initiated by the Trust across six key pillarseconomic development, environment, social and cultural development, infrastructure, healthcare and education. This helped improve the lives of rural communities.

Released on September 22, 2021, commemorating 25 years of SSTs journey, the book which is published by HarperCollins India, hopes to be an inspiring read for Social Science students looking to focus on rural development, government agencies or even corporates deliberating on the best model for CSR implementation.

This book is testimony to the upbeat growth stories across 25 years, that started with few villages in 1996, has touched around 5,000 villages across five states in India, in some way or the other, positively impacting the lives of approximately 3 million people, to date, writes companys chairman Venu Srinivasan in the books foreword.

Speaking about her journey writing her first book, the author Parupadi adds, In many ways, this book was very personal to me. Growing up, I had spent 5 years studying in a rural government school in Chidambaram, where I witnessed many of my female classmates dropping out even before they completed Class 10. While traveling and researching for the book, I could relate to similar instances. But the larger goal, at all times, was to be a medium to reflect the silent revolution that was started by SST and lived by the thousands of beneficiaries.

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A Silent Revolution: The 25-Year-Long Journey of Rural Transformation Across India - The Better India

The Neiman Marcus Group is doing something remarkable. The renowned luxury retailer has prioritized how it inspires a sense of Belonging (made up of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) in a unique way that is transforming the entire company: by leading with love.

In the span of a year, and during a global pandemic, the Neiman Marcus Group has refocused its attention on itself, knowing that to succeed in todays market, brands need purpose and intention. Its an initiative where empathy, compassion, unconditional love, mindfulness and personalized service supersedes outdated corporate thinking and it is an effort being led by women.

Geoffroy van Raemdonck, Chief Executive Officer of NMG, said the company is assembling an incredible team. Were promoting from within and recruiting the best minds in and out of retail. NMG is becoming an incubator for not only the worlds most iconic brands but the most game-changing ideas. Were creating a culture where diversity of thought is welcomed, people of all gender identities can thrive, and everyone feels like they belong.

And it is that sense of belonging that lies at the heart of why this approach works. For women leaders at NMG such as Katherine Greenberg, Vice President and GMM of Womens Apparel at Neiman Marcus, and Tasha Grinnell, Vice President & Assistant General Counsel at the Neiman Marcus Group, leading with love is especially essential for the store teams and the customers they serve. When asked to explain what leading with love means and how it works, Greenberg described it as a multi-faceted approach.

Foremost it is inspiring my team and thinking through how I can motivate and support them, Greenberg said. As a leader, I believe its crucial to have confidence in your team and give them flexibility and autonomy. They might not always succeed, but it then creates opportunities for conversations for mentoring and maturing.

Greenberg said for her part, shes been afforded flexibility in her own career and that has helped me to become a leader and I want to share that with my team. The leadership approach is also about extending support to the store family. Our store teams are the backbone of NMGs success, and they connect with our clients daily via online and remote selling, so it must be a priority for us to be their biggest cheerleaders and advocates, Greenberg explained. Finally, leading with love is using all the available data to curate the best assortment for our clients and technology to provide a personalized integrated luxury experience wherever they are. We have to anticipate what they will want to wear and delight them with items they will love.

For Grinnell, leading with love means that we lead with empathy, and great care for our team and our customers and our community.

And leading with love is especially appropriate as I think about what we faced during the last year, and how it impacts our culture, Grinnell said. Ive been the legal point person for all things pandemic, and it is uncomfortable at times but when we have the philosophy as a company, overall, that we are leading with love, it makes it easier to make decisions that impact peoples well-being, and positively impacts peoples careers.

Grinnell and Greenberg also noted that the Neiman Marcus Group has a rich history of female leaders and today is no different. Indeed, women leaders are in the companys DNA. Past women leaders include co-founder Carrie Marcus Neiman and notable executives such as Karen Katz and Neva Hall.

Jerrie Marcus Smith, who is the eldest daughter of Stanley Marcus, and whose great aunt was Carrie Marcus Neiman, recently published a biography on Carrie titled: A Girl Named Carrie: The Visionary Who Created Neiman Marcus and Set the Standard for Fashion. In a story about the book, the Dallas Morning News said Smith offers up a rich history of a mysterious aunt who emerged as an icon on multiple levels: As a woman, forging a brave identity in the worlds of commerce and fashion in the early 20th century, and as a Jew, leaving a lasting imprint in a Southern city dominated by Christians and conservatives. And, of course, males.

Smith, quoted in the article, said her great aunt certainly did her part in shattering the glass ceiling.

So, it is no surprise that as a woman co-founded and majority-women-led company, women represent the majority of the Neiman Marcus Groups Board of Directors. And across the company, women garner 50 percent of leaders (Senior Vice President and above) and they represent 62 percent of Vice President and above positions while composing 70 percent of all corporate and store employees.

Its also noteworthy that 50 percent of Neiman Marcus Groups 9,000 store associates identify as minorities. And in fiscal year 2020, the company outpaced the U.S. population in terms of Asian associates at every level of the company, and its stores had more Native Hawaii or Other Pacific associates than the U.S. population as well.

But if women leadership and diversity are already embedded into the company, what makes this recent approach different?

For Greenberg, it is because women are leading across the organization in traditionally male-dominated fields from finance to supply chain to customer analytics to the boardroom. The cross-functional collaboration of women across the Neiman Marcus Group is a unique aspect of our organization.

Grinnell noted that NMGs leading change initiative transcends the corporate offices. Leading with love is put into practice every day, and it means were supporting each other, our teams, our suppliers, and our communities, Grinnell added. Were encompassing the respect that we show for our teammates, and in the team building, which were employing through flexibility and empathy.

Its important to note that NMGs women leading change initiatives is not a campaign or temporary effort. Its a long-term, groundbreaking transformation of the luxury retailer. Interviews with other NMG women executives revealed the Neiman Marcus Group as a company is breaking traditional business rules and doing so in a refreshingly authentic way.

Tatiana Ferreira, Senior Vice President of Customer Service Excellence and East Region Integrated Retail at Neiman Marcus, for example, said what makes the company different is the energy and how our leaders show openness and vulnerability.

Ferreira said the company culture now is not to sugar-coat anything and present anything as picture perfect, and that were on a flawless trajectory driven by perfect decisions. She said its the opposite, and noted that leading with love really gives us the space to be our true selves. And thats huge for me. It really builds a level of connection that I have never experienced before in any of my previous roles. Ferreira acknowledged that allowing colleagues and team members to be vulnerable requires a safe environment, and very strong support, she said, adding that as were driving the work, were doing it together. And with that togetherness comes empathy and tolerance.

Chris Demuth, Vice President of People Services at the Neiman Marcus Group, said the pandemic really forced the issue for us to get very real about whats acceptable. When there are babies crawling on you during a meeting, and when there are dogs barking in the background and theres somebody else on camera or the baby was hanging over the back of your colleagues neck, you have to accept and embrace it.

Theres so much more forgiveness now, and empathy, and it is across the women in the organization as well as the men so were very fortunate, While shes only been at the company for about six months, Demuth said she feels fortunate that she walked into a place that was already showing and demonstrating purpose and leading with love and empathy on a daily basis.

Grinnell, who was recently named an honoree for the Women in Business Awards by the Dallas Business Journal, and a 2021 finalist with D Magazines D CEOs Corporate Counsel Awards, said the Neiman Marcus Group is definitely a place where diversity is valued, and were truly encouraged to be authentic.

Women are leading change here, because we are in a position to really collaborate and achieve our goal, and to move the company forward together, Grinnell said. And they are leading change by listening and communicating and showing empathy. We really do listen to our teams and our customers, and especially after the isolation and separation from each other during this pandemic, its even more apparent that we needed to listen and communicate. And we, as women, tend to do that very well as a group. We understand our people and institution and why its important to be empathetic. And that is the key to leading change. We are showing our stores, our partners and our customers that we too have faced challenges. But we are forward looking and forward thinking and leading change together.

Demuth agreed, and noted that the company culture puts feeling and emotion at the forefront, whereas in business typically, thats not done. Amanda Martin, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain at the Neiman Marcus Group, echoed that sentiment, and added that the energy and authenticity is remarkable, and unlike anywhere else. Regarding leading with love, Martin said it also has a service to others dimension that is essential to its success.

For me personally, its about leading for other people, said Martin. It is servant leadership and done in everything that you do. And it requires looking through a lens of how is this benefiting the whole? And not through the lens of the individual. It is not a self-serving strategy. So, it has been hugely beneficial for us as an organization.

Martin also said there is a cross-functional collaboration also occurring which includes a number of different and diverse perspectives that come to the table. I think weve hit a really pretty amazing stride in how we blend that, as a company, which has been a real recipe for success, quite honestly.

For Stefanie Tsen Ward, Senior Vice President of Customer Engagement and West Region Integrated Retail at the Neiman Marcus Group, the company makes plenty of room for everyone to be their most authentic self which empowers leaders. The common denominator is that we are all human, Tsen Ward said, adding that to authentically lead together, during the pandemic, created a positive energy that was a gift that kept giving. And on a personal level, this is something that I value. It also lit up a light inside that made me want to lead authentically, more.

Cheryl Han, Vice President of Online & Customer Strategy at Bergdorf Goodman, said leading with love is all about connection and about connecting in two sort of different ways. The first is connecting with the customer, she said, adding that as a leader you strive to connect team members with a customer in a way that has impact. Were here because we love our customer and because we want to serve our customer. Being able to provide a personalized experience and connection is part of being a steward of our customer. And we also connect with each other, which results in bringing us together in unexpected ways that bonds us.

Han said the leading with love approach, and the connections and bonds created by it, works well because it is a company-wide practice. So, whether the leader is in the digital business or creative and marketing, or supply chain or at the store level, everyone is encouraged and empowered to be their best and most authentic selves.

And as a result, the contrast between the culture at the Neiman Marcus Group versus most other businesses is striking and stark. Just imagine going to work and not having to constantly maintain your guard or having to pretend to be happy. Leading with love frees you up and it is energizing, and allows everyone to focus on their goals, the teams goals and, perhaps most important of all, focusing on meeting the needs of the customer.

Leading Change

As Geoffroy van Raemdonck, Chief Executive Officer of NMG, noted, the company has created a culture that generates game-changing ideas, where diversity of thought and fostering a sense of belonging is key.

But to make it work, the approach must be practiced daily and it starts at the top, right from the CEOs office, throughout the C-suite and then across the entire company. Here, senior leaders at the Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) discuss the companys transformation, the role of women in leading change, and how they describe their own leadership style.

Darcy Penick: President, Bergdorf Goodman

Can you describe the transformation of NMG?

Bergdorf Goodman has a long history as a preeminent luxury retailer; and, consistent with the group vision, we are evolving and modernizing the business while staying true to leading in luxury fashion. We continue to do that through creating exceptional moments and experiences for our customers. While some brands are focused entirely on being all things to every type of consumer, our goal is to be the destination for luxury and serve everyone who wants to be a part of that.

What role did women play in leading this change?

As a whole, the group is co-founded by a woman and has many female leaders in critical executive roles. We represent most of the companys Board of Directors, and Bergdorf Goodman itself has a majority-female leadership, which is something I am very proud of. I have often observed how having female leaders motivates more women to aspire to these roles.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Empowerment through conscious leadership. As a steward of this exceptional brand and organization, I want to be intentional with how we support and guide it.

Women in leadership is a topic that is near and dear to my heart, and there is a need for women to help other women throughout their journey to the top. There isnt a playbook for women in C-level positions, so the more questions we ask and assistance we offer, the more we can help women thrive in leadership roles.

Mentorship has been an excellent foundation for my career, and I have had the privilege of working with some incredible men and women who have taught me how grace, empathy and wisdom are all powerful leadership qualities in todays ever-evolving industry.

In what ways does the NMG further empower women?

Because of our large female workforce, there are many women to emulate and learn from. The group is intentional in its development of female leaders. NMG has built a strong internal community that is hyper-focused on culture and belonging that acts as a pillar of support for everyone at the company, regardless of gender and background.

How else is the NMG breaking the glass ceiling?

In addition to our female Executive team, our Board of Directors is predominantly made up of women whose leadership styles are valued, encouraged, and we hope will ultimately inspire more women to join the group. I am very proud of that.

Lana Todorovich: President and Chief Merchandising Officer, Neiman Marcus

Can you describe the transformation of NMG?

Neiman Marcus is in the process of an exciting transformation, working to revolutionize luxury experiences for our customers, while continuing to curate unique luxury lifestyle assortments. For over a century, weve been innovators in how customers engage with luxury. We create magic through connecting customers with products and experiences, and this fresh thinking continues to this day.

I am also proud of the work weve done over the past year to transform how we work with our brand partners, by creating collaborative partnerships and an eco-system designed to deepen the relationships and emotional connection with our extremely loyal and engaged customer base. We have the best customers, and we deliver on that promise through exciting products, bespoke service and engaging with our customers seamlessly in flexible ways: in stores, online or through remote selling.

What role did women play in leading this change?

The women of NMG have been at the forefront of this transformation, defining our mission and creating and leading critical strategies and execution. I am so proud of my female colleagues and team members for acting as agents of lasting change. Weve achieved this by harnessing our collective ambition and breaking stereotypes, including acknowledging the benefits of being vulnerable. This, in turn, has built trust, which is foundational to creating an overall culture of support and collaboration, behaviors that our female leaders excel at and exhibit daily.

How would you describe your leadership style?

My personal leadership style is rooted in connecting with people by building relationships that last and matter and working together to achieve ambitious goals. I find joy in achieving big things and the learning that it entails. Even during challenging times, I try to bring a sense of humor in my communication style. Most of all, I greatly value diversity of thought on my team. The best ideas and outcomes come from our collective wisdom vs. one individual viewpoint. This is the secret sauce of some pretty remarkable results weve achieved over the past two years. It has also allowed us to build trust, count on each other and continue to learn as a team.

In what ways does the NMG further empower women?

NMG truly values a culture of diversity and belonging. Women are a large part of this, but people from all backgrounds and all genders benefit from this mindset and approach. The fashion industry continues to lag in its representation of female leaders, particularly unjustified for an industry that serves mostly female consumers. At Neiman Marcus, womens voices are not only present, but are also heard and valued at senior and executive positions. This is a critical point of difference its not just the representation but true empowerment thats encouraged and expected as part of the NMG culture.

How else is the NMG breaking the glass ceiling?

Our Executive team is more than 50% female, and we have been intentional about female representation on our Board of Directors. Our NMG Way culture and its work-from-anywhere component, implemented recently, recognizes that the pandemic has been particularly hard on women. Although the pressures of working and raising families are not new challenges, the NMG Way of Working offers flexibility that empowers our associates of all genders to work wherever and whenever, as long as they get results. We are committed to helping women and others both have a full personal life while continuing to impact the transformation of NMG and grow their own careers.

Brandy Richardson: Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, NMG

Can you describe the transformation of NMG?

The last two years have clearly been a time of significant disruption for the retail industry. While it is tempting to look back on the world and luxury retail as it was pre-pandemic, we have been laser focused on building for the future. We have become a more agile company and have the financial strength to invest as opportunities materialize.

A significant portion of our transformation centers around integrated retail. We are constantly thinking about the interplay between physical and digital experiences as we know customers interact with the brand, not the channel. Additionally, the way the customer experiences the brand extends beyond just commerce. We know our continued focus on being a more sustainable, responsible and purpose driven company is an important part of our role as luxury leaders and transforming luxury retail.

What role did women play in leading this change?

Our workforce and our customer base are majority female. This extends into our top leadership levels and as a result, every decision we make includes the female point of view. I am the first female CFO in the 114-year history of this company, and I take that role very seriously. I spend a lot of time as the only female in the room and it is so refreshing to work in a culture where I am supported and encouraged to lead. Women have been leading this company since the beginning, and with every significant moment and transition, there are females at the forefront.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I believe in leading with energy, compassion, innovation, and mentorship. I care deeply for my team and focus on making meaningful connections. Finance can be a high stake, high intensity area to work, so I ensure we have time to laugh and appreciate each others wins. We are all motivated differently, and I make it a priority to understand what drives and motivates my team members. The more I know them, the more Im able to mentor and guide their careers and achieve team success.

In what ways does the NMG further empower women?

I have always felt supported and heard at NMG, working alongside female and male counterparts who invested themselves in me and my career, acting as a personal champion inside the organization. We push ourselves each day to create a culture of belonging, which includes providing people of all backgrounds, at all levels, access to mentoring, coaching and collaboration.

How else is the NMG breaking the glass ceiling?

As a working mom, I truly appreciate the efforts we are making to embrace flexibility in the workday. Similar to the flexible customer journey, in which she shops anytime, anyplace, anywhere, we have adopted an innovative work mindset that empowers and motivates the workforce and achieves working flexibility. Embracing flexibility has removed barriers and improved our overall productivity.

In my day to day, I also feel a deep level of trust and connection with the other female leaders. We act as a sounding board for each other, but we also push each other to speak up and be proud of our opinions. It is energizing to be surrounded by so many strong and powerful women.

Pauline Brown: Board Member, NMG

Can you describe the transformation of NMG?

A trees strength lies in roots, not its branches, and Neimans roots run deep.

What will make the company succeed in 5, 10 or 100 years from now is not all that different from what made it successful 100 years ago; specifically, its knack for bringing the worlds best brands to the American luxury market; inspiring customers to dream through an artful and exciting presentation of products, stories and experiences; and making each individual feel special through personalized service and hospitality.

The competencies required to achieve that level of excellence today are quite different than in the past, but the overall objectives are very much the same.

What role did women play in leading this change?

At the core of the Neiman Marcus customer is the modern American woman, and she is fully reflected in the companys leadership and organization. That makes our work a lot easier!

In my own personal case, I have a devotion to Neiman Marcus that goes well beyond my role on the board. Ive been a Neiman Marcus customer for my entire adult life. As such, whenever I visit a Neimans store, I dont experience it simply through the lens of a stakeholder, but that of a mom, working woman, gift-giver, partygoer and more.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I grew up in a transitional era. The generation before me had very few women at the top, and competition among them was fierce. Ive spent a good portion of my own career trying to break that mold, seeking opportunities to support more senior women, collaborating freely with my peers, and offering mentorship to more junior women down the line. As they say, all of us are better than any one of us, and I take great pride in the wide web of women whom I now call my friends. That web has become the foundation of my leadership, and my deep-seated connection to other women continues to inform my leadership style.

In what ways does the NMG further empower women?

I have served on many boards in my career; this is the first one thats comprised of more women than men. Even so, the women on the NMG board are very diverse. Each brings a unique set of skills, perspectives, and experiences to the group. I hope and trust that our presence, commitment, and comradery sets an example for other women at Neiman Marcus and beyond.

How else is the NMG breaking the glass ceiling?

Throughout my career, Ive worked in many industries that cater primarily to women such as beauty, fashion, and luxury retail. Time and again, Ive been dismayed by the fact that men still run most of the companies, divisions and functions within these women-centric sectors.

Neiman Marcus feels different. The company not only strives for diversity in leadership; it demonstrates it.

Looking ahead, I would love to see NMG continue to break barriers, set an example for others in fashion retail, and build a culture in which all women feel heard, supported, and prepared to thrive.

Hannah Kim: Chief Legal Officer, NMG

Can you describe the transformation of NMG?

NMG is creating an integrated luxury retail experience that reimagines how we are looking at omnichannel. Leveraging our digital transformation in connection with our core strength of developing relationships with our customers will result in being able to deepen our ability to connect with how our customers want to engage with NMG. We are at the forefront of luxury retail.

What role did women play in leading this change?

Strong women leadership and female points of views are synonymous with NMG and its strategy. Across all strategic initiatives of NMG, women are fully integrated and are leading our approach, execution and growth as an organization. Each day when decisions at NMG are being made, we have women leaders bringing their authentic voice to the discussion. That voice represents their perspective and community which ultimately resonates with our majority female-based customers.

How would you describe your leadership style?

I grew up as a child of Korean immigrants in Memphis, Tennessee and was routinely exposed to extremes in a variety of contexts, including wealth and race relations. With that background, I have found that to be effective you have to be situationally aware and adaptable, and embrace different leadership styles depending on the setting. At my core, the traits that drive my overall approach are transparency and honesty.

In what ways does the NMG further empower women?

If you can answer the question of Do you feel like you can go to work and be your authentic self? with yes, then you have found the right organization that will foster your professional development and nurture your soul. We all have many aspects to our lives that shape how we behave and react. To know that I can go to work every day and represent all viewpoints and have those perspectives appreciated is empowering.

How else is the NMG breaking the glass ceiling?

For organizations to make a meaningful impact in creating an environment conducive for women and minorities to advance professionally, you must have a flexible and caring culture. One that allows employees to have schedules that permit balancing personal lives without sacrificing their careers, and one that celebrates different backgrounds and perspectives. To really establish that type of culture, this mindset has to be developed, believed and executed from the top, and reinforced throughout the organization.

Cultivating an environment where employees feel like the traditional barriers for career progression do not exist requires far more than institutionalizing a new program or a benefit, its a mindset that has to be embraced by all employees, particularly leadership of an organization. NMG has the culture that is foundational for all associates to advance professionally.

Natalie Lockhart: SVP, Strategy & Execution, NMG

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Let Love Lead The Way - WWD