Life & Leadership: A Conscious Journey

International Women's Day 2022 | Katarina Hoskins, Jonathan Reiss, Felicia Rickards, Jannat Maqbool, Lorene Phillips, Pearline McIntosh, Karen Grace

March 08, 2021 Dr. Michelle St Jane Season 1 Episode 32
Life & Leadership: A Conscious Journey
International Women's Day 2022 | Katarina Hoskins, Jonathan Reiss, Felicia Rickards, Jannat Maqbool, Lorene Phillips, Pearline McIntosh, Karen Grace
Show Notes Transcript

Celebrating International Women's Day (IWD) with Katarina Hoskins the founder of IWD Bermuda, Jonathan Reiss, Felicia Rickards, Jannat Maqbool a Mother, twin professional leaders in the marketplace Lorene Phillips and Pearline McIntosh and Karen Grace.  Join us in conversation on this global day celebrated for 110+ years.  

Let’s choose to acknowledge the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Let’s join the call to action for accelerating women's equality.

Bullet Points

  • Katarina Hoskins, The Founder of IWD Bermuda
  • Jonathan Reiss, Corporate Captain in International Business
  • Felicia Rickards and the Evolution of You 
  • Jannat Maqbool Mum | AI | Smart Cities | Fintech | Digital Inclusion & Enablement
  • Lorene Phillips and Pearline McIntosh, Women Influencers
  • Karen Grace, Grandmother and Wise Baby Boomer

Knowledge Bomb

"Let's Break the Bias” (IWD).

About the Guests

  • Katarina Hoskins,  Founder of IWD Bermuda - @IWDBermuda
  • Jonathan Reiss - LinkedIn 
  • Felicia Rickards - LinkedIn, Facebook - Felicia Rickards Int’l, IG - @thefeliciarickards
  • Jannat Maqbool - LinkedIn 
  • Lorene Phillips - LinkedIn
  • Pearline McIntosh - LinkedIn
  • Karen Grace, quietly wise and deeply thinking.

About the Show

Podcast Host: Life & Leadership: A Conscious Journey with Dr. Michelle St Jane

A podcast for Global and Re-Emerging Leadership creating community/tribe, a circle of influence, transcendency of compassionate leadership in the world and wider universe. A unique destination for learning about Leadership + Conscious Stewardship + Legacy.

Social media accounts:

Website
Facebook
Instagram
LinkedIn
Twitter

Support the show

Intro  0:07  

You're listening to Life and Leadership, A Conscious Journey, the podcast that shares wisdom and strength. Join your host, Dr. Michelle St Jane’s weekly conversation on how to have a positive impact for people planet and the wider world. If you want to live a life with intention to be proactive with your time and bring your vision for the future to life, one day at a time, you are in the right place at the right time. Let's get started.

Michelle St Jane  0:38  

Imagine, “one of the most courageous act is to think about yourself out loud” as Coco Channel once said.   Let's have a conversation with business leaders:

who are parents, mentors, influences,

who are willing to give their time wisdom, strength and hope.

0:56  

In celebration for International Women's Day let's bring them all together in one place.

A diverse group of critical thinkers and leaders from New Zealand to Bermuda. 

1:07  

Who are they? Let's start with: 

Him:

He’s a corporate leader who cares about diversity and inclusion. 

Her:  

She's black and successful. 

She's an Asian mom passionate about digital inclusion and enablement. 

She's white, a diplomat. 

She's a grandmother and a baby boomer, who gracefully navigated many decades. 

1:32  

Join us in conversation on this global day that's been celebrated for over 110 years. Please choose to acknowledge the social, economic and cultural political achievements of women. Let's join the conversation. The call for action to accelerate women's equity. 

1:49  

My podcast Life and Leadership A Conscious Journey is all about engaging in conversation to celebrate the success of women and their leadership philosophies. First up, Katarina Hoskins is the founder of international Woman's Day Bermuda, this started in 2015. It's all about raising awareness around gender parity, women's equity, and to fundraise for female focus charities.

2:15  

Welcome Katarina Hoskins. She is the founder of international Woman's Day in Bermuda. This group's been going for six years.

Katarina Hoskins  2:25  

Thank you for having me, Michelle. 

Michelle St Jane  2:27  

Could you share your leadership philosophies as a woman?

Katarina Hoskins  2:31  

Yes, that's a very good question. Whether it's leadership or just my own philosophy, I think the first thing that really pops in my head is, if you don't ask, the answer is always No. So that was always kind of my philosophy of going through life, you know, going through various businesses or opportunities, really. And then another quote, that I always it's quite commercial, I stole this from Nike, “just do it” is another of those things that you know, what's the worst that can happen? Also, another one that I really focus on is focus on solutions and ask for suggestions from a diverse people, because then you get really the outcome of various solutions.

Michelle St Jane  3:20  

Very wise answers there. It's definitely the regenerative philosophies to bring in the traditional wisdom traditions, indigenous people, and “all voices create choices.”

Katarina Hoskins  3:32  

As long as you know, you're doing the right thing. I mean, don't worry about what other people think or, you know, as long as it sounds right for you. That's usually it's the intuition that leads you to the right thing.

Michelle St Jane  3:46  

Intuition. Yes. the quietest voice. How did you come to found IWC Bermuda?

Katarina Hoskins  3:52  

That's exactly what I was talking about. It was intuition, I think. I have to give credit to Jeff Baron of One Bermuda Alliance (OBA).  He’s a former  a Minister of National Security who worked for the UN.  Jeff told me about the 8th of March being the International Woman's Day, and that the United Nations for years have been celebrating this day. 

4:15  

I took this idea to a group of women. And our first event was very simple. We kind of just jumped on it and said, “hey, let's celebrate and make ourselves heard and seen.” We organized this lunchtime event, it was just about 50 odd people. Then we marched through the city of Hamilton.  We donated money for the Woman's Resource Center. Then the following year, we added speakers to our event, you know, powerful women.  We were based at City Hall. We also invited Government and other dignitaries, some of my colleagues as the Honorary Consul of Austria. This became an annual event. 

5:03  

Now we’ve added a completely different demographic with the schools. All of some of the schools wanted to be involved. We had these amazing head girls speaking. You know, some of them just brought tears to your eyes or ears, I mean that the speeches were so stunning. You almost had goose bumps. I mean, this year was incredible, because although we were saying we can't do it at City Hall, we are doing it virtually. I had literally phone calls and emails from various organizations that want to be part of it now. We have more sponsors on board. So corporate entities are also reaching out. It's not just a celebration anymore, it's really a movement. We really need to take this momentum and implement changes.

Michelle St Jane  5:56  

You're building on 110+ years. This is the 117th year and on an island that's over 500 years old, where women have been invisible but visibly contributing the impact. 

The call to action this year is all about equality. The mantra is “a challenge road is an alert world!” What are your ideas around this?

Katarina Hoskins  6:17  

Yes. A challenged world is an alert world! We’re speaking out in public and in offices, it's certainly a first step. I think the change starts in your own home and at your own dining table. I have two nine-year-old boys. A husband who is a successful lawyer. 

6:38  

It's been strange sometimes to ask my kids or my husband to, to help setting the table or, you know, helping in the household. I grew up in a household where my mother stayed at home, looking after the kids and the father went to work. He came home for lunch at 12:10. He sat down and expected his lunch. That was how it was done. And it was socially accepted or still socially accepted. We have to adapt, everything evaluates. A year ago, for example, I started working for as a compliance officer in an investment company. A few months ago, we did a workshop and discussed various groups, changes and diversity we can add to our group. When I pointed out that we had no female in our ‘C’ suite level positions, nor in our management, they kind of asked me, would you like to lead this group and make the changes. I'm telling you, it wasn't easy to say it out loud. In front of all the ‘C’ suite level staff.

Michelle St Jane  7:51  

Thank you for your courage. I agree. It's not easy to step up and express these gaps and hope they're not going to shoot the messenger. Thank you so much for your courage. I really appreciate that Katarina,

8:04  

I'm so delighted that you've got the school children involved. I was there on City Hall in 2015 when you did the first one. So I feel very honored to be interviewing you six years later. 

What are you most excited about with this event? 

Katarina Hoskins  8:22  

What am I excited about? We've always had phenomenal speakers. Even though it's a virtual event, I do believe that many companies and schools will be able to watch this event from wherever they are. 

Just to give a bit of a sneak peek of who we have. There's Premier of Bermuda, David Burt, and the First Lady. They are really big supporters of IWD Bermuda. Then we have our keynote speaker, Bermuda Governor Rena Lalgie. She's taking on a big task. I'm really, really happy that she agreed to be our keynote speaker at this event. Then we have Deshay Caines. She's a young Bermudian, who will talk about the corporate sector, diversity and inclusion. Then there is Mackenzie Cole Tuckett, a 16 year old young lady.  She went to Warwick Academy and founded a nonprofit organizations two years ago. When she was 14, to celebrate women by supporting their education in Bermuda. 

9:29  

We also have an award. We're also giving out an award to a woman this year who has done amazing work for Bermudian children by educating them in a very specific male dominated business sector. I can't say more otherwise, it wouldn't be a surprise, but it will be an exciting event for sure.

Michelle St Jane  9:50  

That's quite the cliffhanger to end on. Thank you for all that you do. I celebrate your leadership behind this and your willingness to persevere Throw in a pandemic.  Let’s highlight the positive outcome of moving it all to virtual The accessibility becomes not only local but wider, wider with access locally and globally.

Katarina Hoskins  10:12  

Thank you very much, Michelle, for having me and giving me the opportunity to make it more global. I hope your viewers will also sign up. I will post the flyer and give you the signup information. If you already want to look us up, we are IWD Bermuda on social media. 

Michelle St Jane  10:38  

Jonathan Reiss, a corporate leader who is courageous and outspoken with regards to his stand on diversity and inclusion. He's the managing director of Strategic Risk Solutions. Jonathan cares deeply about D&I and the culture of business.

Jonathan, I'd really like to hear your leadership philosophies, especially around diversity and inclusion. How did you become interested in this?

Jonathan Reiss  11:04  

Well, I recognized that it's an important topic. In my prior job, I had the pleasure of building a business from absolutely scratch. I was employee number two at a new startup reinsurance business in 2012.  The business actually ended up evolving, and the ownership ended up changing, and it was rebranded in 2013. That's when I had the pleasure of working for a Brian Dupperault.  The business is now Hamilton Insurance Group. I was there for up until pretty recently, like, you know, a few months ago in 2020. 

11:34  

When you build a business from scratch, you’re there from the very beginning, you don't just have your own role. I was for most of my tenure there,  a chief financial officer. As the Chief Financial Officer, you care about all the numbers and who's spending money and where the money is coming from. I always cared about everything beyond that. I deeply cared about the culture of the business. We were very thoughtful about building a culture. 

11:55  

I'm happy to say we had, compared to most companies in the insurance industry, more female leaders. I think that made us, why I still think I know that made us, a better company. 

Also, I just have more awareness than others, white men perhaps. I always speak my mind, as people who know me know. I speak my mind. Sometimes that's worked out. Sometimes it doesn't. People I think, appreciate me for that. 

12:20  

Maybe what makes me a little different from most successful white males in the business world is that for most of my tenure, in an almost 30 year career is that my first boss was actually a female manager.  Then for most of my tenure at E&Y my boss was a black male. 

12:38  

I think that the issue is so complicated. It really is complicated. I used to think before I really learned a lot. We formed a D&I forum at my former job. I was the executive sponsor.  A lot of research was done. I learned a tremendous amount.  For a period of my life, I thought, well, hang on, people know that racism is wrong. I don't feel or think racist anymore. Why is there still a problem? When people talk about institutional racism, they're not necessarily talking about it's not anyone, no one's being hopefully no one's being racist.

13:18  

In fact, you can have a whole organization where people are really trying to not be racist and trying to be inclusive, but failing. Its because they don't realize that the norms are so deeply ingrained the business world, the finance world, the international business world.  Business was designed for white men who had wives have stayed at home and raise the kids. All of those customs are still deeply ingrained. 

13:42  

The big issue is parental responsibility.  Until men take more responsibility for being parents, women are always going to be a disadvantage. That's just a fact. That's something I spent quite a bit of time learning about and focusing on and with my former company.  We rolled out a thoughtful parental leave policy.  It didn't solve all the problems, but it took a big step in the right direction by developing a thoughtful parental leave policy.  Which incidentally, wasn't gender neutral. We thought we want to end up with a gender-neutral policy. 

Sometimes, you know, you have these policies are like primary parent versus secondary parents, those policies  don't do anything. The company proudly says they have a gender-neutral policy, because you can elect to be the primary or secondary parent, but actually nothing changes. The women are always the primary parent and nothing changes is a good example of where this unfortunately, good intentions don't translate to any progress. And because you end up in may be worse off. You've just spent all this time and you've come up with a new thing. Everyone thinks they solved the problem. They've done nothing almost as if  you're paid lip service to it. Good Intentions aren't enough. You have to actually really focus and do the research. Really focus on on D&N. Decide it's an important process and give it the resources that you give to other important processes that are critical to your business. 

14:58  

I want to just make one point. It's really important because you mentioned that it'll help because women can work from home. But until men take more responsibility for raising the children and sharing the parental responsibilities, I'd like to think that the ability for men to work from home is actually the more important factor in leveling the playing field because men should share their childcare responsibilities. As long as women have most of the childcare responsibilities, we're never going to get to where we need to get to. Its as simple as, men have to be fathers who share equally in the parental responsibilities.

Michelle St Jane  15:31  

Felicia Ricketts, strategist, speaker, author and global leader in the field of leadership and organizational development.  In her role as the global business connector for Women Speakers Association, her aim is for women to command this space at the front of the room, or wherever that may be. Michelle Obama said “there's no limit to what we as women can accomplish.”

Felicia Rickards  15:58  

Thank you, Michelle. Yes, International Women's Day for me really means women coming together in the spirit of growing and learning and developing as a group. Particularly in these last few years, that have been very challenging for women. We have all come together through over coming together through a global pandemic.  It's been quite challenging on women. For me, it means an opportunity to continue to support, continue to have conversations that I think will help women raise their families, bring their families and survive through such a challenging time.

Michelle St Jane  16:32  

Thank you, Felicia. This year is all about how to accelerate women's equality, diversity and inclusion. I really celebrate that it brings to mind two women that are my favorites. One is Madam CJ Walker. She was a black entrepreneur, who was doing business likeAvon before Avon was around. She sold her hair products. She had the ladies in her community also earning, supporting and creating community around her products and addressing their needs, in terms of how to address issues that they had. Do you have a favorite woman in business?

Felicia Rickards  17:08  

Oh, my goodness, there's there are so many. There's so many Michelle. But in terms of who I tried to emulate, obviously, the one that comes to front of mine now are the US political figures. And we're talking about, of course, Michelle Obama, particularly. And that's really not really because of the office that they hold, but because of their true spirit of owning who they are, of recognizing that they're intelligent, and recognizing that they can express themselves according to whom they think they are and whom their true worth is. Somebody like Michelle Obama, particularly I love to watch. Particularly for younger ladies who are coming along behind me, it really helps to show that any objective, any goal is reachable.

17:57  

I've been involved with the Women's Speakers Association for quite some time. For a few years, I was a bit of a passive member. I found was that it allowed me to really connect to other women. To hear about some of the challenges that they were experiencing. To support other women through this network. I stepped into a role as a global business connector mid last year. The timing was perfect, because through that role, I'm able to host sessions with women virtual now of course. I really provide a safe space for women to come discuss some of their objectives, discuss their goals and opportunities, maybe some of their weaknesses. Really provide a safe space and sounding board for them to work through some of their challenges.

18:50  

Even more importantly, and more rewarding, it's an opportunity for women to strategize. Thank you so much. I think in terms of a last thought, we talked a lot about Women Speakers Association.  At my core business one my most prideful programs is around events and women leaders within that corporate space. I do spend time through one of my corporate alliances in helping to assess women, do a gap analysis. Then creating a solid succession plan. 

19:27  

In terms of women, in particular, one of my passion points is a solid succession planning system within the corporate environment or within your own business, if you're a business owner, the critical difference between the speed of your success or the extension within your own business or a corporation. That is one of my passion points, pulling together that analysis, coming back with a progression plan and just watching that implementing and shine.

Michelle St Jane  20:01  

Jannat Maqbool, mum, AI, Smart Cities, FinTech, digital inclusion and enablement. As Cher said, “women are the real architects of society.” Let's hear from Jannat. Thank you for being here today. I'm so grateful to have you as part of celebrating International Women's Day in 2021. It's time that we acknowledge all that sort of social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women out there in a challenge world. So Jannat, what would you add to the conversation? What interests you with regards to International Women's Day.

Jannat Maqbool  20:44  

I think the opportunity for getting podcasts like this, or websites and events, all the speeches and talks to the younger generation, the generation that's coming through. To ensure that the selection of criteria, or of careers, or pathways that they can follow.  I am from an ethnic community, preferred even from a wider community to just see, see people that look like them, talk like them, came from the same background as them doing different things. Rather than just the sort of run of the mill careers, or even if it's not a career, it's just a pathway for your life. That's what I'm passionate about.  

21:17  

I've got two daughters. Someone asked me once, “what is good. What does a better future look like?” I said, “a more inclusive one.” There's opportunities for everybody. That's what I'm about. My focus then is in tech, making tech a little bit more demystified it a bit.  Ensure everyone can be part of that conversation when it comes to technology, because I believe can benefit everybody.

Michelle St Jane  21:41  

Coming back to women and equity and being in tech, you know, women weren't doing a lot of those kinds of studies, in the computer studies and that type of thing. Three or four years ago, I'm in the Global Game Jam with all these young, mostly guys, there's only a few of us women never more than about 2 or3. I will be waiting to join a team and young men did not really want me on their team. By the end of the game. They're like, wow, you we’re actually a quality team members bringing a different perspective and ideas. But don't ask me to code that’s definitely off my table. 

Any last thoughts around International Women's Day that you would share or encourage?  

Jannat Maqbool  22:34  

I was just thinking while you were saying that about how there wasn't any women around during that time doing gaming. To be honest, I never really thought of that. Like I never realized there's a gap there in terms of women in these careers. I was just thinking while you were talking, I was thinking about why I never thought that way. I never thought it was an issue. 

22:55  

When we were growing up as a migrant family in Australia, I knew there was no way that my ancestors, the women even let alone the men, because we came from a village and they weren't educated. My assumption was just no one did it because you didn't do that back in the villages in India. So it wasn't that they missed an opportunity or they weren't included. Then even when we were growing up, the only thing I really remember is that our family was the first one to let the woman go to university.

Michelle St Jane  23:28  

Lorene Phillips, a seasoned reinsurance executive turn founder of Clarendon Wallace, a leading corporate career coaching and leadership firm.  Lorene provides leadership development for professionals, both executive and foundational level. Lorene is working strategically to develop confident, successful and diverse next gen leaders. Adrienne Rich once said, "The most important thing of one woman can do for another is to expand this sense of possibilities."

Lorene Phillips  24:00  

From my perspective, I think anything that celebrates women, I'm all for that. I'm from a family of all girls. I've always been absolutely comfortable around girls. I'm a mother of four boys.  I'm always now looking for opportunities to not just celebrate women, but also to connect with women. Probably, more so now this stage of my life, I'm really understanding how valuable it is to acknowledge other women and their contributions. 

24:35  

The earliest woman that I admired was my primary school teacher, Mrs. Demetrius. At the time I didn't really understand the value and the impact that she would have on my life until many years later. She was perhaps my first introduction to how impactful women can be to other women and mature women can be to young girls and that can impact them for a lifetime. She just demonstrate to me, modeled for me, her expectations for me that I had to return I had to rise and rise to and become the very best that I could be. I would say that was my earliest, smiling as I think fondly of her,  she did that for all the kids that were in our class, you know, little 10-11-12 year-olds.  I am very thankful for that she leaves an amazing foundation. 

25:23  

Then in my career, I was privileged to have as a mentor Cathy Lord, who I met at 18 years old. She was the only black executive in the insurance industry at the time. I was just enamored that there one existed so reached out and asked her if she could be my mentor. She said, Yes, and 30 years later, I’m still going strong. 

25:43  

Then there's my mom, in terms of just her living out those principles and those core values that have stood the test of time. That have stood disappointments like that promotion, you thought you would get that you didn't get or that job that you thought was yours that was even offered. All those disappointments that you experience. I believe my mom's values, and her just being able to show us what a successful life really looks like, has been a tremendous support, and a tremendous guide about the things that matters most.

26:17  

There is so much for us to still learn as women. I'm no longer in my 20s. I'm still learning so much from other women that are ahead of me and have so much wisdom. We still need to be mentored as seasoned professionals and as mature women. It's a position of humility that I enjoy taking, but particularly to reach to the next generation. That's where our legacy lies, basically. 

26:42  

To be intentional around that, I have started my own coaching practice for that very reason. I could have taken the easy path and just stayed in the industry and do well, according to everyone else. Our lives have to be deeper and wider and more purposeful than that. Hence the reason why I started my coaching firm. To specifically find a way in which I can invest strategically in local talent, and build them up so that they can compete on the world stage. That's my ultimate vision for Bermuda and for boys and for girls. Wherever that opportunity arises, I will go for it. When you have been given so much, you cannot help yourself, but replicate that in the lives of others. So it's a joy and a privilege to be able to invest in others.

Michelle St Jane  27:30  

Pearline Mackintosh provides authentic leadership. She's all about safeguarding pensions and providing those services. Serena Williams once said, “if a woman's success should be an inspiration to another, we're strongest when we cheer each other on.” Thank you, Pearline.

Pearline MacIntosh  27:49  

When I look back at my career, or my education, one thing that's always been consistent is the role that women have played throughout my career choices. It is time that we do honor them and set aside time to truly thank the women that have gone above and beyond to help other women. 

28:00  

For me locally, my biggest supporter has been Monica Jones.  She was a partner at Appleby's at the time. I just remember looking at Monica and saying this is what I want to be when I grow up. She took no nonsense. She owned the room.  She knew she had every right to be in the room. She just took to me, she would speak on my behalf when I had no voice. When I felt invisible. To this day, she's still my mentor.  We still keep in contact. We still see each other and it's a relationship that I'll always have. Because of these women, there's a natural desire for me to do the same to give back to other women and men too. Young boys and young people in general.  Not just women, but also to men as well.  

28:56  

I'm proud to be a woman. I'm proud to be involved in the international space and proud to be involved in the local community. I look forward to continue to be of help to as many people as they can. My parting words would be “just remember that it's really all about relationships.” That's really what matters. That's what we'll take with us, the members and the relationships that we've formed. What I try to do is as I go about my day-to-day living is to be a positive impact to others, but more importantly, to encourage others to do the same as well. It's not a selfish act. It's not just it's just for me, but to look behind and help those that are coming along as well.

Michelle St Jane  29:36  

Karen Grace, baby boomer grandmother, and woman of wisdom, Karen is well versed in the experiences of inequality, women's access to upward mobility and being treated with respect in the world as being a woman. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said “the age of a woman doesn't mean a thing that these tunes are played on the oldest fiddles.” Daniel Saint once said “she wore her scars as her best attire, a stunning dress made of hellfire.”

30:12  

Karen, you're someone who can actually speak to having known me since high school to the end of the 20th century.  Where did you expect a person with my background to be?

Karen Grace  30:26  

Well, you certainly achieved a heck of a lot more than then one would have expected from someone from your generation and your background. I guess, at the time that we met, most women would have probably entered into marriage, looked after the kids, done the supplementary part time work at the supermarket or in an office or something like that. 

30:49  

Very few women in those days progressed on to careers.  Some would have gone to university, there would have been very low expectations of many of them progressing on to a lifetime career in a particular area. 

31:05  

One of the big one’s for me is as you age, get into your 50s, and late 50s, job opportunities dwindle horrendously. When I moved back to New Zealand from Australia, I’d go to job interviews and I was being interviewed by people, male and female, who were the same age as my kids. I'd look around the environment and think well, all these people are the same age as my kids. There's no way that I'm going to be seen as a fit here. So, you know, I'll go through the formality.  But I do not believe that there is a job opportunity at this place for me.  That becomes an issue.  

31:42  

I think across both genders there is a real ageism issue. What was interesting that in Australia that once you hit 55, both you and your employer would get a tax rebate. If you were in 38 hours of employment or more per week $500 each. I think was designed to encourage people to keep working, but also to encourage employers to employ older people. That's not something that they've done in New Zealand. There's lots of places in the world where there's no initiative, anything like that. Job opportunities become a real problem, because you're not seen as being young and dynamic and yet, experience is not as highly regarded either.

Michelle St Jane  32:25  

I appreciate you being here today to listen in to all this wisdom, strength and hope. I believe it's important to take time to converse.  Let's keep an eye on the statistics and do reality checks. The Gender Clock is still running backwards.  The investment, collection, production of data and research. How are we doing? Judge for yourself? 

32:49  

After all, if you are not a woman, your actual entrance into this world relied on the laboring of at least one woman. 

I agree with W.E.B. Dubois, “There's no force more powerful than a woman determined to rise.” 

It's been a pleasure to have you here today. 

Take action. start a conversation. 

Reach out to me if you would like to continue talking.  Follow, leave some shares and comments and encourage another woman in your circle today for the whole community.

Outro  33:29  

Dr. Michelle St Jane is a conscious steward as meaningful leadership in the world and the wider cosmos. Tune in every Thursday for real talk around life, leadership and your conscious journey. Be ready to create and cultivate your dreams and so hard at desires. Your support is value. Please follow, leave a review and a rating but more importantly, share with your connections.