Defining Collectively Upward

Planted: Friday March 1, 2019
Last tended: Friday March 1, 2019

Inspired by my dissertation work, I want to understand how people change places over time. Which people? Well, for the most part my writing and ideas stem from my experiences, so I'm mostly talking about how a Black woman can change a place. What places? I'm in love with Toni Cade Bambara's quote that the "revolution begins with the self, in the self," The places that I think about are the self, home, school, work, and nature. What time? All of time; the past informs the present and the future[1].

I want to focus on the question of how do Black women change places and grow. This direction allows for the exploration of power and access[2] in relation to the various places Black women operate. Right now, I'm focused on self-exploration and self-healing as starting points for personal growth in Black women.

I want to serve as a leadership and mentoring resource. My first mission is to connect 1000 growth-oriented Black women to information that helps them change the places that they occupy. Think of it as a framework for moving Collectively Upward.

Thinking about milestones and progress, the following five areas are objectives to shoot for.

• Access to resources for upward mobility for the self, family, and community[3].
• Income generated through physical and intellectual property.
• Boundaries in place to lead a fulfilled life.
• Love and heal the self[4].
• Honor the environment.

These objectives can be measured by reaching milestones like:

• A new law, rule, policy, program, etc is implemented in a place.
• Behaviors, mindsets, values, and norms shift.
• Embracing personal power and identity.
• Comfortable with self and acknowledging accomplishments.
• A switch to one or more sustainable or environmentally friendly practice.

The values that guide this work are:

• Exploration
• Collaboration
• Leadership
• Adaptation[5]
• Mentorship

[Links]
[1] https://listed.to/@LisaMariePhD/29618/defining-histofuturist-histofuturism
[2] https://listed.to/@LisaMariePhD/29523/defining-advancement
[3] https://listed.to/@LisaMariePhD/29555/defining-abundance
[4] https://listed.to/@LisaMariePhD/29488/defining-alignment
[5] https://listed.to/@LisaMariePhD/29609/defining-awareness