Running for U.S. Senate is my biggest life accomplishment to date. On this day 11 years ago, I was heading to the polls to cast my vote for the primary election; I was on the ballot.

Even though I didn’t advance beyond the primaries, that experience forced me to see my value, capabilities, worthiness, and possibilities in a way that I never had. The courage to get in the ring and to see my potential in a big way is something that I hope to carry with me to every other endeavor.

Some other lesser known facts about me:

1. My favorite food is fried chicken. It’s good for the soul.
2. My favorite cities are a toss up between Chicago and Paris. I love how vibrant Chicago is. I moved here as an adult. It’s so alive and full of flavor, community, content and substance. Paris is romantic!
3. My favorite song is Cheryl Lynn’s “Got to Be Real.” It’s so uplifting and inspiring with its message on authenticity. It brings an instant smile to my face and triggers my personal dance party. That’s my grace song! “Diva” by Beyoncé is another favorite, my grit song. My finance director used to play it for me to boost my confidence around raising money when I was running for U.S. Senate.
4. “The Seat of the Soul” by Gary Zukav is my favorite book. It expanded my thinking about the essence of who I really am at a soul level. It was very transformational for me. “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson also left an indelible imprint on me.
5. I won an Emmy Award for the television show, nextTV, that I created, produced and hosted when I was the president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. Once per month, I would meet with an editor from the Chicago Sun-Times to share my concerns about how they were covering the stories about black people in their paper. After becoming really frustrated with not getting through, nextTV was born to show the humanity of black people to ourselves and the world. Nominated for three Emmys, we took home two for being the best all-around public affairs show, and editing.

Next to my Senate run, my greatest accomplishment is creating spaces for ambitious women to learn how to fully walk in their brilliance. Grit+Grace Day 2021 returns virtually on May 21. Save the date, and join my mailing list for updates.

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