It’s all too easy to overlook the humanity of our colleagues when we are focused on our work. In honor of Women’s History Month, I’d like to highlight a few of the extraordinary women I have the privilege of working alongside at NCRC. Prompting my colleagues to reflect on their most noteworthy accomplishments has left me inspired by their brilliance. Here’s what they shared.
- “I am most proud of the fact that I’ve never given up on any of my goals, despite any roadblocks I’ve faced.” –Nadiyah Thomas-Mitchell
- “I’m proud of my educational goals as I am the first woman in my family to graduate from college.” –Alejandra Pringle
- “I am most proud of my ability to build strong and meaningful relationships with my peers and, in those relationships, provide support, space, and understanding.” –Sally Sim
- “I am most proud of working in an organization that makes an impact in the lives of socially and economically disadvantaged individuals and communities.” –Daniella Djiogan
- “The thing I am most proud of is my ability to continuously make space for women to be heard, uplift women’s stories, and learn from the women around me.” –Rose Ramirez
- “What I’m most proud of is that I’ve worked very hard to take advantage of opportunities that my mother and grandmothers never had – like going to law school, buying a home, and dedicating time and energy to social and economic justice.” –Catherine Petrusz
- “As a woman, I’m proud of the work I’ve done in management, operations, and program administration to effectively hit organizational goals with an EID framework where I put staff and our mission first — at NCRC CDF, it’s recognizing that we’re a small and mighty team serving a diverse, underserved community by providing access to capital and many of us come for the communities we serve and need access to professional development and mentorship. I’m proud of putting people first.” –Nayeli Pelayo
- “My biggest accomplishment and most rewarding experience as an attorney is providing pro bono services to other businesses, especially women-owned businesses. The business law sector is a white male-dominated space, but I am always proud to represent as a woman of color, particularly at corporate law conferences. I make it a point to not alter my appearance as I am a proud woman of color and want people to know I am there, present.” – Sonya Bryant
- “The accomplishment I’m most proud of is being the first person to graduate high school or college in my family, something my parents hoped for after they immigrated to the US.” –Magdalena Mysliwiec
- “As a woman, I’m really proud that I get to do work at NCRC that can help make it easier for Black people to have access to a Just Economy and advocate for reinvestment in Black communities.” –Nichole Nelson
- “As a Latina in a position of power and influence, I feel an incredible responsibility to make space for other women and create opportunities for women to shine with their natural talent and ability which comes through in the people I hire, work with and collaborate with – our voices are all too often not heard and not at the table and for me that means I kick in the door to opportunity to welcome in others so they can contribute and not experience the same struggles I have had to endure.” –Marisa Calderon
- “As a woman, I am proud to be in a position to empower the younger generation of women, especially my younger sister, that they are capable of anything they put their mind to regardless of what they are told… prove them wrong.” –Kaylee Harcrow
- “I am most proud of the ability to take up space and to use my seat at the table to advocate for the most marginalized and disenfranchised members of the population. My work is for them, I’ll always use my voice to make sure they are heard.” –ibijoke Akinbowale
- “I am most proud of cultivating a network of strong, empowering, successful, and supportive women around me.” –Natasha Sim
- “I’m proud of how I’ve been able to empower and lift up other women through my work.” –Chloe Sabharwal
- “I’m most proud of being a mother; my professional accomplishments just can’t compare to that.” –Christa Murillo
- “I’m most proud of getting a master’s degree in a traditionally white, male-dominated space as a child of refugees and someone with my profile felt like an uphill battle, but I am glad to have done so while carving space for others who didn’t fit the mold through a DEI-focused coalition of students and professors who demanded more from the institution.” –Zaba Rashan
- “One of the things I’m most proud of is our communications and development intern program. Through this program, I’ve been able to mentor dozens of students and young professionals, helping to guide their future careers, all while making them stronger, more effective communicators. Many interns have gone on to start careers in economic and social justice, including three women who are currently employed by NCRC.” –Alyssa Wiltse
- “As a woman, what I am most proud of professionally is being an industry leader in human resources, matching human capital to strategic business. I get to help businesses and people advance; how cool!” –Alisha Felder
- “I’m most proud of helping women and especially Black women small business owners better access credit by highlighting to regulators and the public the discrimination they face when they go into a financial institution and request information about credit products.” –Ali Lederer
- “It has always been important to me to uplift other women, lending a hand whenever possible, advocating for those who feel their voices are silenced and inspiring young women to always believe in themselves.” –Estee Smith
- “I see my work as fundamentally about being in service to a broader movement that stretches across communities and across generations of civil rights and economic justice advocates – there are wins or sometimes losses in a given year or month, but I am so proud to be a part of this arc toward justice.” –Megan Haberle
