Let's Talk Tuesday: Quantifiable Wins

Quantifiable Wins

Welcome and welcome back. It's another amazing day in paradise. Thank you so much for being here whether it is your first time or you're returning. Thank you for your support.

This post is inspired by Jimmy Davies of Every.Black. Every few months, because of the influx of new people attending their meetings, he would showcase his story, "A 30 Year Overnight Success". I feel it's time I do something similar. 

The title "Quantifiable Wins" I need to attribute to a business consultant named Tiffany. I attended one of her workshops and although I found most of her content and the manner of her delivery not to my tastes, the phrase "quantifiable wins" has stuck. I have many to name and I'm pleased with each and every one of them.  

Since I'm meeting people in different areas that don't connect to one another, with each environment I'm introduced to, it's like starting from scratch to get recognized. Instead of rebuilding the bridge every time I meet someone new, I'm going to send them here. This post will be a part of my digital business card to give people a quick overview of who I am what I've done and what I am yet to do.

IYKYK! If not, let's get started. I have provided a timeline of major events, my quantifiable wins are highlighted in purple.

Timeline

~ December 23, 2015: I gave birth to a young Black male superhero at Wake Med hospital in Raleigh, NC. I was induced about 4 weeks early. God gave me the responsibility of naming him Wisdom. Because I had always wanted to be a mom, my pregnancy and his birth were like a dream come true. To date, being his mom and student is my greatest achievement! I feel like I truly started living when he entered my life.

~ September 2016: Moved back to CT with Wisdom (his first time)

~ January 2017-August 2019: Participated in various community offerings for young children and their parents, i.e.: Early Head Start, playgroups, library story times and workshops, Music Together classes, Kids Safe seminars, etc. 

~ February - April 2018: Participated in Circle of Security workshop through Early Head Start program Wisdom and I were enrolled in

~ (DJ) Wisdom's Student (AKA Momma Kai) hosted Motivating Mondays, 2a-6a "where we take a mundane Monday and make it magical through the power of music" on 89.3 WRTC, occasionally filled in for other DJs too

~ August 2019: Moved back to Raleigh 

~ November 2021: Introduced to Dr. Mary Haskett, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, NCSU, Fellow, American Psychological Association; to see/hear me read the letter of recommendation Dr. Mary wrote for me you can click here or you can click this link to read it for yourself.

~ January 2022: Started training to become a parent coach with the Jai Institute for Parenting

~ February 2022: Became one of two independent contractors with NCSU in the role of Parent Engagement Consultant, collaborating with state agencies to work on a strategic plan commissioned by the state of NC to provide early childhood education services to families without stable housing

~ March 2023: Received DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) Scholarship from Raleigh Founded, entitled to free 3 month membership to co-working space, awarded to community leaders who are working to forward racial equity/mission-driven organizations working to leave the world better than they found it 

~ April 2022: Panel Participant at the NC Early Childhood Family Leadership Conference, hosted by the NC Department of Health and Human Services; the presentation can be found here on YouTube

~ June 2022: Expanded my role as Parent Engagement Consultant by joining YAY Babies, an advocacy group created from members of the Strategic Plan committee who are working on a presentation of resources for families without stable housing

~ August 2022: Completed parent coach training

~ October 2022: (Personal/Professional Development) Virtually attended conference "Ending Violence to Children in the United Stated: Changing Social Norms About the Hitting of Children"

~ October 2022: Reviewed and submitted feedback on the 1st draft of the strategic plan

~ November 2022: (Personal/Professional Development) Virtually attended conference "The Power of Research to Inform Policy" 

~ November 2022: Virtually attended 1st community meeting with PowerUp

~ December 2022: Received full scholarship for Plant Based Coaching Certification (PBCC) with Food Revolution Network

~ January 2023: Started PBCC

~ January 2023: (Personal/Professional Development) Virtually attended The Breathwork Summit, The Best Year of Your Life Conference

~ February 2023: Extended contract with NCSU for last year of strategic plan project, final draft to be submitted to state in October 2023

~ February 2023: (Professional Development) Accepted to North Carolina League of Conservation Voters' Boards and Commissions Fellowship

~ February 2023: (Personal/Professional Development) Rock the Stage Challenge hosted by Women Rocking Business

~ February 2023: (Personal/Professional Development) Profitable Speakers Training by WRB

~ February 2023: (Personal/Professional Development) Virtually attended Trauma Super Conference hosted by Conscious Life

~ April 2023: (Personal/Professional Development) 1 of 10 parent leaders attending and participating in "Using Mental Models to Make Sustainable Change in Early Childhood Systems", a pre-conference session presented by the Waters Center for Systems Thinking at the National Smart Start Conference; I received a $200 stipend for my attendance

~ April 2023: Recipient of Spark Grant from Liles Law, provided all the necessary tools to register my business with the Secretary of State and pay for it too.

~ April 2023: Participated in Pre-summit Evening Roundtable at "Leveraging North Carolina's Resources to Prevent Child Trauma Summit" and presented "3 Compassionate Steps to Eliminating Homelessness" in the afternoon of the 2nd day

~ April 2023: Invited to be a member of the Raleigh/Wake County Joint Homelessness Task Force

~ May 2023: Attended 1st Task Force meeting and subsequent meetings in June, July and August

~ May 30, 2023: L.U.V. Enterprises Presents, LLC. officially accepted by the Secretary of State 

~ May 2023: Submitted proposal to present a workshop called "3 Compassionate Steps to Eliminating Homelessness" at the 2023 Conference to End Homelessness

~ June 2023: Pitched the creation of "The Coalition for Compassionate Housing" at the Raleigh-Wake County Joint Homelessness Task Force Meeting, the recording can be found here.

~ June 2023: Received financial support from Rob Herring of Earth Conscious Films in support of homesteads for the homeless

~ June 2023: Received financial support from the Food Revolution Network, via Ocean Robbins the Co-founder and CEO, in support of homesteads for the homeless

~ June 2023: Denied the opportunity to host a presentation at national conference to end homelessness but given a complimentary registration

~ July 2023: Attended the 2023 Conference to End Homelessness hosted by the National Alliance to End Homelessness; signed up for and received an opportunity to host a roundtable on the morning of the last day, presented "3 Compassionate Steps to Eliminating Homelessness"

~ July 2023: Presented 3 Compassionate Steps to Eliminating Homelessness as the Spotlight at Stage Door Dance in Brier Creek; the recording can be found here

~ August 2023: Interviewed by Robert Courts, Citizens Reporter for Your Back Yard (post is to LinkedIn, not sure if it can be viewed without an account; updated 9.3.2023)

~ August 2023: Interview #1 by Howie Jacobson (author, coach, podcaster) for Plant Yourself (updated 9.3.2023)

~ September 2023: Interview #2 by Howie Jacobson (author, coach, podcaster) for Plant Yourself (updated 2.3.2024)

~ October 2023: Graduated from NCLCV Boards and Commissions Fellowship (I'm 3rd from the end on the right in the picture.) (updated 2.3.2024)

~ October 2023: Strategic Plan released, on page 3 is my introduction (updated 2.3.2024) (updated 2.3.2024)

~ November 2023: Masterclass to support families without stable housing recorded, edited and released in December 2023 on Department of Health and Human Services website. Also on Youtube:

Link for Introduction 
Mental Health Supports 
Parenting Supports 
Children’s Services 
Housing Supports 
Job Helps

(updated 2.3.2024)

News Articles I've Been Featured In

5.11.2023: Inaugural child trauma summit draws hundreds interested in improving outcomes for NC’s children

5.12.23023: Wake County and Raleigh Homelessness Task Force meet for the first time

5.30.2023: Faces of Resilience

6.14.2023: Raleigh Pitchfest pushes second, small units as answer to affordable housing shortage

7.5.2023: Raleigh council passes resolution to apologize for city's racist past

7.6.2023: Some skeptical of Raleigh leaders' apology for participation in slavery, segregation: 'Just words.'

8.10.2023: What progress is being made to address homelessness in Wake County? (added 8.12.2023)

There is one last section that I will add to the blog in the next little while. It's gonna take a little time to compile all the links. They are the comments I've made during the public comment period at almost every Raleigh City Council meeting between February and July 2023. 

Wisdom even agreed to speak at one of them. That was a "proud momma moment". So please stay tuned for a post where I highlight those 3 minute monologues. In the meantime, thank you again and in advance for being here. I look forward to the ways we will work together to change the world. Enjoy the amazing day you're creating. Peace...