"We," Not "Me"

On Wednesday, I skipped one of my classes to attend the Women in Academia Panel, (well...I asked permission from my professor, so was it really "skipping?") and I'm so glad that I did. The women on the panel were so bold and authentic, and I could have easily listened to them speak for another several hours.

One of the main points that stood out to me was the idea of amplification. One of the women explained that during the Obama administration, many of the women leaders banded together and created this idea of verbal solidarity. If a woman spoke up with an outstanding idea that seemed to be overlooked or undervalued, another woman would speak up and say, "I want to go back to what _______ mentioned, I think that's a great idea." By amplifying each others' voices and serving as living microphones, these women were heard and taken far more seriously than they would've been if they hadn't decided to come together for the best interest of their group.

We don't have to be in Congress to do this. Amplification is a practical idea that we can incorporate into our every day lives. This is something I try to do often, but my goal is normally more about allowing the person who spoke to feel proud of their voice and less about making sure everyone else heard it. I will definitely be more intentional about the voices I choose to lift up and the motive behind it. I hope you guys will join me in lifting up the "we" more than the "me." We're stronger together, and we will persist!