We asked for recommendations from Delta Gamma members of Black change-makers, creators, business owners, influencers, artists or leaders they love and believe that other members should know about. We compiled those suggestions throughout the month, and now, as we conclude our celebration of Black History Month, we want to share five sister-recommended Black creators to follow, support and learn more about.
Edmonia began creating in 1863; her early sculptors were of well-known abolitionists such as William Lloyd Garrison, Charles Sumner and Wendell Phillips. During her time in Rome, Italy she became known as one of the few sculptors who rarely used Italian workmen to assist on her projects, as she created much of her work without aid. Edmonia ultimately became known for her sculptures showcasing her dual African American and Native American lineage. She was the first sculptor of African American and Native American heritage to gain international recognition. You can find her work today at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. When it is safe to road trip again, these are some highly recommended pieces to see in person!
Elizabeth is an award-winning New York Times-bestselling author of The Poet X, a book about a young woman who uses slam poetry to navigate family and personal relationships, and other notable work such as With the Fire on High and Clap When You Land. Her work focuses on the trials and tribulations of young adult life. She currently lives in Washington, D.C. where she continues to write and perform. Next time you are popping into a bookstore or searching for a new audio book, be sure these are on your list.
Dr. Corbett was one of the lead developers of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine. She is a research fellow and scientific lead for the Coronavirus Vaccines and Immunopathogenesis Team at the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Research Center. Dr. Corbett has also spent time working on a universal influenza vaccine. We send our thanks for her dedication and passion; she is truly a woman who will go down in history for her efforts!
MC Lyte is known as one of the pioneers in the hip-hop industry, in part due to her role as the first female hip-hop artist to release a solo album. She was also the first hip-hop artist to perform at Carnegie Hall, as well as the first female hip-hop Artist to have a gold single and a solo Grammy nomination. Notable MC Lyte songs included “Cha Cha Cha” and “I am Woman”. She continues to perform and record, while also being a successful businesswoman in founding her own entertainment management and production firm, called Sunni Gyrl Global.
Misty became the first African American female principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre in 2015. She began dancing at the age of 13 and has earned numerous leading roles in performances such as Birthday Offering, Bach Partita and Thirteen Diversions. Misty has created and choreographed the Spanish Dance in Ratmansky’s The Nutcracker and the Fairy Fleur de farine (Wheat flower) in Ratmansky’s The Sleeping Beauty, along with several others.
Taylor Johnson, Alpha
Omega-Arkansas, has broken barriers throughout her time as a Delta Gamma member.
During her undergraduate career, Taylor was recognized on the list of 71
Seniors of Significance by the University of Arkansas for the class of 2019,
served on the Student Alumni Board and earned membership in two honor
societies, all while working toward her dual degree in Criminal Justice and
Legal Studies.
Taylor was a founding
member of her DG chapter, which was re-established at the University of
Arkansas in 2017. Below is a letter from Taylor that she was inspired to share
with our sisterhood during Black History Month.
I was looking through old emails recently to find helpful information for a new chapter, and I came across an email entitled ‘Dropping’ from mid-October 2016 – a few weeks after I had joined Delta Gamma. Very few people know this story, but at that time, so early in my membership, I had planned to resign. It related back to not yet seeing the value of membership and an experience that left what could only be described as a bad taste in my mouth. One evening, a fellow new member, who was an upperclassman, had invited a group of sisters to her dorm room to hang out after a Panhellenic event. When I arrived and she opened the door to her room, the first thing that I saw upon entry was a large confederate flag.
As a person of color (POC) attending a predominately white institution in the South, symbols of hate, such as this flag, are commonly seen. I loved the alumnae that recruited me during re-establishment, but I began to question my decision to join. I had already gotten questions from other POC on why I chose to join a Panhellenic organization, rather than a predominately Black sorority.
After reaching out to resign, our stationed Collegiate Development Consultant (CDC) at the time, Alli Byrne, responded asking to meet with me the following day. We discussed my hesitations with membership and why I was planning to resign. I left that meeting willing to give membership some more time and effort to see if resignation was the best decision. Alli was supportive, reiterated the values of our Fraternity and noted the potential she saw in me as a member and potential leader in my chapter. She saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself at the time. I went on to become a committee head, vp: social standards and then became the first African American Panhellenic chapter president at Arkansas. This was an honor I had no clue about until another stationed CDC, Chrissy Strangie, did some research and informed me shortly after I was elected.
I gathered these thoughts and wanted to share this story to challenge all women of Delta Gamma to critically think about inclusion within our sisterhood; to think before complaining about attending “Culture not a Costume” presentations, writing negative or offensive comments under a post of a holiday with which you may not be familiar or only pairing with your campus’ Interfraternity Council (IFC) for events. One may go through DEI training, but true equity and inclusion lie in the hands of members, both collegiate and alumnae.
I am thankful I met with CDC Alli, who helped me weigh my options and encouraged me to stay in Delta Gamma, for, I would not be where I am today without her.
Taylor graduated in 2019 and became a CDC, providing support to Delta Gamma chapters across the continent. Now a second-year consultant, Taylor has visited 17 chapters in person and supported 11 chapters virtually. She is currently stationed with new chapter Theta Zeta-FGCU, utilizing the skills she learned from past CDCs when she herself was a collegiate member of a new chapter. Read more about Taylor’s experience as a CDC and how that compares to the role in previous decades in the fall 2020 ANCHORA. After she concludes her time as a CDC, she plans to pursue a career in federal law enforcement.
Redefining the Path: Becoming a Leader through COB
Continuous Open Bidding (COB) has always been a great way for outstanding women to find their home in Delta Gamma, especially as an alternative for women who are unable to or choose not to participate in the primary recruitment process. This year, COB is more important than ever before, as health guidelines have changed recruitment activities and regulations.
Meet Natalie Cooper Grindle, Gamma Sigma-Houston, Regional Collegiate Recruitment Specialist for Region 6
“I joined Delta Gamma through COB in Spring 2004. The previous fall, I had decided I was not the ‘sorority type.’ The truth is I would never have gotten myself through the formal recruitment process, and I knew it was not how I could put my best face forward. But, I knew I wanted the community Greek Life offered, and I missed the meaningful connections of a close network of friends."
Natalie is a Texas native, having grown up on the coast in Bay City. At the University of Houston she studied marketing, management and Spanish.
"By the spring of my freshman year, I had gotten close with several DGs through other campus activities, so it felt very natural saying ‘yes’ when they invited me to a UH basketball game. I convinced my friend to go with me, and I guess the rest is history. We were both extended bids and later joined. I have never looked back ... and I have loved every part of my journey!"
"After graduation, I spent a year traveling as a Collegiate Development Consultant for Delta Gamma, and I consider my time on the road to be the single largest contributor to my human development and personality."
Natalie has continued to be a committed volunteer, serving as a local volunteer, Collegiate Recruitment Consultant, Panhellenic Support Specialist and a facilitator for the Alcohol Skills Training Program (ASTP) and other leadership seminars.
Watch, read, listen and connect with these friendship programs!
Watch
Delta Gamma has long known that friendship is a key to happiness, vitality and well-being. That said, different types of friends impact us in different ways – some very positively, while others … not as much. In this webinar, “Vital Friendships – How to Fill Your Cup” led by Sue Stanek, Lambda-Minnesota, sisters learned five different types of friendships and their effect on us. Anticipate the opportunity to do some thoughtful reflection on the types of friendships in your life, the type of friend you are to others and what steps you can take to do good for the friendships in your life.
Sue describes the different type of friendships one can have and how to make those friendships work for you. Examples included the mentor, the pull-down friend, the “80-20 friend,” fan club friends and seasonal friends.
“I think we should take advantage of the way we are wired as women. A friendship should affirm and challenge us in ways that we can’t do ourselves. I challenge each of us to choose wisely and invest accordingly,” Sue said.
The friendship models she speaks of have the goal to have friendships “with no regrets.”
Sue Stanek, Ph.D., is Founder of Inspiring Results, and has 30+ years of successful business experience, including product management, sales, sales management, learning and development, and external consulting. In her first 15 years, Sue led the learning function in two national healthcare organizations, was a product manager for a global learning and development organization, and then served in the roles of sales and sales management, at a global organization providing custom learning solutions for Fortune 500 clients. For the past 15 years, Sue has worked as a leadership consultant and seminar facilitator, with much of her time within the area of leadership and corporate mentoring. Sue’s work has received extremely positive reviews ranging from Hasbro, to General Mills, to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Sue has received numerous awards, including her work with Menttium to achieve their consultant of the year award at The McGraw Hill Companies.
Jennifer McCreary Ford, Alpha Iota-Oklahoma, is a long-time Fraternity volunteer currently serving on Delta Gamma's Equity Assessment Board and the Third Year Think Tank. In the podcast episode "Sisterhood Beyond Badges" she was joined by friends Katy King, Delta Zeta, and Cindy Munson, Alpha Chi Omega, to talk about sisterhood in its multitude of forms and how to nurture those relationships.
During the podcast it was shared, “We’ve continued that friendship 25 or 30 years later almost. I think about those women I met at the University of Oklahoma, and they were really there during those formative years as you’re figuring yourself out as an adult.”
Jennifer added, “I think that’s the thing about collegiate sisterhood, you had those impactful moments and you were figuring out life and they were there beside you.”
In October 2020, sisters participated in two programs about the Oath of Friendship. They were not recorded because the discussion centered around private ritual, but the programs utilized can be found in the DG Dialogue program guide in the Library. During the program, collegians and alumnae came together to discuss the Oath of Friendship, its meanings and how it shows up in their daily lives. This worksheet was utilized as a way to reflect on one of our most sacred rituals. Additionally, a podcast by BOT member Maureen Syring, Nu-Idaho, can be found in the library which discusses private ritual. Log in and access the podcast here.
Connect
Delta Gamma holds meet-ups which are networking events for alumnae as a way for them to expand their network and virtually connect with other sisters. No preparation needed – just show up, and we'll randomly assign you to breakout rooms to chat with some new (or old) friends. Sign up for a future meet-up and learn more about upcoming events here: https://www.deltagamma.org/news-resources/connected-for-good
Our Collegiate Development Consultant (CDC) program celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. So much has changed in the ways of technology and travel for these women but the fact remains: for 75 years, these women have been an integral part in the development and growth of our sisterhood.
Our 2020-2021 CDC team participated in interviews as normal in February 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic changed how the world could operate. In July, the consultants began training virtually, using Zoom for "face-to-face" meetings and finding ways to build camaraderie from afar. The fraternal world was changing rapidly to accommodate pandemic orders and keep members safe, which meant consultants had to quickly become experts in previously uncharted areas of fraternity/sorority life.
The 2020 CDCs have been able to support chapters with virtual recruitment, socially-distanced sisterhood events, and balancing all of the demands on collegians' time (and internet connection). Many 'visits' have been entirely virtual, but some consultants have traveled to the location of our newest chapters to stay for the semester. Despite so much change, the ultimate goal remains the same: support chapter operations, develop the confidence and leadership skills of collegiate officers, and empower Delta Gammas everywhere to live our values and do good.
In the Fall 2020 ANCHORA, we featured the 2020-2021 CDC team and a spotlight on how the job has evolved over its 75 years. In our "Past & Present" story, we talked to current CDC Taylor Johnson, Alpha Omega-Arkansas, and 1970-1971 field secretary Marcia Hunsinger Werremeyer, Mu-Missouri, to get an inside look at the similarities and differences of the role.
What year were you a CDC?
Taylor Johnson: 2019-2020; and I am currently a second-year consultant on the 2020-2021 team
Marcia Hunsinger Werremeyer: 1970-1971
What were the main responsibilities of a CDC?
TJ: Providing consultation and support to collegiate chapters through leadership development, education and guidance. CDCs collaborate with collegiate members, advisers, volunteers, university administrators, and fellow EO staff in their effort to assist chapters in reaching their fullest potential.
MHW: We served as a liaison between EO/Council/Cabinet and collegiate chapters and universities. We problem solved with collegians and reported back to Columbus.
How long was your training?
TJ: A month
MHW: A week or so
What were the main focuses of the training?
TJ: Training begins with an introduction to all departments at EO, who will be integral in assisting us as we work remotely with collegiate chapters, and learning all areas of collegiate chapter functions. Other focuses include recruitment (and retention), as well as sessions to further foster our leadership abilities and knowledge to prepare us to collaborate with guide collegiate chapters.
MHW: Learning best practices, familiarity with CCOM, policies and procedures. There were four of us who came from a variety of DG backgrounds so all needed to be competent in all areas.
What was the best part about being a CDC?
TJ: The best part of being a CDC is working alongside and meeting so many amazing, passionate, and dedicated sisters and friends of the anchor. Oh, and having the opportunity to visit so many new and unique places while do so isn’t bad either!
MHW: Traveling and meeting young women from across North America. While each chapter had its own personality, they all shared similar problems and concerns. Working with involved alumnae set a great example for DG life after college.
What was the hardest part about being a CDC?
TJ: For being a job that involves being constantly surrounded by new people, it can be quite lonesome. As a traveling consultant working with chapters for short periods of time back-to-back I have found that, at times, I have to remind myself to leave time to turn my focus away from work and catch up with friends and family.
MHW: Since we had no means of communication other than letters and long-distance calls, we were pretty much out of touch with our individual friends. It was lonely at times.
What is a travel hack you learned as a CDC?
TJ: TSA precheck and a steamer can and will save your life and/or utilizing Marie Kondo's folding techniques can assist in taking full advantage of space in a suitcase.
MHW: No luggage with wheels in those days so we packed as lightly as possible. Rolling clothes rather than folding minimized the wrinkles.
How many chapters did you visit?
TJ: Last year, I visited 17 chapters in-person and three chapters virtually
MHW: 26?
During those visits, what was the consistent thing that you were really working with chapters?
TJ: Branding, especially the importance social media plays in chapter branding. Anchorbase was also something I regularly worked on with chapter officers.
MHW: How to make sorority life relevant in the lives of collegiate women, [problem solving related to] drugs, uninspired programming, too few women running for chapter offices, ineffective college Panhellenic, recruitment numbers down resulting in unfilled chapter houses and unbalanced budgets were all common areas of concern. (Keep in mind the historical climate: Vietnam War, Kent State shooting, assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr., civil rights, first Earth Day, women's lib, walk on the moon and Woodstock)
We hope you've enjoyed this journey through the last 75 years of the CDC program! You can find blog posts about past decades on the blog homepage, and follow our CDC Instagram account, @deltagammacdcs. If you have questions about the Collegiate Development Consultant program today, emailCDCapplications@deltagamma.org.
Applications for the 2021-2022 CDC team are now open! Learn more and apply on our jobs page, andregister here for an information session about applying to be a CDC.
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Today, the Delta Gamma Foundation proudly funds training and programming opportunities through generous gifts to the Foundation, in the areas of social responsibility, health and well-being, and leadership. This includes the Collegiate Development Consultant Program, which is funded in part by the Delta Gamma Foundation!
Redefining the Path: Finding your sisterhood through COB
Continuous Open Bidding (COB) is more important than ever this year as health guidelines have changed recruitment activities and regulations resulting in altered opportunities for women to learn about the sororities on their campus. Over the next few months, we’ll be introducing sisters who found the Delta Gamma sisterhood through the COB experience and have now dedicated their alumnae life to our sisterhood.
Meet Anel Mattar, Theta Beta-Case, Collegiate Development Consultant (CDC).
“My first semester of college, I really struggled to get acclimated and find my place. This affected my motivation and focus on schoolwork, and I ended up finishing my first semester with a GPA that I was not proud of. My campus did deferred recruitment [in the spring semester each year] so when it came time to go through recruitment, my GPA ended up affecting my eligibility. I was extremely disappointed, as I was planning on studying abroad the following spring and therefore would not be able to go through recruitment again. At that point, I had accepted that joining a sorority was not going to be for me.
The following fall, a close friend of mine texted me asking if I was interested in attending Delta Gamma’s COB events and going through the process again. I texted her back and said, 'Sell me on DG.' She then proceeded to tell me about her experience and how she had grown in her time in the chapter. I had raised my grades and figured I had nothing to lose. I attended the first event and just felt like I finally found a group of women I could connect and grow with. I felt like I had found a home. When I got my bid, I was shocked but so incredibly happy at the same time. The COB process allowed me the opportunity to join a chapter that I otherwise would not have been able to because of my academic plans. It was also a more relaxed experience where I felt like I could be myself.
When I got back from studying abroad, I was able to attend the Lewis Institute and further grow my love for Delta Gamma. I was able to serve as chapter president and develop my leadership skills. I joined a community on my campus that was empowering and encouraging. I became heavily involved not just in my chapter, but also the fraternity and sorority community and even won an award for my involvement and dedication. Now, I am so incredibly lucky to work for Executive Offices as a CDC and continue to share my love for Delta Gamma. As I think back and reflect on the ways I have grown and the things I have been able to accomplish because of Delta Gamma, I can’t help but think of the young woman that attended that first COB event with no expectations and no idea what was to come.”
Collegiate Development Consultants in the 2000s and 2010s
Delta Gamma’s Collegiate Development Consultant (CDC) program soared into the 21st century, where the advances in technology shaped the role as much as it shaped the world. Despite the many changes to come, many of the program staples stayed the same: like making memories living and training in the Martin Center, learning from staff, Leadership and members of Council.
2006-2007 CDC Emily Burris Hester recalls her experience, “Training was truly one of the best experiences. Living in the Martin Center, “commuting to work” walking from our bedrooms to the training table. Snacks galore! Those weeks helped shape our incredible team. I remember Tracey [Doebling Williams, now Fraternity Executive Director] telling us, ‘You’ll get tired of eating as a big group of 10,’ yet somehow it never got old to us! Most of our training was done by our fearless leaders, Tracey Williams and Beth Searcy. These women set high expectations.”
Emily added, “We learned from incredible Delta Gamma sisters – truly ones I consider giants of our great Fraternity. These women helped connect us to the bigger picture of Delta Gamma and get a full understanding of what we needed to know before life on the road. I have this belief that people who were in Fraternity Leadership roles when you first came into being involved at a high level remain forever in your head in that role as your marker for Fraternity Leadership. Shari Malone, Fraternity President at the time, spending training with us is among my most cherished time in DG. And the incredible teams who came in each weekend hold special places in my heart.”
While technology was rapidly progressing, CDC in the early 2000s still mailed their information to chapters prior to their arrival. They were provided a cabbage case containing file folders with policies and educational resources. Upon landing, a CDC was picked up from the airport by a member from the chapter – hoping that their car was big enough for her massive cabbage case and luggage – and taken to where she would be staying. Typically, CDCs would stay either in the chapter house, a dorm room, apartment or hotel.
2003 saw the inauguration of the Baynard named consultant, started in memory of Mildred Moyer Baynard, Kappa-Nebraska. Since 2003, Mildred’s trust has provided the funds for a consultant to work with one of Delta Gamma’s newest chapters to give a little extra special attention.
Many CDCs spent their visits educating chapters on anti-hazing policies as well as teaching financial management and recruitment best-practices. During this period a new phenomenon arose: social media. CDCs and chapter members learned how to navigate it together.
Melissa Less Eckenrode recounts as a CDC in 2004-2005, “Facebook STARTED the year I was on the road ... we had no idea what was to come with that, but I do remember some of the chapter members at Arizona State introducing me to it! So social media was just starting to pick up.”
As the CDC program entered the 2010s, consultants traded cases full of documents for laptops and smart phones, able to type up their reports on the go and email them to the chapter, Executive Offices and Leadership. Even the ability for the CDC to text the collegian picking her up from the airport or taking her to dinner was a game-changer. These changes also meant extensive training on new recruitment software, database management, chapter budgeting software and how to utilize chapter websites and social media platforms for marketing and promotion.
The decade brought numerous establishment opportunities, reaching a peak in 2017 when the largest team in the history of the program, 22 consultants, made it possible to oversee 4 establishments, several new chapters, and an increased number of recruitment visits for all chapters.
"For the five weeks of training, we crammed 8 tables, 22 chairs, a projector and screen into the formal living room at Executive Offices. The floor was a dangerous web of laptop charging cables and after two days the room was so warm we had to fill the last remaining bit of floor space with as many oscillating fans as would fit!" shared 2017-2018 CDC Alexa Ruestman. "Each day of training involved someone leading an activity or game, which, for 22 women in such a small space, would leave us laughing and chatting so loudly that Tracey would have to slide open her door to shush us!"
Collegiate officers prepared visit schedules in spreadsheets or Google calendars, and consultants usually had their phone and laptop in hand all day as they hopped from coffee shop to chapter house to Student Affairs office. Many meetings were shaped by the conversations CDCs had been having for decades: recruitment, financial management, preventing hazing behaviors. But new areas of chapter focus lead to new ways the consultants could offer support. "Big trends while I was a CDC included mental health, confidence in young women, social media, and inclusion," shared 2018-2020 CDC Jordan Rawlinson. "These issues were approached through the DG Dialogues program, as well as 1:1 conversations, group meetings and facilitating workshops."
It's the confidence, adaptability and creative thinking from these meeting and conversations that many former CDCs credit for the real-world skills they gained on the road. CDC Kati Wechsler shared: "Being a CDC has given me so many skills that will benefit me both in life and in my future career as an occupational therapist. In my first semester of graduate school, I had a practice session with a patient in which I planned a 30 minute exercise. My professor commented on how easily I maintained composure and engaged my patient in conversation that allowed me to learn about their interests. Conversation is a huge part of building rapport, and the confidence I gained from being a CDC in my ability to meet new people and form a connection is invaluable. The knowledge that I can walk into any situation and make the best of it is the most important thing I learned from CDC life."
In the next post, we'll be featuring what CDC life has been like in 2020 from the perspective of our current team of consultants! To learn more about applications for the 2021-2022 CDC team, visit our Jobs page!
Today, the Delta Gamma Foundation proudly funds training and programming opportunities through generous gifts to the Foundation, in the areas of social responsibility, health and well-being, and leadership. This includes the Collegiate Development Consultant Program, which is funded in part by the Delta Gamma Foundation!
Cynthia "Cynt" Marshall, Gamma-UC Berkeley, put her career on the line when she accepted the role of chief executive officer (CEO) of the Dallas Mavericks. She was hired by Mark Cuban to transform the “locker room” culture. She set out with a vision to establish the Dallas Mavericks as the global standard for diversity and inclusion, with a needed focus on women and people of color.
A “Sports Illustrated” article revealed the gross mistreatment of women who were working for the Dallas Mavericks NBA team in 2018. Misogyny and sexual harassment were just some of the misconduct that was brought to light. Owner Mark Cuban was disgusted and knew he had to make a change in management. The entire office culture required a transformation.
The person he needed to overhaul the organization? Cynthia “Cynt” Marshall, Gamma-UC Berkeley.
“He said he was in a crisis, and it was a sincere, genuine cry for help,” Cynt said.
His phone call caught Cynt off guard. She was newly retired after 36 years at AT&T, having worked as the senior vice president of human resources and chief diversity officer. Her new consulting firm was underway and although she was a huge basketball fan, running an NBA team hadn’t been a goal of hers.
Putting her reputation and impressive resume on the line, she visited the Mavericks office to meet Mark and discuss the issues at hand. During that visit, several female employees came up to her and shared their terrible personal workplace stories. The women weren’t valued, and they were being mistreated by a male leadership team.
“I knew I had to do it for the sisterhood.”
“I own it, you run it,” was the business plan Mark set for Cynt from the get-go. To this day, she keeps him involved and informed even amid a pandemic and the increased focus on diversity and inclusion efforts, he has remained committed to his trust in her. And Cynt’s success running the organization is evident.
In the short two years she’s been with the Mavericks, she’s had a huge impact. What started as an intense 100-day plan full of ethics and zero tolerance policies has bloomed into a much healthier and safer work environment.
She increased the number of women in management to almost 50 percent and has increased the number of people of color in management to 33 percent — believing the more diversity sitting around the conference table, the better the decisions.
“Diversity is being invited to the party – inclusion is being asked to dance.”
Managing this large organization though the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenge to even a well-established business veteran. When the first wave of the pandemic struck the U.S., Cynt immediately focused on keeping her employees physically, mentally and emotionally safe. The organization continues to work from home, relying on Microsoft Teams to connect. So far, she’s impressed with employees’ productivity.
In these uncertain times, Cynt has honed in on several specific leadership skills. She developed a new personal platform that she calls her new “Dot Com.” It’s focused on compassion, communication, community, compromise and compliance.
She is especially thankful for Mark Cuban’s presence this year. “He is the much-needed, bold, courageous voice during this time …” She’s learned a lot about the business of basketball and appreciates his interest in being community-minded and generous.
“I can’t believe I had to wait all this time to have a boss like him. He’s perfect for my work style,” Cynt said.
Before becoming one of the world’s most successful business executives, Cynt was busy dreaming of her future. She grew up in low-income housing in Richmond, California. Her father was abusive, and her parents divorced when she was a teenager
She had a strong work ethic and had her eye set on attending college at an early age.
“I am rooted in my faith in God. I continue to have an optimism that keeps me believing the glass is always half full,” Cynt explained.
Her mother held multiple jobs to take care of the family and she is one of Cynt’s strongest role models. “She put two books in my hand at an early age, a math book and a Bible,” Cynt said.
Cynt credits the poem her mother used to read to, “Be the Best,” by Douglas Malloch, for her multiple full scholarship opportunities to universities. The poem inspired her to “be the best of whatever you are.”
With a full scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley, Cynt began to break barriers, but in each trailblazing moment, she usually didn’t realize she was the one breaking the barrier.
Cynt was the first Black woman to be a cheerleader at Berkeley. Trying out for the team was second nature to her. She didn’t make the squad her freshman year but returned to tryouts her sophomore year full of nervous energy and made the team.
“I still don’t believe that I was the first. It’s actually hard to believe. If it’s true, and at this point I guess it is, I am proud to have blazed a trail and happy to have witnessed a diverse spirit squad at Cal in my alumni years,” Cynt said.
She said as an African American, she was also an anomaly going through recruitment. “All of my fellow cheerleaders were in a sorority and they encouraged me to go through rush. I really had no reference point for what it was about, but it sounded like fun,” Cynt said.
DG felt like home to her because of the importance of philanthropy. “The ‘doing good’ motto was me all day!” Cynt held the position of vp: philanthropy her first year in the chapter.
“Every time I visited the DG house on Channing Way, it just felt right. I still get goosebumps just thinking about my DG experience,” Cynt said.
“I had fun living in a sorority house with over 100 sisters, while being the only African American,” Cynt said.
She explained it was a cultural experience for all. “I taught them about afros — how to comb, shape and make them gorgeous. I also regularly took some of my sisters to the public housing projects where I grew up and where my mom and some of my siblings still lived at the time. It was home and they felt at home when they visited with me.”
She’s thankful for her relationship with her DG roomie making her feel at home. “We really bonded. She would tell people to leave me alone when they would go overboard with the curiosity about aspects of my culture,” Cynt said.
From college through her professional life, Cynt has continued to break barriers. Two years ago, the TODAY Show featured her during Black History Month. The reporter congratulated her on being the first African American female CEO of an NBA team. Her response: “It’s 2018, I shouldn’t be the first of anything.”
While her professional life contained success and recognition, her personal life includes moments of grief and heartache. Cynt battled stage three colon cancer at the age of 51. After six months of brutal chemotherapy, she is thankful to be in remission, crediting medical professionals and her family’s support for the miracle. She hopes to publish a book by the end of the year about her experience focusing on how she put the “can in cancer.”
Cynt and her husband of nearly 40 years have experienced four second trimester miscarriages and the death of their 6-month-old daughter. After those more-than-challenging first 10 years of marriage, Cynt said that the Lord had other plans for her to create a family: adoption.
Today, the couple and their four children love cheering on the Mavericks together. Inspired by her children, she has dedicated her life to providing permanency and stability to children and is an advocate for adoption and CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates).
It was while having young children at home that she worked her way up the corporate ladder at AT&T and became president of AT&T in North Carolina. From there she became one of the company’s top executives and worked as senior vice president human resources and chief diversity officer. An unforgettable moment in her career occurred when she was asked to ring the New York Stock Exchange bell on Wall Street representing AT&T. With tear-filled eyes she rang the bell, a day she had dreamed about since she was a teenager.
“At one point growing up, my father regretfully said that my sister and I were going to be hookers on the street. I responded to my mother saying that I was going to make money on the street — Wall Street,” Cynt said.
Remembering that moment, Cynt started crying when she called her mother as she was standing on Wall Street about to ring the bell.
The ringing that followed was the sound of hard-earned success.
The Ripple Project started out as six 8" x 8" paintings. For a direct donation of $250 to an organization providing resources for the most vulnerable populations in Los Angeles and Lincoln, NE, anyone could own original artwork by professional studio artist, Alison Aten Rash , Eta Alpha-Pepperdine. The paintings sold within one hour.
When diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in the autumn of 2014, Rash and her husband moved with their two young children from Los Angeles to Lincoln, NE to be closer to Rash’s family. The move proved prudent as Rash experienced her first of three metastatic relapses just one year after relocating and was elevated to Stage 4.
At the onset of the COVID-19 quarantine, Rash felt the overwhelming need to do something to help those most affected by the economic shutdown. With her compromised immune system, going to the shared studio space she rented in Lincoln was out of the question. She quickly transformed her dining room into a temporary studio and started painting. “I realized that buying art probably wasn’t on most people’s minds at the time but that helping was.
I created the paintings and found six organizations in Lincoln and Los Angeles, the two places we call home, to support. I posted them on my professional Instagram site and was happily surprised at how quickly they sold.”
Encouraged by the positive response, Rash spent the following weeks creating a total of 43 paintings and raising over $10,750. Each organization received the 100% direct donation from the buyer and Rash shipped the “purchased” painting to the donor.
When protests erupted around the country, Rash began phase 2 of the Ripple Project, this time raising $5,000 to support organizations working toward racial equality. Rash shared what has become the mission statement of the project, “If we each create a ripple … do what we can, with what we have, where we are … together we can create a wave and make an impact.”
In the midst of the Ripple Project, Rash learned of her third metastatic relapse. The breast cancer had moved into her hip bone. She is undergoing treatment and remains hopeful and optimistic. She reflected on this turn of events in her life, “Hasn’t COVID-19 taught all of us how to pivot? How to change direction on a dime when plans change or something unexpected comes up? We pivot, we adjust, we cry, we lean on each other, we summon our courage, we muster our strength, we change course, we live fully every day.”
Rash’s work has been exhibited in LA, NYC, San Francisco, San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Paris, Venice and Tokyo and can be viewed at www.alisonrash.com. The Ripple Project can be followed on Instagram at @rippletoawave and @rashalison. Her cancer journey can be followed @aliaten.
Tools for a successful virtual learning experience
2020: The year dining rooms had a renaissance. Parents all over the world transformed a space into classrooms to help their children receive a virtual education due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Feeling overwhelmed or in need of inspiration? Learn from sisters who are veteran homeschoolers.
By Nicole Springer Gilleland, Zeta Rho-Ohio. She is in her 6th year of homeschooling her three children ages 10, 7 and 4.
I say that “most days we survive, but many more days we thrive.” It’s those thriving days that keep me going. Overnight my lifestyle has become the normal for so many families whether they were ready or not. Here are some words I want to put in your heart. Education, like parenthood, is an adventure, so try to see the best in each day, even the awful days full of screaming and flying pencils. School can happen anywhere, and learning does not have to happen in a building down the road between 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. In fact, you may find the best learning happens on a drive to the grocery store as you discuss the weather; which leads to teaching about types of clouds; which leads to talking about atmosphere and airplanes, and before you know it you have stopped by the library to grab a book about the Wright brothers.
Tangents happen and they are beautiful and something you can’t always find in a traditional learning environment.
Don’t be afraid to take schoolwork outside in the grass or to just meet your kid wherever they are that day. Some days are hard and emotional so for your sanity and your child’s mental health you may need adjust your expectations for that hour. There is no “behind” when it comes to education, there is only learning and most importantly, learning HOW to learn.
Another great lesson I have learned in my journey is do not underestimate the importance of reading aloud a good book to your kids of any age (yes even those who can read or even drive on their own). It can really be a magical way to calm kids, enhance vocabulary, and just go on an adventure from your couch.
Finally, at the end of the day when you look at the stacks of worksheets that may or may not have been completed, also look around at what else was accomplished—Did they build with Legos? Bake cookies? Watch a knitting video on YouTube and craft along? Maybe they visited an elderly neighbor and brought in their trash cans. Every action with a purpose can be educational and you can’t make a worksheet for that.
So, whether you are in this for the long haul and plan to make homeschooling a lifestyle or you’re literally counting the days until you can send them back to their teacher, we are all teachers and have been teaching our kids since the day they were born.
5 Keys to Homeschooling Success
Overwhelmed with homeschooling? Let these tips free you up to enjoy the journey.
By Kelly Goza, Delta Pi-Southern Mississippi. Kelly is beginning her 10th year of homeschooling her four boys, ages 14, 12, 8, 7.
1. Jump in and learn alongside your kids. The biggest concern I hear is, “how do I teach my kids about a subject I know nothing about?” Not a big deal. Learn right alongside your kids and discover new topics and interests together.
2. Learning can happen anywhere. You don’t need the perfect schoolroom. Learning can take place at the kitchen table, a hammock or on the way to a field trip.
3. Read aloud often. Kids of all ages love being read to and it can redeem any bad day.
4. Connect with a local homeschooling community and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Find seasoned homeschool families to help you sift through curriculum, local laws, learning styles and the transition to homeschooling.
5. Homeschool does not have to look like a traditional school. Kids can accomplish schoolwork in a fraction of the time it takes at traditional school. Don’t feel boxed in to keeping the same school hours or completing every detail in your curriculum.
My goal in homeschooling is to foster a lifelong love of learning, not to cram every fact into their brains.
