Sophia Amoruso is a genius. And her story is incredible. She’s the founder and
CEO of NASTY GAL vintage clothes
company. The moment I picked up her book #GIRLBOSS,
I didn’t know what I was in for, and didn’t anticipate finishing it in 2 ½
days. I couldn’t put it down. #GIRLBOSS
is a how to/inspirational/part-memoir guide on how a young woman built her own
brand and business from the ground up, with lots of hard work, plenty of setbacks,
and much determination and became a boss.
As a young woman, I love what she shared, because it was refreshing to know
that there are other young women out in the world unapologetically kicking butt,
and fully going for what they want, as far as being a boss goes. In #GIRLBOSS she writes, “Here’s the thing
about being a #GIRLBOSS – it’s not easy. It takes a lot of hard work to get
there, and then once you arrive, it takes even more hard work to stay there.”
And she’s absolutely right. I’ve
recently found myself in a position where I’m flexing my own boss muscles trying
to juggle a full time career, and manage my writing. It’s not easy but it’s
worth the sacrifice. I love working and I love the grind that comes with
writing. I can work, grind, and hustle at the same time, and still manage to have
a life. It’s all about having a great strategy and prioritizing. If you’re a
young woman reading this, #GIRLBOSS is definitely a book you should read. You
won’t regret it.
I’m a Black educator in my fifth year of teaching middle school English, and in my third as the 8th Grade English PLC (Professional Learning Community) Lead. And while I genuinely enjoy the purposeful work I get to do, seeing the growth of my scholars, and continuing to hone my skills in a content area I’ve loved since I was a little girl, I’ve had to confront some unpleasant experiences in this space. I’d been through much worse when I was an academic advisor at a Christian university. Racism, sexism, harassment, and workplace bullying were sadly norms in that environment. However, some of what I’ve experienced as a Black educator hasn’t been normal … It doesn’t seem normal to be the only Black educator in my department – in a predominantly Black school. One of my Black colleagues once said, “It should look like a Tyler Perry movie in here.” But it doesn’t. It didn’t feel normal being reprimanded in a meeting (during my second year of teaching) by an administrator who went in on...