Empowerment of Black Women: The Cheerleader Squad

Dictionary.reference.com defines Empowerment as a verb (used with object)

1. to give power or authority to; authorize, especially by legal or official means: I empowered my agent to make the deal for me. The local ordinance empowers the board of health to close unsanitary restaurants. 2. to enable or permit: Wealth empowered him to live a comfortable life.

I have been very blessed to be mentored by several Black women who have passed their torch of enlightenment on to me. I have felt mentored by women much younger than I have because they had so much treasure to share, which made my life so much more fulfilled. From beauty to professional advice, I made myself mold-able and teachable. I allowed myself to be empowered.

For years I did not feel empowered by those who should have wanted success for me. Those closest to me seem to want to harness my success by shutting down my every dream. This Even those who would tell me,

“You are going to go places. . .”

“You can conquer the world. . .”

“You have what it takes. . .”

I was very confused, especially when I thought those people had my “back”. What is so bad about another person’s success? What is so awful about your mentee excelling beyond what you have ever done? Isn’t that what it is all about? How does it benefit the mentor and mentee should failure occur due to sabotage? It benefits no one; and that is my point.

I am a witness that not everyone who empowers is out to sabotage another’s success. We are all mentors and mentees at some point in our lives. We may slip and fall; but the encouragement of those who sincerely want to empower that helps us regain our footing.

Enable, support, qualify, aid, assist, and facilitate are action verbs that describe the love mentors have for their mentees’ future endeavors. Enabling another Black woman to achieve and grow to the best of her ability is what empowerment is about. Mentors unselfishly offer the gift of happiness and joy to the mentee. There is no expectation of compensation. It is a gift – nothing more and nothing less. Supporting another Black woman who is forging a better world for other Black woman is the key to everyone’s success. So much negative press about Black woman has bombarded the world. So, when Black women empower each other to strive for excellence and it actually happens, everyone wins.

A mentor’s words of encouragement empower the mentee to become more successful. I have benefited from such guidance. I am a mentor to many Black women whom I have never met in person but communicate with often. What is amazing is the role of mentor/mentee may change through our conversation because I am a consummate learner. I remain moldable. I remain teachable. Success comes in small, medium, and large packages; and if I could name everyone who supported my successes, I would.

My goal is to further the cause of Black women in a positive way. The media has painted such a negative picture of Black woman; and Black women like me are determined to rearrange that canvas one mentored Black woman at a time