girl crush | here i am

Do you love having mentors? Do you love learning from others? I always have. Lately I’ve been curious about what life is like from a black person’s perspective. Actually, I always have been interested in multiculturalism and learning from others. I have lots of mentors and have been wanting to make friends with people who are different from me – in my beliefs and from the way I look and live. I am curious about everyone and want to learn from others, and lately I’ve been wishing for a close, black friend with whom to share conversations and ideas.

Today I happened to be on Facebook after work, and was alerted to a live presentation by Sheryl Sandberg, featuring a brief Lean In interview with Mellody Hobson. I fell in love and found my virtual friend. Isn’t she beautiful? Smart too!!

Mellody Hobson photo by Joi Ito from 2007

Photo By Joi Ito – http://www.flickr.com/photos/joi/1075661871/, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22374568

After all the crazy talk at the Oscars about race and lack of diversity and racial tensions, seeing and “meeting” and hearing from and about Mellody Hobson today was refreshing. HER story is actionable and real and dynamic and beautiful. And yet, have I been living under a rock? How come I have never heard of her before? I wish her story and those like hers were celebrated and in the news more often.

Part of why I write HERE I AM is to change our collective story and to share examples of positive living, just now, in the daily moments of life.

Mellody knows how to live it up and her story is remarkable, from what I know after just less than an hour of reading and research. I want to meet more women like her.

From the brief interview I listened to with Sheryl this afternoon, here is what I learned about Mellody and what I wish to share with my daughter and others:

Be Authentic.
Speak your truth.
Work hard.
Be BRAVE!
Be comfortable as you are. Accept who you are and unapologetically BE what you are.
Be rooted in extreme confidence, yet be humble and stand up for yourself.
Build your team and trust them to stand up for you.
Be curious about others.
Actively work together.
Be a magnet and draw others in by being wonderful.

Mellody worked hard to become the President of Ariel, a money management company in Chicago. She was raised by a single mother who taught her to help herself. She is married to George Lucas, and has a 2 year old daughter, named Everest.

To read more about her, check out this link to a Vanity Fair article about my new girl crush, Mellody: Vanity Fair Article about Mellody Hobson.

nAMaste

Juliana and Jessica and I met her tonight and I am in love! She’s kind of like a big deal and has written a New York Times Bestseller. Rachel Brathen, you’re my girl crush!!

I don’t remember when we first met, or why – I’m guessing someone shared a photo or something on Facebook and then I started following her years ago on Instagram. She has a BOGA Yoga board just like me, so she’s really RAD!

She has used social media to build a huge following and now has a best seller book. How cool is that?

She reminds me of Jessica Herrin, from Stella & Dot, using social media to build her empire. She could totally build one if she wanted to and I have a feeing she just might. I’m loving watching her journey and seeing where she goes and what she builds.

She was in Mountain View tonight for a book signing and we had front row seats where I could see her eyes sparkle.

She speaks from the heart and is authentic and real and patient and kind. I loved how she lovingly answered questions from the sold out crowd and how she made people happy.

I asked her how she took care of herself, after sharing so much of herself freely with the world and traveling everywhere. She said she makes appointments for herself to do her own yoga practice, meditations, acupuncture, dates with her husband, etc, and drinks a lot of wine. She is my twin!! Can you see why I love her?

If you haven’t discovered her yet, check her out for inspiration!

Instagram: @yoga_girl

Website: http://rachelbrathen.com

Thank you Rachel for signing my book and for the hug and photo together. I love that you brought along your husband and Ringo and your friends and photographer. They all seem so proud and supportive of you too. You are beautiful inside and out.

You made my day and I wish you well!

nAMaste