The Story of Elizabeth by Jeanell English

I was raised in a household surrounded by strong women. The type of women who viewed the world a little bit differently and saw opportunity when others might have seen obstacles. They instilled in me a sense of determination and work ethic that made failure an impossibility. My professional journey has thrived with this foundation and as a result I have had the privilege to live, work, and travel the world.

While I smile thinking of what I have accomplished, I also reflect on the setbacks and challenges I have experienced, particularly those which can be attributed to my being a Black woman. Expectations and assumptions closed as many doors as they opened, yet as the women in my family taught me - failure is never an option.

I leveraged disappointments to refine my approach and become a more direct, deliberate author of the stories I was tasked to tell. Observe, listen, think, adapt, and execute; deliver ambitious organizational goals while respecting and integrating the perspectives of those who I engaged along the way.

In 2019 I reached a point where I could no longer deny the voice inside of me saying, ‘think bigger, do more, speak up.’ In my 6+ years abroad my definition and understanding of diversity had grown substantially, as had my passion to remove the barriers of access that continue to diminish the voices of underrepresented communities and women in creative industries.

So, here I am responding to that voice and redirecting my energy and focus to open doors and advocate for those that need to be not only heard but amplified. There is so much to be learned from unexplored places but only if we open ourselves up to hearing, listening, being inspired by unfamiliar voices.

Allow me to introduce you to Elizabeth. Elizabeth is my Great Grandmother, she is my middle name, she is a tribute to all the women who have inspired and championed me. She is a reminder that we all have a voice that is worth being heard. Elizabeth was, is and will always be a storyteller.