As part of our Women’s History Month celebration that recognizes women making history in everyday ways, we asked our staff about the woman or women who mentored them. Below is what our Chief Communications & Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Michelle Dixon, had to say.
Women’s History Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of women. For me this means more than simply acknowledging women of great historical significance. It means also celebrating women from all walks of life, be they heads of businesses, or heads of households; whether they command the attention of thousands or the attention of a single classroom. For me, it is also a time to celebrate women who have lifted me up and who have impacted my life.
Through the years strong women like my mother and grandmothers have been significant role models, and I have also been fortunate enough to have some great mentors. There was Phaedra, a senior who helped me to navigate life as a high school freshman; Ann who was a constant source of advice early in my career and who encouraged me to pursue my MBA; and Patricia whose guidance and support was invaluable as I negotiated a new career in a new city. I am grateful for these women, and many others, for their investment in my personal development, for being a part of my network of champions. Perhaps the most important lesson I have learned from all of them is that when women prioritize lifting each other up, there is a lasting ripple effect. Because of them, I have felt empowered to be a mentor myself, to pay it forward. You do not have to be in history books to impact the future.
