Ep.18 - International Women's Day: Investing In Girls Today To Empower The Women Of Tomorrow

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International Women’s Day, celebrated annually on March 8, honors the incredible achievements of women and creates real opportunities for young girls to succeed. 

Step into inspiring conversations on Beyond the Plate as we celebrate International Women's Day with a powerful episode focused on the theme of women's empowerment through education. Our panelists; Vivian Borja (Food For The Poor’s Chief Marketing Officer), Lisa Lee Arneaud (Founder, LA/PR Firm) and Michelle Gollapalli (Food For The Poor’s, Chief Development Officer) with diverse backgrounds, share unique insights and personal stories highlighting how investing in girls can cultivate resilient communities. As they dissect the barriers women face, you'll hear invaluable wisdom on tackling “imposter syndrome”, fostering self-advocacy, and the importance of mentorship.  Listen on how to “Claim You Agency”. The discussions challenge traditional perceptions and encourage young girls, women and men alike to engage with meaningful actions that uplift women in their communities. By illustrating tangible action points, our panelists shine a light on the impact every individual can make towards a more equitable society. 
 
This episode ultimately serves as a heartfelt call to action for all—encouraging us to champion educational initiatives and foster support networks that empower us to invest in girls today for a better tomorrow. Tune in and engage in these vital conversations, and let's continue to amplify women's voices and build a brighter future together!  Together we invest in the future of girls—because when we lift-up girls today, we’re building stronger women and communities for tomorrow!   

www.foodforthepoor.org/womensday 

#internationalwomensday 

@lisaleeinc   

@thelaprfirm  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
We had some fantastic teachers, and one of the things
that one of my elementaryschool teachers told me very
early on is when you educate awoman, you educate a community,
not just a family.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
Welcome to Beyond the Plate I'm Paul Jacobs where
food is more than just a meal.
It's a powerful way to connect,inspire and transform.
We call it Tertulia, agathering where bonds are formed
and stories are shared.
Get ready to dive into realstories that inspire, challenge
and nourish the soul.

Speaker 3 (00:30):
I'm Daniel Patino, inviting you to join our
Tertulia and explore how foodand connection can truly
transform lives.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Let's go Beyond the Plate.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Welcome back to another episode of Beyond the
Plate.
I am Daniel Patino and I wouldbe Paul Jacobs.
Still, he is still Paul Jacobs,that's correct.
And today we're celebratingInternational Women's Day on
Beyond the Plate Round ofapplause.
Wait a second.
I'm a little home away fromhome.
We've been on the road a while.

(01:03):
Where did all these home awayfrom?

Speaker 2 (01:04):
home.
So certain things.
We've been on the road a while.
Where did all these people comefrom?
We're usually in the studio byourselves.

Speaker 3 (01:09):
We'll ask after the episode.
So they don't scram away right,they don't get scared.
So today again we'recelebrating International
Women's Day and the UnitedNations has designated this
year's theme for InternationalWomen's Day is, in part, with
accelerate progress, love thatAccelerate progress.
And here at Food for the Poor,we believe that investing grows

(01:31):
today to empower women oftomorrow.
I like that.
Back to progress.
Progress isn't easy.
We know that.
The definition of progress isthe means to move forward and
sometimes it's a little tough,like assembling furniture
without instructions or Wi-Fi.
You know all those things.

Speaker 2 (01:49):
I can never get that thing figured out, oh never.

Speaker 3 (01:51):
If you have no Wi-Fi, you can't do it, or sometimes
it's easier said than done.
It's like hitting that snoozebutton five times before you
finally get out.
It's easier said than done, soback to progress.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
I looked up some things on progress and this is
interesting.
The term progress is defined asthe process of moving forward
towards a goal, towards animproved state, a higher level
of development, and it's notlinear.
And it's not linear.

Speaker 4 (02:21):
That's exactly right.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
That's correct.
And it's not linear.
That's exactly right, that'scorrect.
And it involves personal growth, improvement of skills.
It involves society development.
That means your community, ourcommunity communities, afar and
near physical movement.
That means that we've got totake action, as well as overall
improvement.
And the essence personifies andsignifies positive change,

(02:46):
advancement from a current stateto a more desirable one.
Progress, and here at food forthe poor, women and girls,
through a range of programs thataddress the challenges that
they face.
From education we help inhealthcare, micro enterprise
opportunities, focusing onself-sustainable solutions
charity.
This charity, our organizationat Food for the Poor, aims to

(03:09):
create the long-term benefitsthat extend beyond immediate
relief.
Progress.
So let's make some progress andintroduce our guests.

Speaker 3 (03:20):
And in this episode as well, right.
Yes, let's get to the best partof it, and it's to introduce
our panel.
So let's go first with ourfirst panelist.
A marketing visionary drivingimpact for Food for the Poor.
Her strategic vision powersFood for the Poor's mission to
change lives.
Also a little bit of a globalperspective.

(03:41):
She was born in Ecuador with adegree in international
relations and an MBA from FIUGolden Panthers.

Speaker 2 (03:47):
Golden Panthers.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
You were purring before I even said that.
Career spanning top brands likeMedtronic and, as well as
Western Union, her academic men.
She's an academic mentor,professor and instructor in here
at Miami Dade College as well.

(04:08):
Decades of expertise,mastermind behind integrated
campaigns, digital advertisinganalytics Is this one person,
I'm still going with theexperience of global marketing.

Speaker 7 (04:16):
It's making me nervous.
We're still going.
She's a woman.
This is good.
That's why we're here.

Speaker 3 (04:20):
Hello, Right and Food for the Poor's leadership
executive vice president, chiefmarketing officer, please help
me welcome Vivian Borja.

Speaker 7 (04:28):
Welcome Welcome.

Speaker 6 (04:33):
Thank you, that made me really nervous though.

Speaker 3 (04:36):
I hope I got all of them right yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
Who else we have here ?

Speaker 3 (04:39):
All right, we're going to welcome our next
panelist.
Let's see here Brains andImpacts how I saw it.
Former director of AcademiaCorp, driving national charter
school success and her roleswith Broward County State
Attorney and Elections Office,she gets it done as well as TV
hosting royalty.
Featured on Amazon Prime'sTaste of the Islands and TLC's

(05:00):
Homemade Symbol and as well.
This was my favorite.
She is a on-air superstarTalking about host of school
duel, 15 seasons strong.
She was an on-air talent forthe three-time NBA champion,
miami Heat.
No.

Speaker 2 (05:16):
You're Miami Heat.
Oh, I had to get that out,thank you.

Speaker 3 (05:23):
And as well, she did a little bit of a she's a little
bit of an award magnet as well.
She's named one of Miami's top40 under 40 leaders of tomorrow
and 50 most powerful blackbusiness leaders Basically a big
deal.

Speaker 4 (05:37):
A powerhouse of talent and leadership.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
Please help me welcome our next panelist, Lisa
Arnault.

Speaker 7 (05:45):
And you did leave out .
You left out the most importantrole.
Right now, I am an entrepreneur.
I have my own PR and marketingcompany.
Right now, that is flourishing.

Speaker 2 (05:56):
Yeah, LAPR, LAPR, that's right.
Well, finally we get to meetMichelle Golopali, fundraising
expert with 25 years of globalimpact.
Now, if you're not have a seat,because this is a good one she
is the Executive Vice Presidentand Chief Development Officer
here at Food for the Poor,leading major gifts, donor

(06:16):
relations, business development.
A diverse experience, such asexperience in health care, youth
services, education, diversityand inclusion, such as
experience in health care, youthservices, education, diversity
and inclusion.
A former VP at ECRI Instituteand VP of Development at
Jefferson Health Foundation.
Her community roots.

(06:38):
Michelle, began in India, whereshe led adult literacy programs
and volunteered at a hospitalin rural areas near her hometown
of Bangalore.
Her passion for community andoutreach grew there.
Her roots were deep there andbegan there.
And listen to this.
Well, wait a second, I thinkyou made a mistake.
On my cue card, this saystriple major.
That means like three degrees.

Speaker 3 (06:55):
That's right.

Speaker 2 (06:57):
Triple major in English literature, psychology,
journalism oh and, by the way,there's an MBA in marketing in
there as well, certifiedfundraising executive since 2004

(07:19):
and a published author to boot.
Just on your spare time.
Just on your spare time.
Michelle's leadership anddedication to philanthropy
drives lasting change.
She has done that.
Global impact, leadership,philanthropy that is who we have
as our rounding off ourpanelists, michelle Golopali.
Welcome to Beyond the Plate.
And you may have heard, notonly do we have this illustrious

(07:48):
panel, but we have a fewvisitors in our audience today,
but we also have a few visitorswatching us by way of social
media platforms.
So we want to let you know thatwe've got a number of questions
that we'll get to a little bitlater from our audiences that
are watching us on social media,whether you're on Instagram or
Facebook, tiktok or YouTube.
There were some notes I hadhere.

(08:08):
I've got to pay the bills,right.
You can find us on Instagram,at beyondtheplatepodcast, or on
TikTok, or the same handle atbeyondtheplatepodcast.
Also, check us out on YouTube.
Food for the Poor Beyond thePlate, please.
We would love for you to joinus for this and many of our
awesome episodes as we'rebeginning our second season.

(08:29):
Imagine we're here already oursecond season.
We're two years old.
Well, let's get started.
You know this first question.
We want to get started withthis very first question, but I
wanted to not just isolate oneof you, but have you all address
this, because I think when wetalk about accelerating progress

(08:52):
, it really begins with thisvery first question and it takes
, it's going to take you back alittle bit.
The question is very simplewhat was at the heart of your
community, your community,whether it was your community at
community, whether it was yourcommunity at work, whether it
was your community at school,maybe it was your community back
home that well promoted yourprogress.
Vivian, why don't we start withyou?

Speaker 6 (09:14):
I would like to give kudos to my mom.
Really, she was such an amazingrole model and that's how my
volunteering spirit came about.
She lost her parents at a veryyoung age so she took to heart
really taking care of smallchildren in orphanages back in

(09:37):
our country in Ecuador and shestarted taking me there from a
young age.
So my mom is incredible becausenot only that, she served as an
amazing role model.
My dad had to travel a lotaround the country so we were,
my brother and I, always with mymom.
But what I loved about my momit's her energy.

(09:58):
She had positive, energeticpoint of view.
She's always joking around andsince a young age she was always
saying you can do like mybiggest cheerleader.
So that's at my heart, wow.

Speaker 2 (10:19):
Energetic joking around.
Apparently, the apple doesn'tfall far from the tree.
She was a big influence.
Good, that's great, that'sgreat Lisa.

Speaker 7 (10:27):
Wow, when you talk about community, I see a flag up
there that represents mycommunity, which is the
beautiful land of Jamaica, andthat's right, that's right,
that's right.
We're very proud people.
You know, my parents immigratedhere from Jamaica and they
really we were really insulated.
It's funny because I did I wasborn in New York but I was

(10:48):
raised by Jamaican parents.
And it's funny because peoplehear me and I can speak Patois
and they're like, oh, he can dothat.
And it's because it's because Iwas so insulated in my
community and it's because, justlike you were saying about your
mother, my mother, too, was abig part of the backbone that I
have today, as well as my fatheras well.
But I do know that my fatherand we talk about this all the

(11:09):
time.
You know, I'm a PK and my dadwas outnumbered in our home.
Three daughters I'm the middle.
So I'm the rebel.
So you know my dad still hadsome old school views in life
with things, and so I know mymom quietly rebelled a little

(11:29):
bit in a positive way, thoughnot in a negative way, but in a
way that she would allow us togrow as women to take advantage
of opportunities that she didn'tget to take advantage of.
She wanted to be a nurse andshe said that her father told
her no, you're going tosecretarial school to be a
secretary.
My mom became a secretary andyou know that she did not want
to do that and she lived a lifewhere she didn't get to

(11:51):
accomplish her dreams.
But she was able to instill inus through community, through
her being a part oforganizations.
She was a part of her um, herschool's organization back in
Jamaica, Alpha Academy.
She had me on stage performingand doing things from when I was
very young and she would alwaysreach back.
It was an all-girls school, sothey were always row-rowing each

(12:12):
other up and they did that withmy sisters and I.
And now my sisters and I areall professionals.
My older sister is a nursemanager at Memorial Hospital, my
younger sister is a lieutenantcolonel in the US Army, also a
dentist, and then me, I'm theone with you know, the 10 jobs
one.

Speaker 4 (12:27):
So you know they did a phenomenal job.

Speaker 7 (12:31):
And Paul many of you might not know this, but, Paul,
I grew up with Paul's sister andPaul as well, but his sister is
my best best friend since wewere in fifth grade.
We did everything together,dress alike, did everything
together.
But his mom played a really bigrole.
I was thinking about your momthe other day as I was picking
my son up from school.

(12:51):
Your mom would come and pick upyour sister and your siblings
from school and she would driveme home in the opposite
direction that she had to go,knowing I would have to walk
home and she would pack me inthe car with all the kids
because he has a lot of siblings, pack me in the car and she
would drive me home.
And I thought about that and,as a woman as I grew up, I
became that mom, that your momwas packing all the kids in the

(13:12):
car and driving everyone home,being that community.
So I'm very grateful for mycommunity and who I am today is
definitely because of the womenwho grounded me and molded me.
Wow, that's awesome, thank you.

Speaker 2 (13:30):
My mom's going to watch this episode.
Thanks for keeping me mybirthday, my birthday's coming
up.

Speaker 4 (13:36):
What do I click to know?

Speaker 3 (13:37):
more please Love your memory, michelle.

Speaker 1 (13:44):
For me it was my grandmother.
I was raised by my grandparentsand my grandmother had an early
start in her married life.
She was married when she was 16and raised eight children
pretty much single-handedly,because my granddad had a job
that you know had him travel alot and she's seen her children

(14:06):
through some.
She was a very fierce,protective mama bear and she's
seen her children through somevery hard times for India after
the independence, when theMuslim part of India separated
into what is now Pakistan andthe majority Hindu area stayed
in now what is India.

(14:28):
She had to deal with a lot ofcommunity violence and riots
happening just outside her houseand she would talk about times
when they didn't have anythingto protect them.
So she would mix chili powderwith sand and keep it in this
big pot, right, and she wouldhave all the kids sleeping, but

(14:49):
she would have a bag packed soif they had to, if somebody
burst into the house, her methodof protecting herself would be
to throw that in their face andthen pick up the kids and run
out the door.
So she was always vigilant andshe was one of the strongest
women role models I have everhad, even now when I and I have

(15:12):
the gratitude of beingsurrounded by a lot of women
mentors as I was growing up, butmy grandmother really stands
out because she's the one thattaught me a lot of my founding
and grounding principles ofbeing the woman I am today.
She's the one that always saidmake sure in things like
financial independence, you know, she always said make sure you

(15:34):
have enough money to buy yourown flowers or to buy your own
diamonds, and so you know.

Speaker 2 (15:39):
So that, yeah, I'm going to take that home with me
today.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, thedifference is my wife's in the
building.

Speaker 3 (15:51):
You're in the building.
This is for my girls.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
My wife, no, no, no.
She just heard that.

Speaker 1 (15:55):
Yeah, but flowers, but strong girl power, you know.

Speaker 2 (16:01):
But that wasn't a grandmother, that was a warrior.
Oh, she was Nurt.

Speaker 3 (16:05):
Now that wasn't a grandmother that was a warrior,
oh she was.

Speaker 1 (16:07):
She was Don't mess with her kids.
She was coming after you.

Speaker 2 (16:11):
A handful of chili powder and sand.

Speaker 3 (16:13):
Absolutely.
Yeah, I'm already feeling it.
I feel the itch, Lisa, thisone's for you.
An investment in girls todayleads to resources available,
opportunities and inspirationneeded to success.
Now I am a hashtag girl dad.
I've got two beautiful girls athome as well, so all of this

(16:34):
right now is going to bereplayed 24-7 in my house, just
to let them know.
This is just for educationalpurposes Disney's coming up next
, let it pass.
Let it pass.
So, and as a proud dad, here'sthe question.
So we are some.
You know what are some easy,everyday ways we can help young
girls thrive, aside from mebeing at their soccer games and

(16:56):
cheering the loudest, because Igot that down to a science.

Speaker 7 (16:59):
You do yes, let me hear.
Let me hear Mama.
What else other than that thefact that you're even
considering in your head whatshould I be doing is the start,
and that's just what we need.
We just need the start of youand your brain cells just saying
how can I help, what can I do?
Because that is exactly whatyou do here at Food for the Poor

(17:21):
.
You think how can I help?
That's where it starts and thenfrom that is the implementation
of what I can do With youngladies.
I think the biggest thing is isto just as fathers and as men
in their lives.
You just don't realize the roleyou play.
You know I was raised by a veryproud dad, strong dad.

(17:46):
He raised us like boys.
So I feel bad for our husbands.
You know when our husbands gettogether they like to, you know,
have a little powwow and say oh, lisa does that too, tamara
does that Natalie, and we're allkind of.
You know we're we're a littlerough, but we've learned.
You know God is working on thatwith us.
But at the same time my soncomplimented me the other day.
I have a 21 year old son and hesaid to me mom, you know, I

(18:06):
need a girl kind of like you,cause you're kind of like a,
you're kind of like a boy girl,but not really in a loving way,
not in like a weird way, in likea like you're tough, mom, you,
you have grit.
Like you do it.
Like, if they're not going totake out the garbage, I'm like,
whatever, I'm taking out thegarbage, which sometimes I know
my husband's like, please don'ttake out, let me take out the
garbage.
Then it becomes an argument,but at the same time too, I

(18:27):
think, the fact, but justempowering them, knowing that
they can do anything that you do.
Now, do we want to doeverything that you guys do?
Absolutely not, but just let usknow that we can do it.
My dad would take me out withhim when he was changing the
brakes.
I was there with him, I waslike the little tomboy and he
would have me pump it, pump it,okay, hold it.
And when he's doing the brakesand I know how to change things

(18:50):
in the house.
The first argument I had with myhusband was we just got married
, we were pregnant and he neededto put the crib together.
But he grew up in a home wherehe didn't really have to do
those things.
His dad didn't do it.
I did everything with my dad.
So I was like you don't knowhow to put a crib together.
Like how do you not know how toput a crib together?
And I'm calling my dad and I'mcalling my daddy.
He doesn't know how to put acrib together.
It got to a point where now nowhe's like I don't care, call

(19:12):
your dad, I do not know how todo this.
So now it's a point andeverything do not hide, be
honest with them.
It may come back to bite you.
Now, okay, because we also havea 23-year-old daughter who's
like, ah, you know, daddy, this,that, and, but it's okay

(19:34):
because it's in them and theyknow, even when you're telling
them about men, you know, don't?
I hate to hear all men are dogs, we're all men.
That's so not true.
That is not true.
We have to stop castingeverything with a wide net and
just stereotyping things.
No, that is not true.
You look for the heart insomeone.
You look for a praying man,look for someone who's going to

(19:55):
pray for you and at the end ofthe day, she's going to be fine.

Speaker 6 (20:01):
Lisa just used my, Lisa just used my favorite word
grit.

Speaker 2 (20:13):
Really quick let's touch on that.
Let's touch on that grit for asecond.
What is some of the grit thatyou have received or sent out as
a mother, or received from yourmom, which I'm sure had that
same grit?

Speaker 6 (20:30):
So I'm going to.
I know Winston Churchill had alot of amazing phrases, but
actually for me his favorite oneis the most simple one Never,
never give up.
That's my thing.
So I think my mom always saidthat to me and I'm always saying
that to my two boys, and I knowit's really simple, but that's
my favorite phrase and for methat is what encapsulates grit

(20:51):
you never give up.

Speaker 3 (20:52):
That's awesome, so I'm going to come back to you,
vivian.
Studies from the UN show thatwhen more women enter the
workforce, economies thrive.
A little obvious right so, whenit came to hiring new talent in

(21:13):
the organization that you'veled, how did you help boost the
economy, one amazing hire at atime?
Did they have to have the samelove as coffee for you and
efficiency?
And all that.

Speaker 6 (21:27):
So for me, I would say it has always been a
priority to build diverse teams.
I think the richness of havingthose different perspectives is
really what makes teams thrive.
So, yes, I've always focused onreally the right position to
the right person, the skill set,the potential, all of that, but

(21:52):
also ensuring that the team isEverybody has equal opportunity.
So, when it comes specificallyto women, what I really value
about women is, besides the grit, the unique insights of that
nurturing spirit.
We have the ability tomultitask, the empathy and all

(22:15):
of that.
Going back to well-documentedpapers, when you have diverse
teams, when you bring all thesedifferent perspectives,
organizations foster not onlythe growth but innovation
resilience.
So I think, at the end of theday, is really building those

(22:36):
teams, that you have all thesedifferent perspectives, because
it will just make it richer.

Speaker 2 (22:42):
And let me interject because I have to testify to
that, being a part of Vivian'smarketing team here.
Honestly, you really have to tryhard to fail Like you really
got to be trying hard to failbecause, as you said, the
nurturing, the diversity, thecomplement of people around us
that help uplift and help usthrough very difficult projects,

(23:05):
very difficult situations,whether we're just having a
tough day ourselves and you justkind of fall flat some days.
I mean, I would love to thinkthat I'm this bubbly podcast
host every single day, mondaythrough Friday.
All you have to simply do issend one email to my wife and
you'll find out the truth ofthat.
However, I digress, but I haveto testify that you really have

(23:26):
to try hard to fail under yourleadership because of those
qualities.
But, michelle, that samequestion.
You've been in nonprofit, youhave been in the healthcare
industry, you've done a numberof things what is kind of well.
I don't want to cheapen it, butwhat's your secret sauce?
What are some of the thingsthat you've included in your

(23:48):
hiring practices, especiallywhen it comes to diversity and
women?

Speaker 1 (23:53):
For me, a lot of it has to do with attitude.
It has to do with how thecandidate in front of me
approaches the position.
You know how they interview.
Yes, skills are absolutelyimportant.
Right Skills are important.
Experience is important.
Education is important to bepart of a new culture, to

(24:18):
contribute to that culture, andespecially with nonprofits, I
look to see if the individualinterviewing for the position
has a heart for the mission thatI'm hiring for.
Because if you cannot really gelwith the mission, if you
haven't internalized thatmission, how are you going to be

(24:41):
our spokesperson in front of adonor If you don't believe in
the mission?
If you don't walk and talk themission, donors are going to see
through it right away and thelast thing you want for any
important mission is to have adonor not see that authenticity.

(25:02):
So for me it's about attitude.
It's about being authentic andbelieving in what you're here
for.
Everything else can be taught,everything else can be
professionally developed andworked upon, but if you're not
coming to the table with thatattitude, it's not a good fit.

(25:23):
Perhaps it's anotherorganization that you'd be a
good fit for, but not here.
And I see also with womenthere's a very high intuition
that comes to bear when womenare interviewing for the job.
And you know you can see thatthrough.
You go through enoughinterviews with enough
candidates.
You can start to see that andyou know there's intuition both

(25:48):
on the part of the person beinginterviewed as well as the
person doing the interview.
And as soon as you can see thatfit, then you know something
clicks and it's going to be good.

Speaker 7 (25:59):
I also think as women who choose to work, because, at
the end of the day, some peoplechoose to stay home, raise
their families, and for those ofus who choose to go out and
work, we also know that we arerepresenting everyone around,
all the other women, right?
It's almost like culturally aswell, when I step out and I tell

(26:19):
you I'm Jamaican.
If you've never encountered aJamaican before, you're going to
judge them all based on how I'mtreating you and what I say and
what I do.
So I know I have that on myback as well as being a woman,
and I feel like those of us whochoose to work, we also want to.
I don't want to say we want toprove to you, but we want to
show you we are here because wewant to be here, right, and some

(26:43):
days I laugh and I'm like whotold us to go be Rosie the
Riveters and we can do it alland raise kids, drive in
basketball, dance, and then thisand that and cook and clean and
do all this.
And who told us to do all this?
But it's because we want to behere.
We just know that a lot ofwomen.
Because we want to be here.
We just know that A lot ofwomen we want to be here, we
want to contribute and we wantto use our skills and talents

(27:05):
and be a part of the mission, asyou said.
So I think that it's importantfor organizations to acknowledge
that as well.
And I have an assistant whoworks with me and my company and
she had her first child theother day.
She actually gave birth onMother's Day.
It was so beautiful and um, andshe and I kept saying to her
are you sure you're going to bea handle, be able to handle

(27:25):
these accounts, are you sureyou're going to be able to do
this?
She's like I can do it, lisa, Ican do it.
I said well, it's your firstbaby, you don't know what you're
getting, you don't know what toexpect.
I, she, I said I just want togive you leeway, but I'm going
to be there for you.
And she, you know she just waslike no, I'm going to prove you
wrong.
And she went above and beyond.
And you know there were timeswhere we had to have a

(27:47):
conversation.
I'm like, just tell me if it's,if it's a little too much, just
tell me.
Open dialogue is so importanttoo.
As women, we also carry so much.
Whatever is going on, we carryit.
We're empaths, naturally, andso because of that, I think also
employers should also take thatinto account.
It's not that we cannot do whatwe need to do, it's just that

(28:07):
you don't know what they'recarrying that day and who
they're actually trying to helpor helping outside of that
because we will take it all on.

Speaker 1 (28:15):
Yeah, but to that too .
I think it's so important, aswomen leaders especially, that
we give each other grace,because we don't do that often
enough.
So often we are held to thatvery high standard of, oh yeah,
we can do this and this and thisand this and this, and we feel

(28:37):
that burden.
It's like, oh gosh, if I'm notdoing this, then I'm going to be
judged, I'm going to be seen asa failure.
But I think, as women, it isour imperative to raise each
other up, because that's theonly way we can all get to where
we need to, and we're not eachother's competition.

Speaker 7 (28:55):
Yes, and we are not each other's competition.
That's one thing.
I've always worked in verycompetitive environments,
broadcasting getting on TV anddoing different things here and
there, even in the world ofdance.
I watch my daughter and I try totell her.
There's a Jamaican saying likewhat's for you can't be un-for
you.
What for you can't un-for you.

(29:16):
So what is going to be yours,what God has for you, is yours.
What is not for you won't beyours, and it's okay, and you
have to realize that.
So I am always cheering on my,my sisters, my friends and
telling them because, at the endof the day, what is for you
just have to know inside of you,this is either.
This is going to be for me.
God's going to provide this forme and give this to me.

(29:37):
If not, I am so happy that yougot that job.
I'm so happy.
I'm so happy that you're here.
I am so happy that you're doingwhat you're doing and you are
flourishing.
We have to do that because italso it also blesses you at the
end of the day.
We don't realize that when webless others, we are truly
blessing ourselves, thank you.

(30:01):
Thank you for my first round ofapplause.
Thank you, don't drop that one.
I'm out Now, I'm out.

Speaker 2 (30:16):
Before we get to Michelle.
I had a question for Michelle,but before we get to Michelle's
question, that I had kind ofprepared, I want to go back to
something you said.
You talked about providing thatthere has to be a provision of
that grace.
I'd like to hear, pretty muchstarting with Michelle, Lisa and
then Vivian, what does thatgrace look like?
Let's give a practical example,maybe something in your own

(30:36):
personal experience.
But what does that grace looklike?
Because it's easy, we can sayit all along oh, we've got to
provide that grace, and we don'tknow what it looks like.

Speaker 7 (30:46):
Paul wants the tea.
Yeah, he wants a story.

Speaker 1 (30:51):
Well, the truth is, paul, grace looks very different
each time.
It's not the same all the time.
It could be a conversation witha colleague and the colleague
is upset about something, andyour first tendency could be to
take it personally.
But you have no idea what thatperson's going through, and so

(31:15):
grace could very well be not totake it personally, to give the
person grace in that moment andthen maybe to come back at
another time and say let's talkabout that, what was upsetting
you and how can I be of support?
And I think that's where weneed to be with each other Be of
support, be of service, becauseany time we all face obstacles

(31:40):
that we don't know about right,we're not always prepared to
slay the dragons we meet.
But if we're able to be kindand allow that person the time
to express and the space toexpress what they need, then we

(32:00):
can come back to it and figureout a solution together.

Speaker 2 (32:04):
That's great.
That's awesome.
Thank you, lisa.

Speaker 7 (32:06):
All right, so I'll give you guys some tea.
So I'll tell you a story aboutme when I applied to when my
child was really young, and cutme off if you have to, because I
have a degree in communicationsand I will talk, and so that's
what I do.
You think Paul can talk?
Okay, so I saw, when my kidswere really young, I always knew

(32:31):
I wanted to be a broadcaster, Iwanted to be on television.
I've been doing this since Iwas a child, like on the radio,
since I was 16, doing things,wanted to be this news anchor,
right Big thing.
Got married really young, rightout of college, started having a
family and I knew with theworld of journalism you can't
just go into.
You know you can't.
Nobody cares about your kids,they don't care about your
family.
One of my friends, someone,said to her the worst thing you

(32:52):
could have done coming injournalism is get married.
That's the worst thing you didfor your career.
Like they just don't value that.
So I knew it was going to behard.
However, one day my husbandloves the Miami Heat.
We go to a heat game, we takethe kids.
It was Bernie's birthday party,so all you know the Miami
Dolphins was there and the Heat,all the mascots are there, and
I see this lady behind thecamera interviewing people and I
looked at her.
I said, oh my gosh, I want thatjob.

(33:12):
That's the job that I want.
And so, lo and behold, rightafter that didn't know how I was
going to get that job, but theseed was planted and I ended up
winning a contest where I beatout 700 other women to be the
morning show co-host for a radiostation down here, 103.5 the
Beat, and I was on the radio andI was doing that.
So I was a morning show co-hostand I got to interview some

(33:33):
people from the Miami Heat and Itold them I said, hey, I want
that girl's job.
And they were like oh, hername's Julie.
I want Julie's job.

Speaker 4 (33:38):
You guys better let me know when Julie's done.
I want her job.
I want her job.

Speaker 7 (33:42):
So, you know, a year or two passed and, lo and behold
, I found out Julie was leaving.
Word got back to me so I waslike I got to get Julie's job.
I had no experience, verylimited in front of the camera
experience, but I knew I wanteda jersey.
I put on the back of the jersey, lisa Lee, number one, and I
wrapped my resume tape becauseback in the day nothing was

(34:04):
digital, you had to have like aVHS tape and I wrapped my tape
whatever work I had, and Iwrapped it up in the jersey.
I sent it to them.
I said pick Lisa Lee becauseshe's the number one player for
the job, you know.
And they interviewed me.
They actually interviewed.
This is where you got to becreative marketing, you know,
kind of creative thing.
So this is how you stand out.
You got to stand out especiallyfor this organization.

(34:26):
Like you know how manyapplications they get.
So I eventually got interviewedand they told me I knocked it
out the park.
I know I did and they were like, wow, we now know how to walk
into an interview because of you.
You're amazing.
I didn't get the job.
I did not get the job.
I cried, I was sad I could notgo to a heat game.

(34:47):
My husband couldn't turn on theheat games.
I was so upset and they werelike we really really like you,
but we're going to give it tosomeone else.
During that time, I actuallygot pregnant with twins and I
ended up losing them and I feltlike it was my fault.
I lost the twins because I hadbad energy, because I was.
I was upset that I didn't getthe job and I didn't want to be
pregnant.
And you know, you'reinternalizing, talk about giving
yourself grace, right, thatwasn't my fault, but it was just
something that happened.

(35:07):
So, lo and behold, they endedup hiring someone.
She didn't look anything likeme, but she was pregnant.
And while I'm there beatingmyself up about, you know, know,
being pregnant and all thisstuff, I didn't give myself
grace, right, I didn't let God'swill happen.
I didn't listen to my Jamaicansaying that's in my head.
I did not.

(35:28):
And a year later they called meand said hey, it didn't work
out with the other person We'dlike to offer you the job, and
so things may not happen the wayyou want it to happen and when
you want it to happen, but youdo have it's timing and you have
to offer yourself grace and youhave to.
I did not do that to myself, Iwas beating myself up.

(35:48):
What did I do wrong?
How did I do this wrong, youknow?
And then, a few years later,when they were restructuring the
whole organization, they endedup letting me go and I was
devastated because I knew I wasphenomenal and everyone kept
coming up to me.
Even now, if I go to a heatgame now, people will say I
don't know why you're not here,you were better than everyone
else and blah, blah, blah.

(36:09):
And they eliminated my position.
They didn't have anyone in myposition for a while.
But again, I had to offer myselfgrace because I had to realize
that that environment maybe justwas not for me and, being a
married woman, I was constantlybeing hit on and, you know,
maybe it was making my husbandfeel uncomfortable.
I don't know what God saw, thatI didn't see why I didn't need

(36:30):
to be there.
But I had to offer myself graceand know it wasn't about my
skills, my talents or what Ibrought to the table.
And I think for me that is whatgrace looks like that you're
not blaming yourself or anyoneelse, that you are accepting the
fate and trusting in God andknowing that whatever is
happening is happening for areason and you are exactly where

(36:51):
you need to be at the moment.
You need to be there.
Amen, thank you.
Another round of applause Two.
You got two, two, okay, I've gotone, and I've been doing this
for over a year.
No, thank you, but that's myteam, Vivian.

Speaker 2 (37:09):
what does grace practically look like?

Speaker 6 (37:12):
So I think it starts with you.
Give yourself grace.
I believe all of us go throughmoments of self-doubt and
second-guessing.
Let's normalize that.
That's normal.
It's a normal emotion tonavigate and, just you know, get
into the zone to counteractwhen those thoughts come and

(37:35):
change the framework so you canembrace your potential and claim
your agency.
All of us have something to add, all of us have an expertise.
And going back to my mom andquestion number one that grit,
one of my mom's favorite phraseswas that claim your agency.

(37:57):
When I was going throughmoments like I don't know if I'm
going to be able to pass thetest, whatever it was, Okay.

Speaker 2 (38:05):
What was it in Spanish?
What did she say?
Like I want to hear it inSpanish.
What was it?
Claim your agency.

Speaker 1 (38:10):
I want to know what the translation is Because I may
repeat that at home, but goahead.

Speaker 2 (38:28):
Well, there's beyond the plate after dark.

Speaker 6 (38:31):
The podcast is still PG-13.

Speaker 2 (38:36):
That is awesome.
I really love this because thisis becoming more than just a
panel discussion.
We are building a roadmap.
You all are creating a roadmap,a superstructure for success,
not just for women.
Women is the center of thisdiscussion because it's the day
of International Women's Day,but it's really affecting, I

(38:57):
think, all of us.
And you look in the audience.
We don't just have women in theaudience.
We don't just have womenwatching this podcast.
There are individuals whounderstand and identify with the
grace and identify with thoseJulies that we had to get out of
our way so that we can get ourobjective met, and that's so
beautiful.
Michelle, my question you know,before we kind of really turn

(39:18):
it over to our audience, we'vegot a number of questions on
social media as well as on ouraudience here.
This is going to really beinteresting because I think it
speaks to society at large whenwe talk about women's issues.
Unesco, which is the UnitedNations Educational, scientific
and Cultural Organization, saythat five times fast.
I've been practicing all week.
My jaw will hit.

(39:38):
Isn't it that organization?
That the Avengers?

Speaker 3 (39:40):
belong to.
Yeah, it's like that.
Five times fast I've beenpracticing all week.

Speaker 2 (39:42):
My jaw will unhinge if I try to, isn't it that?

Speaker 3 (39:45):
organization that the Avengers belong to.

Speaker 2 (39:46):
Yeah, it's like SHIELD, oh, SHIELD, Never mind.
Unesco says a single year ofprimary school has been shown to
increase the women's wageslater in life, potentially up to
20%.
Now who in this room orwatching us wouldn't want a 20%
lift?
Okay, just by getting a littleeducation?
Well, I really.

(40:06):
We really want to know.
Why does it matter tocommunities, whether it's
Amatitlan, Guatemala, Bangalore,India, why do these issues
matter in communities across theworld that education create a
lift for individuals in theirincome, capability or potential?

Speaker 1 (40:27):
So I had the privilege of having an education
in an all-girls school.
We had some fantastic teachersand one of the things that one
of my elementary school teacherstold me very early on is when
you educate a woman, you educatea community, not just a family

(40:48):
Right, and to me that's alwaysresonated because wherever I've
seen in the volunteer work thatI've done and we had adopted a
village close to where I grew upand we had a woman's we had an
adult education class there andwe made special priority to

(41:13):
teach the women Because at leastthe India that I was growing up
, a lot of the women areeducated with the sole purpose
of having a higher value in themarriage market, and even my
school, which was a fairlyaffluent school, a lot of my

(41:34):
friends in eighth grade droppedout to get married.
But that education that yougive a woman at that time is
passed on to her children andthat's important because
children then get that appetiteto learn and when a woman is

(41:57):
educated now her awareness aboutso many different things are
raised right.
She can stand up for herself,she can stand up for her
children.
A lot of times she's the onlyone doing that, standing up for
anybody at all.
And so in doing that, increating that sense of
empowerment for a woman, a lotof that is education.

(42:20):
Education is power, especiallyin countries that are developing
, because a lot of these womendon't have that agency and a lot
of them have been raised tobelieve that they are
second-class citizens, that theyare less.
So how empowering is it toteach a woman that not only is

(42:44):
she not less, that she is enough.
What she learns she grows from,and when she grows, she brings
others along with her.
And that's what's so at thecore of that empowerment
education leading to,empowerment leading to

(43:06):
communities developing.

Speaker 2 (43:06):
That's great.
That's great.
Anyone else want to take that?

Speaker 6 (43:12):
I gotta say this lovely michelle I love you too
no, just um.
I was reflecting when you weresaying that, and I think
education is critical forself-advocacy.
So I love when you say standingup, right, it starts within.
So advocacy starts also fromyou.

(43:35):
No one can do it for you.
You've got to do it foryourself.

Speaker 7 (43:41):
You know I'm realizing that as I sit here I
have a very differentperspective because, you know, I
was raised here in America andI never felt like a second-class
citizen, even though I am ablack woman, and I know that.
You know we do battle racismand things that are occurring
and people having their ownviews on different genders and

(44:02):
races and people, and you know,I never I couldn't.
I was trying to relate and Iwas like, wow, I'm so privileged
.
I didn't realize that and whatyou're saying.
Um, and I'm really I was.
You know, I was joking in myhead and thinking, well, we want
, we want, want to get aneducation, we want to buy nice
things like the diamonds yourgrandma said we need, we need to
buy things for our kids and youknow, fancy house, and it was

(44:25):
so shallow in my head and I'm,like you know, like I didn't
realize how, on a globe, Iwasn't thinking on a global
scale.
So thank you for thatperspective and as well as you
bringing that perspective,because I think that we take for
granted, especially being herein the States, despite the
turmoil that we see on the newsand we see things, we still a

(44:48):
lot of times are in a betterplace and we just have to be
grateful and encourage our youth.
Because I did work in theeducation system for a long time
and you can see the disparitieswithin the different cultural
groups and races and you knowyou wonder what.
What is it, what is the drivingforce?
And and why is it that you dosee immigrants come to this

(45:09):
country and build bothbusinesses and they do things
and you're like but wait aminute, why, why isn't it
happening?
For those of us that startedhere, why, why does it take us
so longer to do it?
And I think, also, being raisedin a home of Caribbean parents,
they understood that, so theyforced that on us and it just
became a part of us.
Like you were definitely goingto college.

(45:30):
We were not paying for it, bythe way, you're going to get a
degree, you're going to get ascholarship, you're going to
figure it out.
You know you're going to beresponsible for yourself, but it
wasn't an option for us not togo to college.
It wasn't an option not to goto school and take advantage of
the system, the free system,here.
So, yeah, just thank you,ladies, both of you, for
bringing your perspectives tothe table.

Speaker 1 (45:50):
You're welcome, and what's so important to also know
is that in all of the countriesthat we serve, that Food for
the Poor serves.
That is the reality of a lot ofthe women and girls there, and
so that's why the work that wedo is so important, because not
only are we doing that,community development, education

(46:10):
and focusing on women and girlsis an investment not only in
their future, but in the entirecommunity's future.

Speaker 6 (46:19):
Definitely has a ripple effect.

Speaker 1 (46:22):
Without a doubt.

Speaker 3 (46:26):
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Speaker 2 (46:36):
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Speaker 3 (47:04):
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Speaker 2 (47:43):
Well, I'll applaud to that, yeah, cheers to that
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Speaker 3 (47:57):
Today is a special Beyond the Plate Live
Celebrating InternationalWomen's Day here, and we're
joined by Vivian Borja, lisaArnaud and Michelle Gallipoli,
and we have some questions fromsome of the folks I've been
following atbeyondtheplatepodcast and as
well as some questions from ouraudience.

Speaker 2 (48:14):
Yeah, and those of you that are in our audience.
If you have a question, if youwould please just go ahead and
line right up here.
I'd be more than happy.
We'll audience if you have aquestion, if you would please
just go ahead and line right uphere.

Speaker 4 (48:26):
I'd be more than happy.
We'll just get a chance toaddress the panelists, but uh
we've got our, our questionsfrom our social media audience.

Speaker 2 (48:27):
You want to do that?
Yeah, I'll get that while yousit over here, while you talk,
dude?

Speaker 3 (48:30):
thanks, uh, yes, please follow us at beyond the
plate again once again at beyondthe plate podcast it was on
purpose Right.
So our first question comes fromour Instagram account, once
again at beyond the platePodcast.
Let's see, here we go.
Imposter syndrome andself-doubt that's that dynamic
duo we always love, right Canfeel like such heavyweights to

(48:54):
carry, especially in your career, and they usually pop out at
that right moment when beforecareer.
And they usually pop out atthat right moment when before
you go into a major interviewwith a career that you so love
or you have to, uh, presentyourself in a certain way.
So this is for all three.
Anybody wants to tackle it.
What advice would you give towomen who feel stuck in this
mindset?

Speaker 7 (49:12):
anybody, just do it.
Coco chanel says do it and doit, scared, like you know, just
just do it.
You have to just do it.
We all are.
Just we don't know what we'redoing.
And I, you know, the other dayI was at Publix and there was a
young man who I could tell itwas like his first day and he
just kept apologizing I'm sorry,I don't know, I'm sorry, I'm
sorry.
And I was like, don't be sorry,everyone has a first day,

(49:34):
everyone has a.
What are you sorry about?
You're here, you showed up, youthe job.
So congratulations on gettingthe job, you know.
And I just encouraged him.
I think that a lot of us justwalk around with the wrong
attitude.
At the end of the day, no oneknows everything.
And the quicker that you canacknowledge that and the quicker
that you stop walking aroundthinking that you're supposed to
know everything.
No, we are not supposed to knowanything, everything.

(49:55):
And if anyone tries to hold youaccountable to that, just stop
them in their tracks and reallyjust let them know you know,
just throw out your grit and letthem know that I'm going to
figure this out.
I might not know it right now,but I'm going to figure it out.
And if I can't figure it out,I'm going to go to someone who
can figure it out, and ChatGPTis a great friend these days and
you can figure everything out.

Speaker 4 (50:15):
That's great.

Speaker 1 (50:17):
I think, too, it's important to know that each of
us is powerful beyond our ownimagination, and I say that
because we've each experiencedthose things right.
We're all here not because wefell down seven times, but
because we got up eight right.

(50:38):
So we've done it, we've beenthere.
Our success rate of overcomingchallenges in our lives is 100%.

Speaker 7 (50:51):
So if we don't believe that power within us,
gosh, we're losing out on somuch Can we give it up to
Michelle for the quotes and thebook and the knowledge and the
wisdom Like seriously.

Speaker 6 (51:05):
She's claiming her agency.
She's dropping gems.

Speaker 7 (51:08):
Dropping gems.

Speaker 2 (51:10):
That's awesome, yeah, no, this has become really,
truly a path that a lot of usall can take together, because
the three of you have suchunique perspectives.
So we have a question from theaudience.
Please join us, let's give itup.
A brave soul.
The first one just state yourname and let the panelists know
what you'd like to ask.

Speaker 5 (51:31):
My name is Anna Duarte and I'm a big fan of your
guys' work.
I'm just amazed by all of yourresumes and, as a young woman,
I'm just soaking in all thewisdom.
So my question is was thereever a moment you felt you
struggled to get a seat at thetable because you're a woman,
and how did you ultimately earnthat seat?

Speaker 1 (51:56):
I could share an experience.

Speaker 6 (51:59):
Great question, great question.

Speaker 1 (52:00):
Great question.
A lot of times, when I get to atable of you know influence
whether it's at a board, whetherit's at a board meeting or
senior level leadership right Ioften find that I'm the only
woman, the only woman of color,and a lot of times I'm the
youngest woman there, eventhough I'm not so young anymore.

(52:21):
Times I'm the youngest womanthere even though I'm not so
young anymore.
I'm the youngest woman there andthis came from, and I think
it's important for womenespecially to have mentors, but
also male allies, because youneed to have somebody that
speaks for you in a room whenyou're not there.
So true.

(52:41):
You know You've got to.
So I remember my boss tellingme he put me on this board, he
voluntold me to be on this board, and I remember coming back
from my first board meeting andsaying Joe, I was the only woman
there.
Everybody else was an olderwhite man, you know.

(53:05):
And he said, yes, but I put youthere because your voice is
important.
And he said don't just sit atthat table because then you're
wasting a seat, Speak up.
And so I think it's knowingthat whenever we get that
opportunity, we're not justthere at the table to sit but to

(53:26):
speak.
That's right.

Speaker 6 (53:32):
That was a great question, anna.
So you know I like to challengeyou.
So one of the things that Iwould say there is focus on
results, not on perceptions.
There's like perceptions areeverywhere and you can't give
your attention to that.
So prepare thoroughly, claimyour agency and focus on results

(53:53):
.
Substantiate your results, andthen the perceptions are always
going to be floating around.

Speaker 3 (54:03):
Mm-hmm, Lisa something to add.

Speaker 7 (54:05):
You know, as women too, I've worked in a lot of
environments where you're judgedthe way you look, the minute
you walk in the door.
And I remember one time walkinginto a meeting with a lot of
men and my co-worker he was likehow do you do that?
Like these men are just lookingyou up and down and I was like,
oh, that just means I havepower like that they're looking

(54:27):
me up and down like that.
Okay, that means that I'm gonna,I'm gonna tap into my power.
I like that, that's fine.
You just again accept the powerand know the power when you
walk into the room and just walkwith your, just adjust your
crown and you walk into thatroom and you, just you, you
really just have to own it.
You have to own it and not beafraid.
But yes, it's going to happen.
I have been around environments.

(54:48):
I can always tell when a man isis a chauvinist.
I can always because they won'tlook you in the eye, they don't
want to hear, they'redismissive.
Um, I can tell, I can sense itimmediately.
And it's okay because Iremember those little, those
punching bags as kids, whereit's weighed at the bottom.
You punch it, it goes down, itcuts back up.
You punch it it goes down itcuts back up.

(55:08):
Yeah, I had to deal with a guylike that one time and I'm like
I'm one of those bags dude, Likeyou're going to punch it.

Speaker 1 (55:13):
I'm coming right back up, You're going to punch, so
annoyed with me, and that'sbasically what you have to do
and that's just how I tacklethings and look at it, because
I'm not giving up.
And you do need to speak up too, because we have generations
coming after us that are lookingto see how we show up.

(55:33):
And if they see you show up ina way that's deferential, that's
quiet, that's what we'reteaching them to be, you know.
So we're like extending thatdeferentialism to another entire
generation, and we can't affordthat.
There's too much good work tobe done.
That's right.
You know, we want our nieces,our daughters, whoever it is, to

(55:57):
be inspired.

Speaker 2 (55:58):
Yes, and there can't be enough said about what you
just said, because I think allis lost when we don't think of
the next generation and I'm nottalking about our own natural
children, I'm talking about thenext generation of people that,
whether you're mentoring,whether you hire them alongside
you or you're educating them, ifyou have this mentality that

(56:20):
I've got to make it, you're theonly one on that mountaintop.
All is lost, and I think thatis what you all have exemplified
.
That's amazing.

Speaker 3 (56:28):
I mean, and this is why this is Beyond the Plate
inspiring conversations thatnourish the soul.

Speaker 2 (56:34):
I'm glad we named it that and we're going to take it
home with us.

Speaker 3 (56:36):
That's why had another question.
This again.
This is from our Instagram atbeyondtheplatepodcast To all the
amazing women out therebreaking barriers and shattering
glass ceilings and theoccasional wine glass.
How do you stay true toyourself?

Speaker 4 (56:54):
while dealing with the pressure to meet everyone
else's expectations.

Speaker 3 (56:56):
Is it your inner Beyonce you set boundaries like
a boss, or do you just smile andnod and still do your way?
Said brown dreams like a bossor just smile and nod and still
do your way.

Speaker 7 (57:03):
You take solo trips and, yeah, you leave them and
you just stay in the hotel room,put on a robe and order room
service.
That's what I did last weekend.
I needed a break, so, um, youacknowledge it.
Number one, I think that aswomen, sometimes we just keep
going and I am so guilty of this.
We carry it and we just we'regonna do for everyone, we're to
take care of everyone.
You know we're going to takecare.
I'm in that sandwich generationof taking care of my parents,

(57:25):
taking care of my kids and youknow helping everybody out, and
you know you're drowning, you'redrowning, you're drowning and
yeah, just number one,acknowledge it.
And then, once you acknowledgeit, just make sure sure you
actually listen.
My friends kept telling me likelisa, just you need a break,
you're doing too much like relax, relax.
And it's hard to stop sometimesbecause, as ambitious women,

(57:45):
again we're the riveters.
You want to be up there and doit all.
But listen to our friends, takea break, relax and enjoy.
Just enjoy like the moment.
Yeah, savor the moment, thatmoment.

Speaker 6 (58:00):
I would say there that authenticity is your
strength.
So the how exhausting,otherwise right.
So the raw, the realness,that's your strength.
You just have to embrace yourown self, Otherwise you're going
to exhaust yourself.

Speaker 1 (58:17):
Just to echo that, oscar Wilde says just be
yourself Everybody.
Just to echo that Oscar Wildesays just be yourself.
Everybody else is already taken.
So there's a real power inbeing authentic.
And to Vivian's point, I thinkwe should also let people see
that vulnerability, becausethat's what makes us human and

(58:41):
it's okay.
It's okay to know that thereare moments when we think that
the world is ending and it'sokay to just kind of sit in that
, and but then it's alsoimportant to show that we can
still rise up out of that andcome back stronger than ever I
love a podcast, podcast that canquote Coco Chanel and Oscar

(59:01):
Wilde within the same episode.

Speaker 6 (59:03):
And Winston Churchill and Winston.

Speaker 3 (59:05):
Churchill.
Yes, the podcast will take you,we're just going to be
ourselves.

Speaker 2 (59:11):
And then just for the audience, if you have a
question, please just raise yourhand.
We'd love to have your audiencequestions, but yes, we got
another one from our YouTube.

Speaker 3 (59:20):
Youtube Food for the Poor at Beyond the Plate.
What's a quality that has madea big difference in your life as
a woman leader, and how can wenurture that in the next
generation?
So let's keep that circle ofempowerment going.
Who wants to tackle that one?

Speaker 7 (59:35):
I'm laughing because I just think of my son's comment
Mom, you're like a boy girl.
And I think also like lookingat how men do it.
Like men are not afraid, youmen will walk, you're not afraid
, you're going to just do it.
We overthink it, I think, aswomen, and definitely we're kind
of predispositioned to do that,because we have to think about
how we look when we go out, howwe're dressing.

(59:56):
You know, if it's going to be alittle, a little, you know,
risky on the top, make sure it'sconservative on the bottom or
conservative on the bottom,risky on the top, or.
You know, we're always thinkingabout different ways of yeah,
we're, we're always no,seriously like you ladies know
exactly what I'm talking about.
Okay, that's why everyone's likeyes, yeah, and so men don't
have to worry about that, theyjust do, they're just fly by

(01:00:19):
night, they just go out and doit Risky all the way, risky all
the way.
So I think, at the end of theday, we just have to just, I
think, take a page out of theirbook and learn from them.
That's what I have to say aboutthat, yeah first of all, I do

(01:00:41):
fear.

Speaker 2 (01:00:42):
I've been there.

Speaker 7 (01:00:44):
The.

Speaker 4 (01:00:45):
Rizky of the Town no and I do.

Speaker 2 (01:00:47):
No, it's you know, it's interesting, it's easy.
It's easy to put yourselfinside and say this is exactly
how I feel, and nobody elseunderstands me, but I do.
I've experienced that.
I've had those fears I've hadhow will I be judged?
Because, again, I've been theyoungest, the youngest man of

(01:01:08):
color, in a room filled ofexecutives that don't look like
me and don't sound like me.
But I've got to claim my agencyand so I always belong wherever
I am, you know.

Speaker 4 (01:01:24):
So, please, if you would, speaking of well-dressed,
I might add.
I had to get that in For thosewatching Just share your name
and your question for our panel.
Michael Chinquy, and myquestion is more for Lisa, but
both Vivian and Michelle may beable to speak to it.
So to go back to the Heat, whenyou were there for a short
while and then they closed itdown and you left.

Speaker 7 (01:01:42):
In between rings, so I don't have a Miami Heat
championship ring.

Speaker 4 (01:01:46):
but go ahead?
Here's my question.
So that would seem like adetour.
You're not sure if that's whereGod wanted you.
What nugget, what golden nuggetthat did you get there that you
probably would not have gottenand you were able to use in
other places?

Speaker 7 (01:02:11):
I thank you for that question.
I don't feel like that job wasabout me.
I feel like that job was aboutmy children and I'll tell you
why.
I have a daughter who was adancer.
You know, I'd bring her to thegames with me and she would sit
on the laps of the dancers whileand she was like six at the
time my other son was like four,they were like between the ages
of four, six, those little ages, right and she would sit on the
laps of the dancers while Iwould go on court and I would

(01:02:32):
work and work the crowds, andsame thing with my son.
And I became friends with allthe players and their kids.
So, yes, I do know Dwayne Wadeand Udonis Haslam and Shaquille
O'Neal, and yes, I do know them,and I'm not benefiting
financially from knowing them,just so you know.
But my daughter ended upbecoming a heat dancer and she

(01:02:57):
was like Mommy, it was because Iused to come and watch you
there and I wanted to be a heatdancer and her dreams were built
there on that court, and sheeventually became a heat on her
first try and it's really hardto make it on your first time
and she did that for three yearsshe just retired um, and she
did that while she was a studentat University of Miami on
scholarships studyingneuroscience and um to go to

(01:03:19):
medical school.
And so then my son, tristan atthe time also he was a little
basketball player, we didn'tknow he was like that good and
he was going to be a phenomenon,you know, and he ended up
training with a lot of theseathletes, their kids and I got
access to the best trainers andI got to be in the best rooms
and, you know, have greatconversation to help navigate

(01:03:40):
those fields.
Because I didn't, my husband andI really didn't.
We weren't athletes, so wedidn't know how to navigate
those fields, but we wereraising athletes.
Little did we know that ourkids would become athletes as
well, and so then now I have the12-year-old as well, and so our
circle then became a differentcircle of now they're all pretty
much retired, a lot of them,you know, but now pretty much
retired a lot of them, you know.
But now my daughter knows a lotof the younger NBA players and
my son a lot of his friends thathe played with are now in the

(01:04:03):
NBA as well and in the NFL.
So I look back at that job and,as much as it was a blessing to
me, I feel like it really wasstarting that foundation for my
children so sometimes it's notabout you.
it's not about you.
So thank you for that question.
That's right about you.
So thank you for that question,that's right.

Speaker 3 (01:04:23):
That's so cool.
Just one last, more, one lastquestion from our folks at
TikTok.
Now it's attiktokbeyondtheplatepodcast.
Helping the poor goes beyondmoney.
It's about kindness and action.
Heart emoji what are somethings they put it there?
I have to add.
What are some things they putit there I have to add?
What are some things you can doto make a difference?

(01:04:44):
They said she helps Abuela withher 57 grocery bags.
Hey, even the smallest idea isa big impact.
So what are some things that wecan do to make a difference?

Speaker 6 (01:04:55):
So, beyond volunteering because that's the
typical second answer, I wouldsay advocacy.
So educate yourself.
Poverty is a very complexproblem, so educate yourself and
help spread that awareness.
It's a complicated problem andthere's so many people that
desperately need help and weneed to give voice to those that

(01:05:20):
can speak for themselves.

Speaker 1 (01:05:23):
Yeah, know the facts One in ten women globally lives
in poverty, and so know that andthen do whatever you can.
And it doesn't mean makinggrand gestures.
It could be starting acrowdfunding effort, but start

(01:05:43):
small.
Start small and make an impact.
And because I work at Food forthe Poor, come on board with us.
We have so many ways in whichyou can participate, in which
you can really make a difference, because, together with your
dollar, every dollar goes somuch further in the countries
that we serve.

(01:06:03):
And there's a saying in Hindiwhich I've said so many times to
my team it's ek or ek gara,which is one and one does not
make two, but 11.
So there's an exponentialcomponent to you collectively
supporting the mission thatyou're passionate about.

Speaker 7 (01:06:27):
Are you going to write a book?
Are you going to write a book?
Are you going to write a book?
Because I would buy it.

Speaker 6 (01:06:36):
Can we steal all of Michelle's lines, please, please
, just transcribe everything shesays.
We need a transcription.

Speaker 2 (01:06:47):
Please, ladies and gentlemen, what podcast quotes
Hindi wisdom?
Okay, what podcast?
No other podcast.

Speaker 1 (01:06:53):
Just be on the plate, just here, just one.

Speaker 2 (01:06:57):
Lisa, you got the last word on that one.

Speaker 7 (01:06:59):
The last word on that one.
The last word on that one.

Speaker 2 (01:07:01):
Practical ways you can help.

Speaker 7 (01:07:03):
Oh, goodness gracious , I think exactly what you said.
You know, if it's, of course,obviously food for the poor, but
find your community, find yourvillage where you feel welcomed.
You know, go where you'rewanted, not where you're
tolerated.
Find that village and when youfind that village, give back,

(01:07:26):
put your hand back and pull upthe next generation, because
again you're going to be justempowering.
It's not about.
Sometimes, like I said, it'snot about you.
And one part that I left out ofmy last answer was I was
telling you about my son, abouthaving access.
I told you my daughter didreally well, but my son ended up
going division one basketballfor college and he's in his

(01:07:47):
junior year playing collegebasketball.
And again, sometimes it's notabout you.
That village that you're in andwhat you're doing and
volunteering and helping othersis going to be your blessing,
but it's also going to besomeone else's.
Thank you be your blessing, butit's also going to be someone
else's.

Speaker 2 (01:08:00):
Thank you.
Hold for applause Okay, great.
As everyone knows where was I.
Oh yes, that's right, we'rewrapping up.
This is great, ladies.
Thank you so much.

Speaker 1 (01:08:16):
This has been a Thank you.
We are honored.

Speaker 2 (01:08:19):
We are blessed to have you here and, as everyone
knows, maybe they know maybe-they don't know we know, we all
know we always end every episodeon a positive note.
They rehearsed.

Speaker 7 (01:08:35):
I did it, I did it.

Speaker 2 (01:08:36):
I told you they would .
I told you they would, I knewit, octave harmony oh man
acoustics.

Speaker 3 (01:08:39):
I told you they would .
I told you they would, I knewit.

Speaker 2 (01:08:41):
Three, and that fills a whole choir, octave harmony,
oh man, acoustics.
This positive note, it is aquote that reflects the
contemporary perspectives onempowerment, on equality and
breaking the barriers for women.
And, as we've learned today,it's more than just women.
It starts with women andextends to that village.
It aligns with the spirit ofInternational Women's Day.

(01:09:04):
This quote, our positive note,comes from a Nobel Peace Prize
laureate, malala Yousafzai.
She said we cannot all succeedwhen half of us are held back.
Positive note Ladies, I'm notreal, I'm rarely out of words,

(01:09:37):
but you all have said it all.
There is nothing left for us tosay except now we just go do it
.
So thank you for being onBeyond the Plate, our special
edition for InternationalWomen's Day.
We look forward to part two in2026, when you come back and
maybe we expand and maybe we'vegot to double the panel and we
thank you all and our audience.

(01:09:58):
Thank you all for joining usfor our Beyond the Plate episode
.

Speaker 6 (01:10:02):
Give it up to the two amazing hosts.
Oh yes.

Speaker 2 (01:10:14):
We'll see you next time on our next episode of
Beyond the Plate.
God bless.

Speaker 3 (01:10:16):
Fist bump, ladies, fist bump.

Speaker 2 (01:10:22):
You just went Beyond the Plate.
Don bless Fist bump, ladies,fist bump.
You just went Beyond the Plate.

Speaker 3 (01:10:24):
Don't miss out on a chance to make a real difference
.
Folks, follow us on Instagramand TikTok at
beyondtheplatepodcast, andsubscribe to our YouTube channel
.
Stay connected by textingBESTBITE to 51555.

Speaker 2 (01:10:36):
You're going to get a cool link and we look forward
to having you with us on thenext episode of Beyond the Plate
.