Comments on: Putting a Face to Great Leadership http://www.laurenandemira.com/2009/0120putting-a-face-to-great-leadership/ For women who run businesses. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:38:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.4 By: Lauren http://www.laurenandemira.com/2009/0120putting-a-face-to-great-leadership/comment-page-1/#comment-553 Lauren Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:32:42 +0000 http://www.laurenandemira.com/?p=430#comment-553 Thanks, Lula-Neith, for your thoughtful comments -- and I don't take them as a flame at all. I realize in re-reading my post that I didn't put my "slipperiness" remark in any kind of context, aside from the link to Rebecca Walker's blog. I apologize for my lack of further analysis or contextualization. I agree that Obama's self-identification as African-American is primary. I have also heard him talk in detail about his white family members, and although I have not read his books, my understanding is that he had limited contact with his father, or his father's family, growing up. What is interesting to me about this is that while he certainly has experienced life as an African-American male, his relationship with his white family members also blurs the self/other divide that most white people experience with regard to non-whites, and I think that the article I linked to does a good job of exploring the race question in greater depth. I fully agree that we are not post-race. And I don't think race and gender are interchangeable issues. My intent here was simply to bring forward the question of role models and visible leadership from marginalized groups, and Obama's presidency provided a jumping-off point for my thoughts. If you have further thoughts, I'd welcome them. I definitely have more thinking and work to do on race and gender, and I'm grateful for the chance to talk them through. Thanks again for taking the time to write, and for stopping by. Thanks, Lula-Neith, for your thoughtful comments — and I don’t take them as a flame at all. I realize in re-reading my post that I didn’t put my “slipperiness” remark in any kind of context, aside from the link to Rebecca Walker’s blog. I apologize for my lack of further analysis or contextualization.

I agree that Obama’s self-identification as African-American is primary. I have also heard him talk in detail about his white family members, and although I have not read his books, my understanding is that he had limited contact with his father, or his father’s family, growing up. What is interesting to me about this is that while he certainly has experienced life as an African-American male, his relationship with his white family members also blurs the self/other divide that most white people experience with regard to non-whites, and I think that the article I linked to does a good job of exploring the race question in greater depth.

I fully agree that we are not post-race. And I don’t think race and gender are interchangeable issues. My intent here was simply to bring forward the question of role models and visible leadership from marginalized groups, and Obama’s presidency provided a jumping-off point for my thoughts.

If you have further thoughts, I’d welcome them. I definitely have more thinking and work to do on race and gender, and I’m grateful for the chance to talk them through. Thanks again for taking the time to write, and for stopping by.

]]> By: Lula-Neith Cache http://www.laurenandemira.com/2009/0120putting-a-face-to-great-leadership/comment-page-1/#comment-552 Lula-Neith Cache Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:18:30 +0000 http://www.laurenandemira.com/?p=430#comment-552 Just to add: not trying to flame. It's just that if you're going to tie race and sex together, then it's important to put more thought into the connections. As an African-American woman, I just had to state what I see. Just to add: not trying to flame. It’s just that if you’re going to tie race and sex together, then it’s important to put more thought into the connections. As an African-American woman, I just had to state what I see.

]]> By: Lula-Neith Cache http://www.laurenandemira.com/2009/0120putting-a-face-to-great-leadership/comment-page-1/#comment-551 Lula-Neith Cache Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:03:56 +0000 http://www.laurenandemira.com/?p=430#comment-551 I don't understand the 'slipperiness' you're talking about with regard to President Obama. Yes,race is random definitions. But he identifies himself as African-American (this is most important -- letting someone decide their own identity). He's clear on that. Second, his grandparents were probably asked who the 'black' baby was they were raising (during their time, dark skin= black/colored. Still does in many ways) . Third, were he a criminal, the description would be "light-skinned black man" or, in the homes of those certain melanin= inherent criminality, n****r. He didn't make the rules, but these racial 'definitions' are there. This is why he's the first BLACK President, not the first mixed president to the African-American community. If you've read his books, you know this doesn't mean at all he's ashamed of his caucasian mom or the caucasian grandparents who raised him. He is Black in this country. We are NOT post race. Your book may be great for women, but even you (even myself) have more work to do with regard to race and gender. Best of luck. I don’t understand the ‘slipperiness’ you’re talking about with regard to President Obama. Yes,race is random definitions. But he identifies himself as African-American (this is most important — letting someone decide their own identity). He’s clear on that. Second, his grandparents were probably asked who the ‘black’ baby was they were raising (during their time, dark skin= black/colored. Still does in many ways) . Third, were he a criminal, the description would be “light-skinned black man” or, in the homes of those certain melanin= inherent criminality, n****r. He didn’t make the rules, but these racial ‘definitions’ are there. This is why he’s the first BLACK President, not the first mixed president to the African-American community. If you’ve read his books, you know this doesn’t mean at all he’s ashamed of his caucasian mom or the caucasian grandparents who raised him. He is Black in this country. We are NOT post race. Your book may be great for women, but even you (even myself) have more work to do with regard to race and gender. Best of luck.

]]> By: jenny http://www.laurenandemira.com/2009/0120putting-a-face-to-great-leadership/comment-page-1/#comment-550 jenny Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:26:13 +0000 http://www.laurenandemira.com/?p=430#comment-550 I have to agree with you. I can completely understand having a role model inspire even greater and more ambitious goals by achieving their own. I have to say though, that I never felt that because I was a woman that I couldn't achieve what a man could. Maybe it was my upbringing. But I honestly never had any personal role models as far as successful independent business owners. No men I knew really owned their own successful business - the same with women. I am sure some of my friends and family members wanted to do this but never knew how. THEN I found your book. I stumbled upon your blog via a link from another blogroll and saw the title and was intrigued. I have been wanting to start up my own business for a while and have been wading through all kinds of books but when I checked your book out, I read it from cover to cover in a couple of days, taking notes as I went. I am now in the process of building my brand and getting all my legal stuff in order. Oh, and I'm married to a number cruncher (you know, the one thing I'd rather walk across hot coals than do myself?) who will willingly sit down and do the accounting and get excited about it. Ying and yang. Thank you for this book and thanks for encouraging all kinds of women to get out there and start something! jenny I have to agree with you. I can completely understand having a role model inspire even greater and more ambitious goals by achieving their own.

I have to say though, that I never felt that because I was a woman that I couldn’t achieve what a man could. Maybe it was my upbringing. But I honestly never had any personal role models as far as successful independent business owners. No men I knew really owned their own successful business – the same with women. I am sure some of my friends and family members wanted to do this but never knew how.

THEN I found your book. I stumbled upon your blog via a link from another blogroll and saw the title and was intrigued. I have been wanting to start up my own business for a while and have been wading through all kinds of books but when I checked your book out, I read it from cover to cover in a couple of days, taking notes as I went.

I am now in the process of building my brand and getting all my legal stuff in order. Oh, and I’m married to a number cruncher (you know, the one thing I’d rather walk across hot coals than do myself?) who will willingly sit down and do the accounting and get excited about it. Ying and yang.

Thank you for this book and thanks for encouraging all kinds of women to get out there and start something!

jenny

]]> By: Krissy http://www.laurenandemira.com/2009/0120putting-a-face-to-great-leadership/comment-page-1/#comment-549 Krissy Wed, 21 Jan 2009 00:51:27 +0000 http://www.laurenandemira.com/?p=430#comment-549 What a wonderful post and so very true. What a wonderful post and so very true.

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