By: Alexis McCruter, NWPC Political Planning and Action Intern
Through my internship at the
National Women’s Political Caucus, I was given the opportunity to go to a
Leadership Seminar at Georgetown Law
that ended up serving as both an awakening and pivotal experience. The Leadership Seminar was hosted by Liberty
and Access for All, in conjunction with the Black Law Student Association of
Georgetown Law School. Liberty and Access for All is a new nonprofit
organization committed to raising bipartisan leadership amongst minorities and
underrepresented groups in America. When I got there, I immediately started to
shake hands and introduce myself to people.
I had no idea what to expect, but I knew that I was in for a treat when
the invited speaker walked into the room.
The invited speaker was former Federal
Prosecutor Sharon Eubanks. Scurrying to a front row seat, I took out pencil and
paper so that I was ready to soak in all the wisdom she was going to give to
us. She spoke so transparently about her climb to the top. It’s always refreshing
to listen to a professional speaker who has not forgotten the exact place where
her audience comes from. She came down to a level at which we all could closely
identify with. Her story was not only interesting, but it reignited a flame
inside me which had been burning out. Even though the room was full of people,
it felt as if she was directly speaking to me.
Ms. Eubanks has led and continues
to lead a very successful career. She has proven that as both a woman and a
minority, she is a force to be reckoned with. She spoke very openly about the
prejudice she faced being a woman of color in her field. There was one point in
her presentation where she said something that I, as an African American woman,
could closely relate to. She said, “As a
black woman, I couldn’t skip any of the ladder steps. My white male counterparts
were constantly getting promoted over me and they weren’t half as qualified as
I was…. I had to work twice as hard to be just as good.” I knew all too well the struggle of walking
into a room and having to prove and help others see that I actually was
qualified to do what I’d come to do.
The second talking point she made
that resonated with me was about career moves. Her career in Law was so
extensive. She said, “I took what I could
get until I could get what I wanted. Most times that will actually lead you to
exactly where you need to be.” The idea was so simple but so profound. That
was the story of my life seemingly for the last 8 months or so. It was so funny,
because even though in some instances I was taking what I could get, it always
landed me where I needed to be and even further than my original plan would
have gotten me.
I stuck around and waited patiently
for her to speak with all those who’d lined up to shake her hand. When the room
was near empty I walked up to her and said, “Can I speak with you?” She said,
“Sure!” I took a deep breath and asked for her contact information and without
hesitation she jotted it all down for me. I was amazed by her willingness to
help me. This was by far one of the best experiences my internship has given
me. Ms. Eubanks helped me in a multitude of ways.
“Equality is not a concept. It's not something we should be
striving for. It's a necessity. Equality is like gravity. We need it to stand
on this earth as men and women, and the misogyny that is in every culture is
not a true part of the human condition. It is life out of balance, and that
imbalance is sucking something out of the soul of every man and woman who's
confronted with it. We need equality. Kinda now.” ― Joss Whedon
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