Women's Journal

Empowering Women: Angela’s Journey from Personal Adversity to Systemic Change

Angela’s Journey from Personal Adversity to Systemic Change
Photo Courtesy: Latonya Photography

By: Joshua Finley

Angela’s dedication to women’s empowerment is deeply rooted in her own experiences with adversity. Reflecting on her journey, she shares, “My focus on women’s empowerment and supporting female success stems from my personal experiences and challenges.” Having navigated the dual roles of a single mother and a career in the US Coast Guard, Angela’s insights into overcoming barriers have shaped her mission to create effective strategies for women’s success.

Angela’s approach to empowerment is multifaceted, featuring several key initiatives designed to foster resilience and growth. One of her primary offerings is “Calibrated Resilience Coaching™”, which she developed to provide personalized resilience strategies tailored to each individual’s unique challenges and goals. Additionally, she created the “Resilience Quotient Assessment (RQA)™”, a tool designed to help women measure and understand their current resilience levels across various dimensions of life. Angela’s commitment extends to her workshops and seminars, which cover essential topics like boundary setting, self-care, and strategic goal setting. Her books, including “Empowered Edge” and “Calibrated Resilience”, serve as comprehensive guides for women navigating adversity.

Angela’s work often involves supporting women who have faced severe trauma. She emphasizes the importance of creating a safe and nurturing environment, stating, “I remember one client, a veteran who had experienced sexual assault during her service. Through our work together, which included trauma-informed resilience training and gradual exposure therapy, she slowly began to engage more with her colleagues.” This approach not only helps individuals manage anxiety and build self-esteem but also facilitates significant personal and professional transformation.

Mentorship and networking play crucial roles in Angela’s empowerment strategy. She explains, “Mentorship and networking play crucial roles in my approach to helping women succeed… I often incorporate mentorship components into my Calibrated Resilience Coaching™ program.” By pairing women with experienced professionals and creating mentorship circles, Angela fosters enduring support networks. Her workshops also teach effective networking strategies, and she highlights the importance of viewing networking as an opportunity for mutual growth rather than a chore.

To ensure her strategies are making a tangible impact, Angela employs a comprehensive evaluation approach. “I utilize the Resilience Quotient Assessment (RQA)™ as a key measurement tool… By comparing scores over time, we can quantifiably measure improvements in various aspects of resilience and empowerment,” she notes. Alongside quantitative metrics, Angela gathers qualitative feedback through regular check-ins, surveys, and personal journals, capturing nuanced improvements such as increased confidence and better stress management.

Addressing systemic barriers to gender equality is another critical aspect of Angela’s work. She advocates for a multi-pronged approach, stating, “To address these barriers effectively, we need a multi-pronged approach… By empowering women with the tools to navigate these challenges while simultaneously working to dismantle systemic barriers, we can create meaningful and lasting change.” Her efforts include policy advocacy, organizational consulting, and raising awareness about gender issues.

Angela’s commitment to balancing individual support with systemic advocacy is evident in her work. She asserts, “Balancing individual support with advocating for systemic change is crucial in my approach to promoting gender equality. I believe these two aspects are interconnected and mutually reinforcing.” Her strategies involve working with organizations to implement gender-equal practices, raising awareness through speaking engagements, and engaging with policymakers to advocate for supportive legislation.

For leaders and organizations looking to enhance their efforts in empowering women, Angela offers the following advice: “Empowering women should be more than a checkbox or PR effort. It needs to be a core value integrated into your organization’s culture and strategy.” She encourages leaders to listen and learn from women’s experiences, use data-driven strategies, invest in tailored development programs, address unconscious bias, and create formal mentorship opportunities.

Angela’s holistic approach to women’s empowerment exemplifies how personal experience, targeted strategies, and systemic advocacy can drive meaningful progress. Her work continues to inspire change and foster resilience among women, paving the way for a more equitable future.

 

Published By: Aize Perez

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