Permanent Stability Can Be Achieved? Being laid off at my first job out of college was the biggest blessing. I appreciate it in hindsight because it taught me that it was impossible to have life figured out and to accept that as fact not feeling. This helped me rewire my brain to no longer associate…
Category: Real Talk
Politicians Are Politicizing the Mon Valley’s Poverty
Yesterday I spoke in front of approximately 300 US Steel workers and supporters to give insight on what a three billion dollar investment deal would mean to the Mon Valley, and specifically my neighborhood. I also spoke about what a decrease in investment in the neighborhood cost and it’s about more than jobs. People are…
Bravery, Burnout or Both?
After almost 10 years of accidentally falling into tech, I quit! I got laid off after giving a company 9 and a half years of my life and looked at my 401k and saw the lack of sustainability when it came to a retirement plan I tried to make the new job work but it…
The Other “B” Word
Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, “The only thing constant is change,” and as a millennial who has been through several recessions, 9/11, and a global pandemic all before 40, I embrace the chaos now. I no longer believe in once-in-a-lifetime experiences and if some of us had more money I’d suggest that we all collectively play…
Tech Talk & Why There’s So Few Women in STEM
A study was released this January and its results should stun absolutely no one. The study revealed that of the 25% of women working in tech, minority women are less than 10% of it. 5% of women in tech were Asian. Black women only represented 3% while Hispanics made up less at just 1%. I…
Hybrid Work is the New Micromanagement
The work day is 8 hours. It takes approximately an hour and four minutes round trip to get to and from work by bus which I understand to be lucky as I utilize public transit to my advantage. That public transit costs $90 a month and on average my eco-friendly Fiesta is about $50 a…
In Good Company: Juneteenth Should be Paid Day Off
As published in the next issue of The Valley Mirror… I know that Juneteenth wasn’t signed into a federal holiday until last year but some companies are completely missing the point when it comes to celebrating and creating an inclusive work culture. So many companies could have stepped up and created an inclusive culture by…
Don’t Be Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf: How Fear Can Motivate You
Most people back away from things because of fear but after a little reflection I’ve learned that I might be motivated by fear and I have no idea when it happened. Back in 2012 (the first time I got laid off) when I lost my job after college most people would’ve panicked. Instead, I took…
A is for Accountability
Growing up I’ve learned I’ll make mistakes. Growing up most of the time I was around my four brothers they resolved their conflicts by fighting and getting over it and occasionally they would not get over it right away but they got over it. Attending an all-girls university was a new ball game. Women play…
Anti-Hustle: It’s Time to Break Up with Hustle Culture
A few years ago I was into the “wake up and hustle” and “grind harder” mantras but that became exhausting. After a while, a light bulb went off and I realized that hustle culture was and is extremely toxic and not realistic or sustainable. Everything isn’t for everyone and hustle “go go go” just didn’t…
OMG It's Just Daé 