Habiba Bankston, a fellow Leadership Columbus 2020 classmate and philanthropy leader at L Brands, shared her thoughts with the 68 members of the Best Class Ever in reflection after the death of George Floyd.
Her words are too valuable to leave there, but to share them is to help us move forward.
To the best class ever,
Through Leadership Columbus we have experienced so much together. We’ve made new connections, learned so much about ourselves and what it means to lead in our community. As my fellow leaders, I want to share my heart with you.
It has been a long week as we all watched the world shift. I’ve spent the last few days giving myself permission to feel every emotion, to cry and to take in all that has happened recently. From Christian Cooper who innocently bird watched in Central Park, the Ahmaud Arbery shooting death in Georgia, Breonna Taylor’s assassination inside her Louisville home and the Minneapolis murder of George Floyd, black people in America are running on fumes. We’re tired, angry, confused and yet, this space is familiar to us. This place of torment and trauma has become a home of sorts.
As I wiped my tears this weekend, I asked myself as a black woman and as a leader in this community – what can I do?
I’m reminded of the powerful words Franklin County Commissioner Marilyn Brown shared during our last program day on community trusteeship – “If everyone isn’t doing well, no one is doing well.”
Like Commissioner Brown, we heard from so many other leaders from different sectors who encouraged us to be bold, to take risks, to be vulnerable, fearless, empathetic, courageous, compassionate and collaborative. As the best class ever, we have an opportunity to REIMAGINE THE COLUMBUS WAY.
This unparalleled moment in our history has reinforced that every person is precious and deserving of equal dignity, respect and treatment. Across many U.S. communities, horrifying incidents and monumental protests and civil unrest sweeping our nation, remind us of the ugliness of racism that continues to infect our world and plague our society. During this time of social unrest and global pandemic, the complexities of the emotions around us and in us need a true north. That true north is our leadership!
I serve on the Young Professionals Executive Leadership Board for the National Urban League and as protests erupted in cities across the nation, young leaders reached out for guidance as they worked to mobilize in their own communities. I shared with them – “there is so much work to be done, but you must focus on leading from where you are”. As I share these words with young leaders across this country, I would be remiss if I didn’t share it with my peers and leaders from all sectors in my own community. All of us may not feel comfortable protesting in the streets, but we all have a voice and the power to influence and play a role in moving the needle forward together towards progress.
I encourage each of you to LEAD FROM WHERE YOU ARE! From the dining rooms where you sit with your families, to the board rooms where you lead and make decisions on behalf of the companies you work for and lead.
We Are Not the Future, We Are Now!
With Love & Leadership,
Habiba K. Bankston