#103: Make A Difference (Friday, December 12)

"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou

This week I got two lovely surprises, one of which I count among my proudest moments of the year.

The first was an unexpected award "Make A Difference" award, which I received from the African Heritage Network at my company. When I sat down at the meeting (which was attended by many of the top Black executives at my company) and saw my name in the program, it completely took me by surprise! For one, I'd proofed and edited the program and the list of awardees (from which my name was slyly omitted for the purposes of my proofing). Secondly, I'd only been helping out because it was something I ENJOYED, not because of a sense of obligation. I really liked helping...it was fulfilling.

The second was a sentence in a speech and is one of my greatest accomplishments this year. I mentor with StreetWise Partners, a job-readiness program that teaches adults from underserved, low-income communities the skills they need to be successful in Corporate America. I mentor a young woman in the Young Adult program. One of the things that struck me when I first started mentoring was the lack of minority mentors (most of the mentees were either Black or Hispanic), so although things got hectic at work and there were days when I had to go to the program until 9 then head back to work, I decided that no matter what, I wouldn't quit. Last week was the final week before graduation, and each of the mentees had to deliver a presentation about their future plans. One of the mentees (who I personally think will be famous one day because he is SO driven) gave his presentation and made a joke, which could have been offensive to a certain group (none of whom were in the room).

After the presentations, I pulled him aside just to tell him to be careful of those jokes in the future (and to tell him not to wear an earring with his business suit). LOL. He listened, but I didn't feel like what I'd said resonated with him, until this week at the graduation ceremony. He gave his speech, and at the end gave me a special acknowledgement. "I'd just like to thank you for last week. You gave me some advice that will stay with me the rest of my life. Thank you for pulling me aside and sharing that with me." I was blown away. To be told that you have made an impact on someone that will stay with them for life is really an overwhelming thing.

I'm glad I made a difference, and he has unknowingly made a difference in my life as well. I will never forget how that one sentence made me feel.