Apara Autism Centers’ Post

Today's discussion was sooooo good on the topics for our monthly webinar - it went over the time we'd originally planned! Listen in and enjoy - register or share this event with someone you know can benefit, we'll see you this Saturday! The YouTube and registration link are in the comments! #sisterhood #blackwomenentrepreneurs #growyourbusiness

The Bravery of Being Yourself: Embracing Authenticity and Courage in Everyday Life. #Bravery is often portrayed as heroic acts of valor, but true bravery manifests in our everyday lives in myriad ways. It’s the #courage to be yourself, to try new things, to show up authentically without masks, to heal your #emotions, and to do the right thing amidst challenges. The bravery we all exhibit daily, has a profound impact in our lives and leadership. As we celebrate #PRIDE month, it's essential to acknowledge the bravery required to shine with your own light, wisdom, and spirit. Being yourself in a world that constantly tries to shape you into something else is one of the greatest forms of bravery. It requires: #SelfAcceptance: Embracing who you are, with all your strengths and imperfections, is a courageous act of self-love. #Authenticity: Showing up as your true self, without masks or pretenses, even when it's uncomfortable or risky. #Vulnerability: Allowing others to see your true thoughts, feelings, and experiences, which fosters deeper #connections and genuine relationships. Stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things is also a bold move that leads to #growth and discovery. It involves: #TakingRisks: Whether it’s starting a new project, learning a new skill, or pursuing a passion, taking risks is essential for personal and professional development. #EmbracingFailure: Understanding that failure is a part of the journey and a stepping stone to #success. Showing up as your true brave self requires immense #courage to: Being #Honest: Communicating your thoughts and feelings honestly, even when they might be met with resistance or disapproval. Staying #True to Your Values: Upholding your principles and beliefs, even when it’s difficult or unpopular. Setting #Boundaries: Protecting your well-being by setting and maintaining healthy boundaries in your personal and professional life. Standing Up for What’s #Right: Advocating for justice, #equality, and fairness, even when it’s not the easiest path. Leading by Example: Demonstrating #integrity and #ethicalbehavior in your actions and decisions. Persevering Through Challenges: Maintaining your #commitment to doing the right thing, despite obstacles and opposition. PRIDE month is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community’s bravery in embracing their true selves and advocating for their rights. It reminds us of all of the courage it takes to be #proud of who you are, embracing and celebrating your #identity. As leaders, we should always #inspire others and serve as a beacon of hope for others to live authentically and bravely. Bravery is not just about grand gestures; it’s about the daily #decisions and #actions that reflect our true selves and our #values. Let’s celebrate the bravery it takes to shine with your own light, wisdom, and spirit. In doing so, we inspire others to embrace their authenticity and contribute to a world where everyone can live bravely and freely.

Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, and do not try to duplicate someone else’s successful personality. www.asike.org .. .. #ASIKE #ASIKEwomen #ASIKEsisters #Empowerment #WomenEmpowerment #Sisterhood #CommunityEmpowerment #WomenSupportingWomen #EmpowerWomen #EducationEmpowers #EmpoweringWomen #WomenLeadingChange

Celebrating Fatherhood: A Reflection on Father’s Day Father’s Day is a time to reflect on what it truly means to be a father—a role that encompasses the greatest responsibility of all: holding our children’s hands through life’s journey. It's not about the material things we can provide, but the love and heart we pour into raising them. Our children see us for the care and dedication we offer, not the possessions we accumulate. Being a father requires a special kind of wisdom, one that often feels divinely inspired, to balance the many facets of life. Juggling a career, family obligations, extended family dynamics, and serving as a pillar in the community demands resilience, patience, and profound love. Great fathers build strong families, and these families become the cornerstone of a thriving society, ultimately contributing to a better world. In today’s complex world, it’s more important than ever to nurture the seeds of good fatherhood. We are faced with global challenges, from mental health crises to shifts in societal norms and ethics, including issues like LGBTQ acceptance. Amidst these changes, the essence of fatherhood remains a guiding light. Fathers play a critical role in instilling values, offering support, and modeling compassion and understanding. A great father is not just a provider; he is a mentor, a friend, and a steadfast source of strength. He is there to celebrate the victories, no matter how small, and to provide comfort during the tough times. His influence extends beyond the immediate family, touching the wider community and contributing to the well-being of society as a whole. This Father’s Day, let’s celebrate the fathers who balance it all with grace, who face life’s challenges with courage, and who love unconditionally. Let's recognize the profound impact they have and the legacy they build, one heart at a time. Here’s to the fathers who are shaping a brighter future for us all. #Fathersday #Leadership #Betterword #family

How Often Do You 'Should' Yourself Out of Success? So many do incredible work, but there's a little gremlin that was birthed in our younger days that affected our: ➡️Anxiety ➡️Self doubt ➡️Broke self confidence ➡️Made us question everything we do! Regardless of how great an achievement we experience, instead of celebrating, most: ❌Unravel ❌Minimise ❌Diminish ❌Reduce ❌Shame 🤕And Dismiss some incredible outcomes! Why? Here's the thing, if you diminish your own successes, you are reinforcing anxiety and doubt. It is no different to slapping a child when they haven't done anything wrong! (No child should be slapped, ever!) Why would you do this to yourself? Let's change the culture of self blame and dismissing our selves. What are you proud of? How do you encourage and celebrate your Self? What one thing will you do today to change how to treat your Self? #leadership #coaching #innerchildwork #selfdevelopment #selfcompassion #therapy #mentalhealthsupport #professionalwomen #leadership #LGBTQ #psychotherapist #youareenough #coachatwork #cornwall #cornwallcounselling #mentalhealth #selfblame #cornwallpsychotherapy #cornwallcoaching https://lnkd.in/eMQGMKZN

Thank you all for sharing my story about mass incarceration. I tagged DEI experts and even founders of DEI focused companies and they still have not acknowledged the article. Please know I am not your home girl anymore. I am dead serious. These are people of all races who usually respond to my posts in a matter of minutes. I will no longer be interviewing anyone in DEI from LinkedIn. Please kindly do not pitch me, message me, or email me anymore if you did not respond when I tagged you. The publicists I don’t care about because I’ve spoken to them all individually and know they deeply care but are super busy. I will only be including genuine allies in my articles and wish the best to the performative DEI experts, founders, and companies on here who only support me when I talk about Black people in corporate spaces. DEI means real inclusion— and that includes Black people and formerly incarcerated Black people. I deeply appreciate those of you who did read and share the article. It is always so wild when people in DEI don’t actually care about DEI beyond corporate spaces. #dei #deib #inclusion #performance #allyship #diversityequityinclusionandbelonging #diversityinclusion #diversityequityandinclusion #diversityequityinclusion #diversitymatters #socioeconomic #diversity #nomoreexcuses #blacklinkedin #linkedin #linkedinexperts #deileaders #allies #corporateamerica

Pay attention to what feeds your energy and move in the direction of the life for which you were intended. When we encourage one another and surround ourselves with like-minded people with vision and purpose, amazing things begin to happen. I love my tribe--they get me!! Keep believing, loving and being kind! #womenofworth #amazingfaithwomenssummit #sisterhood #accountabilitypartners #letyourlightshine #liveisgood #womenofwealthandworth #supportivefriends #abidingingodsword #nationalwomenssmallbusinessmonth

Pride month is upon us and I would like to take a moment to address my thoughts of celebrating Pride this year. A year of violent conflicts, another year of nationalism on the rise all over the world and yet another year of segregation. For me Pride month matters as it highlights the existence and struggle of the LGBTQIA+ community around the globe. Some of us are privileged, some are not but we exist in all contexts and places. I am one of the privileged ones, I’m a white male in a fairly progressive country. That doesn’t mean that I’m fat and happy. I try to stay aware of my privilege and use my voice for the less privileged. 🌈 In an LGBTQIA+ context: as someone not struggling. 🌍 In a humanitarian context: as a westerner who lives a good life but knows what it’s like not feeling safe in all situations, what it feels like to be questioned and having to defend ones person. To gain the LGBTQIA+ communities trust in conflicts around the world we are often told what happens to people like us in other countries. And while that is horrible we do not want people to be murdered in our name or to protect us. We don’t want people to die for us to be accepted, that would make us terrorists. We just want to be accepted, plain and simple. You don’t need to love us, we don’t need to love you but we need to be able to coexist in a world of mutual respect but not necessarily in agreement. The world is diverse and it needs to be diverse. We are all human faced with the task of trying to save this planet from what we brought onto it. And that requires collaboration, coexistence and respect. An understanding of privilege and what is required from the privileged in order to help less fortunate groups around the world who often find them selves in that position due to our privilege. So to finish this post: My wish for this pride month is for acceptance and respect for everyone. Let's put our disagreements to the side and face the fact that we need to coexist to be able to move forward.

Today is a special edition of celebrating #blackjoy. Today, I’m highlighting my beautiful mother, Brenda Jenkins, who was the first person who taught me about self-care. As a child growing up in a patriarchal society, I remember feeling angry when she would “leave us” to work out or go on walks. The anger that I felt towards her was not mirrored in feelings I had toward my dad at the time. I grew up believing the same patriarchal lies that many think about mothers and how they are supposed to sacrifice themselves for their children. I didn’t know it then, but her commitment to pouring into herself was a message I had to learn despite my kicking and screaming in 2023 forcefully. I continue to be thankful for my mom's lessons about motherhood and womanhood. It has truly been beautiful to experience our relationship growing after she decided to go to therapy to improve as a woman and parent. So today, I’m honoring my beautiful mother, who knows how to have a good time anywhere she is, loves her friends and family deeply, continues to pour into herself and her children, AND remembers to honor her being as a woman first and foremost. This post celebrates the woman she is, not what she’s done as a mother, wife, or grandmother. I hope that women holding these titles will remember that we are women first, and we need to pour into ourselves and honor who we are outside of those weighted titles. Also, how do you cultivate Black joy in your daily life? Share your tips and stories in the comments below! Let’s uplift each other and keep the pleasure flowing all year long. Need help embedding DEI into your strategic plan so your Black employees can feel liberated? Download the outreach free strategic plan guide today by visiting our website! Also make sure to follow us on Instagram so you don’t miss any of our #bhm2024 content. #shiftedconsulting #blackjoy #blackhistorymonth #blackgirljoy #blackmamasmatter #blackwomenmatter #MentalHealthMatters #CommunityLove #BlackLove #cultivatinggenius #blackeducators

Although I am in the early years of my professional career, I cannot express enough gratitude to work at such an amazing, inclusive, and open-minded place like About Fresh. I cannot imagine working at a more inclusive workplace, filled with allies and big colorful hearts. I am feeling extra filled with pride during this pride month, as my partner Steph and I celebrate another year out & proud in our personal and professional lives. While many people are not as fortunate as I am in this area, I hope people take moments this month to reflect and think about how they can be more inclusive or more of an active ally to all people in the LGBTQIA+ (and beyond!) community. Here are some ways to become a stronger ally:  1. Educate yourself - find out the history and current struggles of people in this community  2. Don’t assume you know what someone needs - you know what they say about assuming! 3. Practice active listening - try to digest the information before creating a response  4. Ditch putting people into boxes - boxes are out, and spectrums are in! 5. Recognize your privilege - use that power for GOOD!