WOTW: Sonia Jackson Myles
Often, the hardest step to take requires a leap of faith. Sonia Jackson Myles, a young corporate professional, gained prestigious titles such as one of Essence Magazines Top 25 Women in 2008 and the Trumpet Award Foundation’s Women in High Heels Award and the Florida A & M University Presidential Award recipient in 2010. Beyond her stunning accomplishments as a businesswoman lies a heart full of compassion and eagerness to make a difference in the world. She recently began her own women empowerment organization, called The Sisterhood Accord. Through its three pillars of educating girls and women, enlightening girls and women about the power of Sisterhood, and eradicating bullying and violence against girls and women, Sonia Jackson Myles is truly making a difference in the world, one girl at a time.
The Sisterhood Accord was founded because of the friendships Sonia had in her life. “I wanted girls and women to realize the power of the Sisterhood,” she notes. “Great leaders have great relationships, and through my Tea Party program I can encourage professional women to get along in the workforce in a collaborative effort.” Though beginning an organization is difficult, paved with many difficulties, Sonia remembers that it was the entire universe conspiring to help her achieve her goal.
However, this didn’t mean it was a smooth paved road in the formulation of the Sister Accord. “My biggest challenge was fear, in writing my book and creating my organizations. Voices deep down inside my head would tell me that I was inadequate, so the most difficult hurdle in achieving my dream was overcoming me. When I eventually got my book out and I heard people’s reaction to it, it gave me purpose. I plan on reaching one billion girls, but my focus everyday is to touch one woman at a time by showing her that she has inner worth,” she discloses in a personal interview.
Sonia believes that one billion girls living principles of the Sisterhood hold the potential to change the world. “The people that are crazy enough to change the world are the ones who do,” quoting one of Sonia’s favorite sayings.
She also takes joy in encouraging young women to accomplish their dreams. “The first step is to love yourself, and tap into the gifts you do effortlessly,” she advises. “It’s the thing you spend all day and all night working on, your purpose. By focusing on your gifts, amazing things happen. It’s what I call dreamwalking. Your dream goes from your heart to your head, to your hands and your feet.”
We all have the potential to make a difference, whether educated at Harvard or surviving on a 2.0 grade point average. Our potential to make a difference is not based on education, race, religion, family background, past, or appearance. You have amazing skills that the world is hungry for, and it would be a disservice to never use them. Go out and accomplish something great today!
For more information about The Sister Accord, please visit Sonia Jackson-Myles at http://www.thesisteraccord.com/.