The Rihanna Classic Is My Life Right Now – This Update Explains Why
©Shanna Allen
Hi folks,
Y’all good? I’m good. Y’all busy? I’ve been busy. Are y’all getting rest? As Juneteenth approaches, I’m about to. Hope that you will be able to get some rest as well. This constant state of panicked productivity is not healthy for any of us.
It’s been a few months since my last update, and a lot has happened in the interim. For one thing, I got a lot more followers on LinkedIn!! As of this writing, the number is more than 30K! Thanks to my connections and followers old and new! I appreciate you all. 😊🙏🏾
Here’s what’s been happening in my world since Q1:
FAMILY TIME
The most important thing is that my sister Sharon came to visit. Happy, happy joy!! We had THE BEST TIME. We laughed. We hugged. We snacked. We plotted to take over the world. Can’t wait til her next trip stateside. 🖤💙🥰🥰
GLOWING UP
Host of Real Talk on Racism
Ya girl is officially on TV!! I can hardly believe it, but my first two episodes as a host of RTOR are now live. Eternally grateful to Russ Terry for seeing me and giving me this amazing opportunity. My first guest was Ashanti Martin, writer of The famous New York Times article Black LinkedIn is Thriving. My second guest was Ellen Wagner, CEO of Cross Cultural Bridges.
- Watch Ashanti’s episode
- Watch Ellen’s episode
- Stay tuned for an episode with Sharon Hurley Hall in early July.
Apart from being rock stars at what they do, both these ladies were so kind to me!! Ellen and her wife Kerstin Wagner hosted my sister Sharon and I at their beautiful home on the night before the recording. They were so warm, gracious, and kind. On the day of, Ellen made sure that I stayed hydrated and avoided fainting. (I was in panic mode and literally forgot to drink water all day.)
After the session was over – I recorded 3 episodes back to back – I had a mini-breakdown and started to cry. I guess I finally relaxed after all the tension of getting everything organized, and oh yeah – being on TV as a host for the very first time! It was a LOT! This neurodivergent, nervous, introverted little soul was tapped out! Ashanti spoke words of life and encouragement into me, and helped me to feel regulated again.
As usual, Sharon was the ultimate big sister and helped me get organized. There are not enough words to express how grateful I am to her just for being there, participating, and holding space for me. She is the best.
A diva’s work is never done, y’all. After a long day in the studio (Sharon and I didn’t get back home until after 9:00 p.m.), I “started the 2nd shift” by doing some work for Linked Inclusion. (More on that later.) Ever the voice of reason, Sharon reminded me of the importance of rest, so after a while we stopped working, ordered in, and watched some TV to wind down. Many lessons here, including that it is so important to have people in your circle who truly care for and about you.
Featured In Forbes
I did not have this on my 2022 bingo card, but I am so ecstatic that it happened! My sister Sharon and I were interviewed by Dana Brownlee, Senior Contributor at Forbes, on the topic of introversion and RTO. We are two of only a couple of Barbadians to have been featured in the publication. It was a big moment for us personally, and also for our podcast, The Introvert Sisters.
- Read These Black Women Introverts Explain Why So Many Others Dread Returning To The Office, by Dana Brownlee
Grateful to Dana for the opportunity!! Dana is always lifting and amplifying Black voices, and sharing our stories. If you’re serious about being a better ally, make sure to follow her on LinkedIn. And of course, swing by Apple, and leave the podcast a review! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Quoted in AdWeek
Pinch me! Grateful also to Mita Mallick, for including me in her Adweek article about how brands can avoid being exploitative during Juneteenth.
- Read Dear Marketers: Don’t Profit From Juneteenth, by Mita Mallick
Mita is a writer, executive, LinkedIn Top Voice, and co-host of Brown Table Talk. Make sure you follow her on all platforms.
Interviewed by PodcasterInc. Magazine
This is actually how the quarter started! On April 1, l was featured in the inaugural issue of Podcaster Inc. Magazine, published by Hubert Nomamiukor! Honored and appreciative of the opportunity. 🙏🏾😁 The issue features articles from Heather Monahan, Trevor Houston, and others, as well as interviews with yours truly, Kristel Bauer, Adam Pacifico, Theo X Vialucci, and Neil Moodie. Make sure to support this new, Black-owned publication!
Interviewed by LinkedIn
As many of you know, I’m a confirmed introvert (INFJ). I am also one half of The Introvert Sisters, a podcast dedicated to the topic of introversion, which I co-host with my sister Sharon. Honored to have been interviewed for LinkedIn by Ciarra Maraj, who is not only an introvert herself, but also from the Caribbean! Always happy to chat with one of my West Indian sistren.
In this piece, Lissa Appiah and I share tips on how introverts – whether as people-leaders or individual contributors – can succeed in a system that is geared towards extroversion.
- Read Ways For Introverts to Excel at Work, by Ciarra Maraj
Ciarra is a news reporter for LinkedIn, and has experience as a content writer and creator. Make sure to follow her on LinkedIn!
Went Viral on LinkedIn
Unexpectedly, in the last few weeks I spent an inordinate amount of time writing and speaking out against Walmart’s “Juneteenth Celebration Ice Cream.” My first post on the topic received well north of 290K views – a post is considered to have gone viral at 100K views – and I’ve also written about it here and here. Long story short, our collective voices forced Wally World to remove the ice cream from their shelves, AND got Balchem Corporation to abandon their attempt to trademark the word Juneteenth. The culture won out over corporate caucacity. It was a great moment.
COMMISSIONING…
In my role at Editor-at-Large of Linked Inclusion™, I kicked things into high gear during AAPI Heritage Month, curating content in the spirit of allyship. Here’s a snapshot:
- Underneath the Veneer: In Support of AAPI Intersectionality, by Dr. Shannon Wong Lerner
- At the Intersections as a First-Generation Asian Immigrant Woman in the United States, by Xin-Yi YAP 叶欣仪
- Beautifully Flawed, And Everything In Between, by Melissa S. Kong
- Meet Steven Lei, Assistant Vice President of East West Bank, by Lisa Hurley
- Coming Home, by Carissa Begonia
- Meet Dr. Michelle Lee, by Lisa Hurley
- Pillars of Strength: Eikichi Kagetsu’s Journey From Timber Baron To Internment As Told By Grandson, Nolan Kagetsu 花月, MD, FACR, by Nolan Kagetsu 花月, MD, FACR, and Padraic McFreen
- Finding My Superpower: Sharing My Voice to Advance AAPI Safety, by Chris Lin
(As an fyi, some of these links are gated, so you’ll have to join the platform to read them.)
AND WRITING…
These are some of my top-performing posts from LinkedIn:
- Juneteenth
- Psychological Safety For Black Employees in the Wake of Mass Shootings
- Mental Health_Part 1
- Mental Health_Part 2
- Caribbean LinkedIn
- National Honesty Day
- “The Slap”
- Thou Shalt Not Troll Me_Part 1
- Thou Shalt Not Troll Me_Part 2
- Mother’s Day (And The Need To Stop Calling Black Women Strong)
- (Over)Working While Black
- The Importance of Rest
- I Am Not Your Strong Black Woman
These are the latest posts from my blog:
- Juneteenth 2022: Commemoration without Commercialization
- My Sister and I Were Featured in Forbes!
- A Mental Health Awareness Month Rant, From Someone In The Trenches
- BHM365: Meet Lisa Hurley, Editor-At-Large, Linked Inclusion™
SPEAKING & PODCASTING
- LinkedIn Live Audio Events
In June, I participated in my first-ever LinkedIn Live audio events! The first was organized by Raven Solomon, host of the weekly show The DEI ER. Our topic was “How to Respectfully and Responsibly Recognize Juneteenth,” and it was a joy to chat it up with Raven, my sister Sharon, and the audience.
The second LI Live Audio was about – you guessed it – Juneteenth as well! Mita Mallick invited me to share the virtual stage with her as a part of her series “Inclusive Conversations with Mita Mallick.” Our topic was “Dear Brands, Stop Profiting Off Of Juneteenth,” and the conversation was 🔥🔥🔥! Feelings were expressed and points were made!!
Thanks to everyone who tuned in and participated!! I’ve included the links, since there is a possibility that the audio will be released. I’ll update you!
- Professionally Black Vodcast, hosted by Daryll Perry II
I was honored to be a part of a stellar panel that included Future Cain, Khafre Jay, Jahmaal Marshall, Martin Pratt, Dr. Venus Opal Reese, Kyle R. Williams, and of course, our host Daryll Perry II. In this special Juneteenth Edition of Professionally Black, titled “Rest for the Strong Black Man and Strong Black Woman,” we came together to discuss whether we all need to retire our capes.
- Diversity Connects Us Vodcast, hosted by Rachelle Carrié
My sister Sharon and I were interviewed by Rachelle Carrié, Founder & Host of Diversity Connects Us. In this episode titled “I Am Not Your Strong Black Woman,” we discussed the harmful trope, and the need for it to be dismantled.
- The Leadership Enigma Podcast, hosted by Adam Pacifico
Adam Pacifico and I connected when we were both featured in Podcaster Inc. magazine, and he graciously invited me to be a guest on his podcast. In my episode, titled, The Introverted Activist, Adam and I chat about How we can be allies to each other, and leverage our collective power to lead more authentic, inclusive lives.
- The Introvert Sisters Podcast
It would be remiss of me to omit my own podcast, right? So here you go. 😀 These are the episodes that Sharon and I have released since my last update:
- Introverts and Personality Tests: Why We Love Them
- The Introvert Sisters: Shifting Mindsets on Sustainability with Stacey Alvarez de la Campa
- The Introvert Sisters Share Their Podcasting Secrets
- The Introvert Sisters: Say No to RTO
- Are We Getting More Introverted As We Age?
Even though it’s not yet the end of the quarter, I’m posting this now because I need a break, lol. I have done enough. Time to rest. As always, I am grateful to you for reading and supporting. See you in September for the Q3 update. Have an awesome summer!
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Unless otherwise stated, text and images ©Lisa Hurley/Canva