“There is always a story behind people’s reactions based on values, attitudes, personality, historical experiences. When these can be drawn out, listened to and understood by others, knowledge is gained, skills are improved for the future, people heal and potentially volatile situations become more peaceful.”

“I wish girls find courage to pursue their dreams, to live their life to the fullest, that they can decide their own narrative and do so without fear. I hope that they get an education so that they are empowered to make these choices, be more ambitious.”

“We as Africans need to think about what we believe about ourselves and how we are being deliberate about portraying Africa. We can only fight negative perceptions of Africa so far. We must demand more of ourselves with our words and actions. We need collective action”

“People overestimate or fear risk but risk is a major part of the process of success. I believe risk has to be calculated. I take calculated risks boldly, pray and work hard. I believe that the bigger the risk, the bigger the win.”

“Organizational culture is one of the most important roles of those in leadership positions. Culture is a powerful tool in shaping behavior. If a person who does poor quality work comes to a company that has a culture of excellence, they will conform or leave.”

“Learning how to follow your passion without losing interest and momentum is a critical skill to adopt in the pursuit of success. Your dreams will be called into question, critiqued and mocked; you have to be confident to be able to push forward.”

“I’m a firm believer in as a man thinks, so shall he become. I’m big on vision boards, daily affirmations, prayer, meditation, small group discussions. It’s a combination of those things that caused me to push past what I felt like was the end.”

“It isn’t my formal education that has led me in my career path; it’s my love for reading and spending time with children. I keep telling parents who tend not to want to let children engage in extracurricular activities that a lot happens outside the classroom.”

“Promoting more women of color that are already in the field would help to bring more girls into the STEM field More career talks with successful women would also be very helpful so that these ladies can serve as mentors for the women behind them.”

“Self-awareness is crucial. If you don’t understand what you do best that others need most – your unique value contribution – you can’t know where you’re going to have the most impact and where to place your career ladder, so to speak”