Episode 68: Unbought and Unbossed - Shirley Chisholm
Transcript
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Welcome to the push or pivot podcast, a podcast that inspires you to trust yourself and the crossroads of life. I'm your host, Thea Charles. As a life coach. I know that when you put fear aside and trust yourself, you'll know when to push through adversity, and when to stop, reassess, and pivot.
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I believe magic happens whenever a push or pivot story is shared. And that magic is exactly what you'll find here.
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In honor of Black History Month, I'm pivoting from our regular format to put a spotlight on influential black Americans that paved the way for others.
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Our first spotlight is on a woman that I have looked up to and felt a connection to from the first time I learned about her. She is Shirley Chisholm. Shirley, was born on November 30 1924. She was a politician, educator, author, and the first black woman elected to the United States Congress. She was also the first African American candidate for a major party's nomination for president of the United States.
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Like me, Shirley's family immigrated from Barbados, and from a young age she had strong ties to the island. She lived by the mantra of being unbought and unbossed, a slogan that she used throughout her career, and was demonstrated from an early age. Surely, it was certainly not someone who felt social pressures to do what was expected. She always led with her heart and her head. It feels serendipitous to me that her birthday of November 30 later became the date for Independence Day for Barbados. What a coincidence since surely is definitely an independent woman. In college, she won prizes for her debate skills, not an easy fee as a woman. After graduation, she worked as a teacher's aide, and an early child care center. While she worked there, she continued her education to earn a master's in elementary education, which led her to move from aid to center director. She was not content simply letting injustices happen in front of her. She quickly became known for standing up for issues involving early education and child welfare. It didn't take long for Shirley to enter the world of politics. She started as a volunteer for Brooklyn's democratic clubs, and worked her way up from volunteer to the New York State Legislature. What I admire about her drive is that it didn't happen due to a thirst for power. It was because she believed that it was her duty to speak up for those who could not speak for themselves. Surely jump into politics happened in the 1950s. The group she was a part of, were dominated by mostly white men. Many told her along the way that she was not playing politics the way it should be, like backroom deals and alliances that don't align with your values. Instead, she simply did what she thought was right, surely said, you don't make progress by standing on the sidelines. whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.
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Have you been inspired shared on the pusher pivot, but feeling a little stuck at your own Crossroads? If only there were a guide to get unstuck. Well, I've made one just for you. six steps to help you recognize what is keeping you stuck and push you out of your rut. You can access it for free on my website. Fira nell.com, slash rut. That's th e a r e n e l.com slash ru T.
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In 1960, she ran for US House of Representatives from New York's 12th district. When she won her seat, she became the first black woman elected to Congress and was the only woman in the freshman class that year. During her time in Congress, she worked with anyone that was willing to see a project
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Through. She worked with Republican bob dole to expand the food stamp program. And she had a major hand in creating the WIC program to provide supplemental nutrition to women, infants and children.
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She even introduced and passed a bill in the House and Senate to provide federal funds for child care services. But ultimately, that bill was vetoed by then President Nixon. Just another example of Shirley never forgetting those that she worked with along the way. She knew the importance of making connections in order to bring about change the lesson that I believe we can all learn from especially in our current political climate. In 1972, Shirley visited her rival and opposite George Wallace while he was hospitalized after an assassination attempt. This visit was big news at the time. But guess who helped her years later, when she worked on a bill to give domestic workers a minimum wage? You guessed it, Mr. Wallace. He helped her gain votes from Southern congressmen to push the legislation through, surely announced her presidential bid in July of 1971. She was there to be a representative of the people. She famously said, I am not the candidate of black America. Although I am black and proud. I am not the candidate of the women's movement of this country. Although I am a woman and equally proud of that. I am the candidate of the people, and my presence before you symbolizes a new error in American political history. Although she did not win the nomination, she said she ran for the office in spite of hopeless odds to demonstrate the sheer will and refusal to accept the status quo. After leaving, Congress, surely went back to her education career, and was a college professor at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts.
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I am so thankful for people like Shirley unbought and unbossed people who persist despite what society tells them their places. It's easy to list her accomplishments and just think, Wow, what an incredible person. But I can only imagine that there were times that it was really tough. And and despite that, she persisted. Shirley said that if they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.
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Her allowing herself to be seen and heard, most certainly allowed for space at the table for other women. And when space wasn't given, seeing her inspired others to bring their own folding chair and take a seat anyway. Would we have Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, or even Barack Obama, if there wasn't Shirley Chisholm first,
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what seat Have you sat in as a result of someone being unbought and unbossed?
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I highly recommend reading her autobiography, aptly named unbought and unbossed. I felt like I could hear her speaking to me. It was nearly like hanging out with an older friend who's pouring all their knowledge to you and inspiring you to stay in alignment with your values and not be deterred.
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I wouldn't be surprised if we don't have a woman price over the next 20 to 25 years, particularly if the women continue to move into the rest of them if they're moving now in this country by constantly fighting for recognition on the basis of their talents and their abilities, and not on the basis of their sex. And their making the gentleman in this country begin to realize that ultimately, all discrimination, whether it's anti woman or anti black, discrimination, anti human.
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Thank you for listening, and join me next time on the push or pivot podcast.