I’ve always loved the idea of journeys. Maybe it’s because my middle name is Ijeoma, which means “beautiful journey” in Igbo, my Nigerian language.
Journeys suggest progress, growth, change, discovery, anticipation, and adventure. We usually have expectations about what we will find on our journeys, but there is also the possibility that we may yet discover something new and unexpected.
For immigrant women, the idea of journeys is especially palpable. Unless you came to the United States as an infant, you probably remember exactly how you felt on the day you embarked on the tremendous journey to the United States, whether you came in search of freedom, growth, or opportunity. You left some things behind (friends, family, and other social ties), and you brought some things with you (yourself, perhaps family too, plus hopes and aspirations).
I was almost seventeen years old when we came to the United States in 1995. My heart was beating a whole lot faster. I wasn’t nervous because my entire family made the initial trip together. I do remember feeling very optimistic and feeling a strong sense of my ability to do anything.
I still remember the smell of the coffee on that KLM flight from Schiphol to JFK, and the flight attendants’ voices as they wheeled the coffee carts down the aisles of the Boeing 747 and announced their arrival in various languages … koffie, café, coffee, caffe, kaffe. Tea, taa, thé … and they said those words over, and over, and over again. I can still hear them.
Whatever your word for coffee or tea, whatever your language, wherever you come from, this is your home on the web. It’s your place to tap into that “can do anything” spirit; your place to be encouraged to soar.
I created this site to inspire and accompany women on their leadership journeys—high-achieving women leaders who have come to the United States from all across the globe, “American dream queens” who share a passion for excellence and success.
Immigrant women leaders do not come to the United States—indeed, we do not come into this world—to blend in. We are here to shine!
It is my hope that this site supports you on your leadership journey. I hope it helps you discover and continually tap into your immigrace—the unique gift that only you bring to this country and to this world.
I hope you discover wonderful nuggets of wisdom and inspiration to undertake and continue your leadership journey with zeal and enthusiasm.
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