About
WHAT’S ELEVATE EACH OTHER ALL ABOUT ANYWAY?
So many times during my career I have thought, “I wish there was just one place where I could find information to help me navigate my career, gain inspiration from other people’s stories and find informational resources on the business world.” I was looking for a trusted source. One that wasn’t pumping ads at me, trying to sell me something and/or clearly cranking out content for advertising purposes. I would often ask myself, “why is it so difficult to find inspirational and informational content aimed at a young business woman?” Alas, I have never found such a digital place. Now that I am well into my career, and notably no longer “young,” I have concluded that the best way to find my utopian vision of a career mentor and online resource would be to create one myself.
The goal of ELEVATE EACH OTHER is to the create a central resource for inspiration around navigating the business world, leadership, career development, community, support and inspiration. I plan to share articles, videos, books, podcasts that have inspired me, blog about my journey and share perspective from the past 20 years of my career. More importantly I want to tell stories, the real stories of my friends, colleagues, mentors and teachers. I have always been really inspired after hearing the stories of others, there is so much power in those lessons and they have such a deep impact, especially when I can see myself in their journey. My mission is to tell and share as many stories as I can. The good and the bad. The triumphs and even the failures.
THE HARSH REALITY
There is so much talk about bringing diversity to the workplace and yet so many barriers remain intact. It is still just talk. Where is the action? Why am I still often the only women in the room? I am still talked over, as if my voice doesn’t matter. I am still treated as if I am a guest at the table. Still called, “opinionated.” Still experience blatant sexism at work. Diversity in the building, can still be counted on one hand. Supportive ecosystems for women and minorities often don’t exist. Challenges that I expected 20 years ago when I graduated from college and entered the workforce, but the fact that this is still a reality in 2020, I find unacceptable. Bias is very real.
Last year Forbes magazine shared, “Only 22% of the 7.4 million technology occupations in the U.S. are held by women. 50% of women leave STEM career within 12 years (vs. 20% of non-STEM.) And the stats are worse for women of color: between 2007 and 2015, the number of African-American women in tech dropped 13%, and the number of African-American women managers dropped 23%.”
These statistics are horrible. I recently read Melinda Gates book, “The Moment of Lift,” which shares research illustrating that true gender equality will happen in about 99 years. Seriously? I can’t wait that long. These statistics are unacceptable to me. We have to do better.
I believe that we can accelerate the equality journey by supporting, mentoring, and sponsoring each other. We just need to come together instead of competing with each other! We don’t have to do it alone. It is going to take all of us, including our male allies too. I have to believe that if we do the work together then we can expedite gender equality.
LETS DO THIS!
I no longer want to be the only women in the room. Diversity and inclusion would be my ideal work environment, I want to work in an environment where all are welcome and diversity is celebrated. I want to be a part of the solution. Help advance women’s leadership and dismantling the biases that are holding women back from their goals and careers aspirations is something that we can all help with. I want to see our future innovations, technologies, products, and corporations influenced and guided by the female perspective. We need that! I would love to be a part of the change. So, this initiative is my little way of spreading some light and love. My hope is that the resources, stories and advice shared on these pages will help to inspire and share important information.
Together we can ELEVATE EACH OTHER to the careers, life and the successes that we are dreaming about!
Hi, I’M SONYA!
I’ve spent most of my career in Marketing, either in the Silicon Valley or Portland, Oregon for a variety of industries, public and private sectors. In addition to my business career, I have dedicated most of my life to training and coaching dancers. I truly believe that the leadership, collaboration, discipline, perseverance, goal setting, work ethic, and professionalism that brought me success in the business world, were key skills I developed as a young dance student. I have dedicated much of my life and free time to share those same lessons with my students along with the athletic and artistry needed to be an accomplished dancer. Much like dance, I feel it is essential to continue to pass on our stories, wisdom, experiences, sponsorship to the next generation so that we can enjoy a more equal workplace and world moving forward. We still have a long way to go!
