We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carmen Foy. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carmen below.
Carmen, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
As a young girl, I experienced domestic violence in the home (I’m a child survivor of domestic violence), was bullied in school, and had self-esteem issues. I didn’t have access to organizations like PurityGirl, Inc. to educate me on social issues back then; consequently, I chose athletics to conceal my scars. Track, cheerleading, and playing volleyball kept me busy, but unfortunately did not alleviate the inner pain. At times I felt so alone and lost, but deep down, I knew there was more to life than what I was experiencing. Fortunately, I learned to rely on my faith at an early age, thanks to my grandmothers. My faith is what got me through.
After graduating from college, I entered Corporate America. While leaving work one day, I observed a teenage girl being bullied by other girls. The instant connection I felt with this young lady from a distance evoked many memories; I could definitely relate. Although I was on a great path in life, working for a Fortune 500 company, and had taken a few personal development courses that taught me the meaning of purpose and value, I couldn’t help but to hold back the tears. I mean — what if the young lady who was being bullied didn’t have athletics as an outlet to suppress her emotions? What if she’d reached her limit? What if she felt unloved and turned to a life of promiscuity? As I walked over to make sure she was okay, she asked if I was a teacher. Believe it or not, I discovered my purpose at that precise moment. I was to become, to young ladies, who I wish I’d had when I was their age. As a result, I became a volunteer mentor, and eventually went on to launch my nonprofit organization, PurityGirl, Inc.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
My name is Carmen Foy, I am the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of PurityGirl, Inc. Our mission is to connect girls to something larger and more powerful than themselves, with an emphasis on Girl Advocacy and Empowerment. Our mission is to bridge the gap between basic education and life competencies. Knowledge is power; therefore, we push to promote our mission through community service initiatives, workshops, conferences, and roundtable discussions, to name a few.
We launched the PurityGirl LeadHERship Academy in the fall of 2021. The PurityGirl LeadHERship Academy is a bi-weekly interactive self-esteem program for young ladies ages 10 to 14. The curriculum of this 10-week program is heavily influenced by Social Emotional Learning (SEL) skills and ideas, which are the building blocks that enable our youth to become successful in their personal endeavors, become advocates in their community, as well as for themselves; make better decisions, and develop positive relationships. We’re excited about our entire lineup for 2023!
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, the three qualities that were most impactful to my journey were my faith, having a growth mindset, the ability to encourage myself, and being a thought leader (that’s four qualities, LOL). Please be advised that neither of these qualities comes easy — however, when you realize that all you have is yourself and God, you’ll learn to transform your thought process rather quickly. Be your biggest cheerleader! You must develop yourself and invest in your personal growth. Personal development is the process of expanding one’s knowledge in order to realize one’s goals. A dream remains a dream until one awakens and takes action; so don’t sleep on your dreams!
Who has been most helpful in helping you overcome challenges or build and develop the essential skills, qualities or knowledge you needed to be successful?
God has sent, and continues to send, many extraordinary people and opportunities into my life. To begin, I’d like to thank Southwest Airlines, where I worked for 23 years and was provided the opportunity to assume a leadership role. I spent 18 of my 23 years at Southwest managing people — including training and developing flight attendants and coaching new leaders. What Southwest Airlines really instilled in me was the importance of putting others before myself (Servant Leadership) and leading by example. I made the difficult decision to retire in August of 2018; however, I took with me a wealth of invaluable leadership experience and insight thanks to so many leaders and mentors who impacted my life.
I’d also like to thank my husband of thirteen years, Barak Foy, for constantly assuring me that God’s plan will ultimately prevail in my life, no matter how difficult things may get. Jere Barnes-Allen, my beautiful mom; my mentors, Kristal Nicholson, Star Nelson, and Stephanie Drew — and the countless other people who have helped propel me into purpose. I could never name them all. It’s very much appreciated, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It has definitely been a Bold Journey.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.RatedPurityGirl.org
- Instagram: @ratedpuritygirl
- Facebook: PurityGirl, Inc.
- Linkedin: Carmen M. Foy
- Twitter: @RatedPurityGirl
- Youtube: PurityGirl (@puritygirl3527)
