Meet Dr. Rhonda Shaw

Dr. Rhonda, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?
For many years of my life, I was programmed to think that no matter my education level, my experience level, or my level of knowledge, I must ensure that I work ten times harder than my counterparts, if I want to be successful or progress through my career. Climbing the career ladder has always meant proving myself in ways that other genders, races, or ethnicities didn’t have to. Being the only one in the room comes with a lot of challenges that most of us don’t ever verbalize, because we don’t want to appear to be complainers. If I’m completely honest, being the only one in the room prompts anxiety, because rarely are we able to comfortably show up as our authentic self. The greatest lesson that I’ve learned is that, when I’ve chosen to be unapologetically me, is when I’ve been accepted for who I am. I had to learn to value myself and understand my true worth, before I could expect to be valued and respected. If you want to be heard, you must speak with authority. If you want to be seen, enter the room as if you own it. It’s the only way to free yourself and have the tables turn in your favor. I’ve also learned to nurture relationships with potential allies that have shown themselves to be supportive. Not to mention, I’m hyper aware of others that are in my situation and I work very hard to provide support where I can. All that said, as challenging as it may be to be the only one in the room, know that you’re certainly visible, it opens up an opportunity to lead and provide guidance, and it’s the perfect opportunity to make a difference and prompt change.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’ve had the privilege of working with youth in some capacity for about 25 years now. I started in the classroom, and it has evolved over time. Currently, I am working with a STOP School Violence initiative that’s focuses on improving school safety and preventing violence within schools. I, along with my team provide assistance and collaborates with agencies across the globe to enhance the capacity to recognize and address behavior that may lead to school violence in a way that does not increase the likelihood that students will enter the criminal justice system. We support state, tribal, and local agencies in their efforts to prevent, intervene, and reduce school violence. My work is pretty important, and I take it seriously.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I’ve leaned into the power of forgiveness, including the ability to forgive myself. It’s the sweetest revenge! H. Jackson Brown, Jr. eloquently expressed that we should “never forget the three powerful resources that are always available to us: love, prayer, and forgiveness.” I’ve done a lot of all three! At 57, I’ve been through my share of life. Sometimes I’ve poured until I was empty, yet God has sustained me, and I believe it’s in part due to my willingness to forgive. Letting go and letting God is always the best solution. We don’t always get the return on investment that we expect, in the manner that we expect. That’s true to every aspect of life, particularly our investment in people. Yet, we should remain true to who we are and embrace the power of being a servant of people. It’s empowering!

Being vision-focused has also been key. Setting clear goals and staying focused to achieve. Celebrating the small wins along the way and not allowing setbacks to become reasons for throwing in the towel, but rather motivation to fight harder.

“Mindset is everything,” isn’t just some cliche to mention in an interview. Mindset is truly everything! It’s everything, because it’s the foundation of everything we do; our actions, behaviors, beliefs, etc. It is closely aligned with resilience, in that it determines how well we persevere in the face of obstacles. Developing a growth mindset is crucial, so that we’re not limiting ourselves throughout this journey. The journey requires self-awareness, self-confidence, and at times self-preservation. My grandmother taught me that you don’t have to be a selfish person in order to practice self-preservation. In todays language that translates to self-care. Many preach it, but few practice it.
My advice to someone that’s early into the journey is to simply embrace it. It’s YOUR journey! Buckle-up and enjoy the ride, all the while learning lessons and evolving. When the road gets bumpy, just know you’re going to get through it. Don’t allow any situation to prompt you to feel as if you can’t get through it. You can, and you will!

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?
Let me start by saying, I had a great foundation through my grandmother. There’s never a day that I don’t quote her or at least consider her when I’m navigating through life and situations. Her strength, resilience, and tenacity are all instilled in me. I honor her and I carry her with me throughout this journey. Then there’s my father, who’s also been the quite influential in helping me to overcome challenges, build and develop essential skills, qualities, and knowledge for success. He’s done that mostly by teaching me to make every effort to live right, and then good things will follow. When you live right and trust God, good breaks, opportunities, and the right people will find you, even when you don’t think you have access to the right connections or resources, you will be shown favor for your righteousness. That’s not always easy to do, because we don’t always encounter others of the same mindset. But, if you stay focused on what is right, exercise good work ethics, stay in touch with who you are, in terms of your self/worth; you can achieve your goals. My dad came from very humble beginnings, with only a seed that was planted in him by my grandparents who poured into him and helped him to understand his worth. He’s in turn planted that seed in me and I’m forever grateful. My father “taught me ‘how’ to fish.” He’s been a solid example of what hard work can accomplish.