We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kesha Hamilton . We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ms. Hamilton below.
Ms. Hamilton, so great to have you with us and thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts with the community. So, let’s jump into something that stops so many people from going after their dreams – haters, nay-sayers, etc. We’d love to hear about how you dealt with that and persisted on your path.
In January of 2023 I found myself as the object of hate, vitriol, death threats and plastered on a Proud Boys flyer. In December of the prior year, 2022, I’d posted on my twitter, “Whiteness is so evil.. it manipulates then says, I won’t apologize for my dishonesty and trauma inducing practices and thinks you should applaud it for being honest about it’s ability to manipulate and be dishonest.. #Deceitful #Perfidious”
My Twitter account had been largely unnoticed as the community I live in is mostly a Facebook community and I used it (Facebook) more often.
At the time that I posted this I was a Board of Education trustee, the chair of the city of Jackson’s Racial Equity Commission, chair of the grassroots group Racing 4 Equity and I worked during the day for a nonprofit that among the many amazing programs it offered – it also managed several federal programs. By the time this all ended I was yet and am still in most of these positions. I stepped down from Racing 4 Equity to pursue Masters in Public Administration.
To put the number of haters, nay-sayers in perspective my Twitter posts were averaging about 2 views per post by the time this post was done being viewed and as of time of this writing it has been viewed 79.9K times (79,900).
I was featured on Fox News nati0nal and made it into an article in the UK, the DailyMail, and various online social media news sites..
Every social media platform that I use became inundated and overrun with hate mail, my name is still a popular and common name among public commenters at City Council.
When this hit in January of 2023 it didn’t slowdown until around May of 2023, though it still hasn’t stopped altogether.
So, how do I as an outspoken, truth speaking advocate, and activist committed to racial justice persist despite the nay-sayers… I remember who I do it for. I remember who I do it for. My children. Myself, my community, the students in our district, the citizens in my city – I remember who I do it for. I persist because I remember the who.
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 passion and area of purpose is racial equity, it’s what I’m most known for at this time. Glenn E. Martin said, “Those closest to the problem are closest to the solution but furthest from the resources and power.” Various individuals have adapted this saying but the essence of it is – those who have experienced an issue and who have the keys on how to solve it are often the furthest from the resources needed to solve the issue.
At Diverse Minds Consulting, LLC, found online at www.diversemindsconsulting.com our work is ‘Historically authentic racial equity engagement’ which is essentially a culmination of my experiences and my synthesis of my experiences.
Engaging in racial equity requires a certain level of acumen, skill, knowledge, lived experience and willingness to say what needs to be said without apology. I’ve been fortunate to do that in the public spaces I operate in, as chair in various groups, and on my job.
I consult with businesses, I partner in leadership with others in anti racist and racial equity spaces, I develop and lead trainings. and I’m often the unapologetic voice in the room that you can count on for consistency, clarity and arrow sharp to the heart of the issue with grace.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities that have aided me the most on my journey have been self-discipline, respect and self awareness.
My self discipline has helped me to set very clear boundaries around my time, my space, who I allow around me and where I show up. I’m intentional about my self-care, I’m intentional about prioritizing my time.
My respect of myself and my voice. My self respect has helped me to value and respect all people. Respecting myself and valuing my voice taught me how to value others, their voices, their experiences and to feel deeply through sympathy and empathy the experiences they have.
My lived experience – living as an African American woman born of high school students, living in poverty, rejected by my teenage father, lost among my several siblings, abused during my marriage, has helped me to develop an authentic value of myself and a deep respect for the experiences of others.
These three skills (self-discipline, self-respect, and lived experience) have deeply impacted my journey and helped me to develop empathy, self-awareness, and confidence to operate in these spaces unapologetically.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
My children have been the most helpful in overcoming challenges and helping me to be successful. I look at them and am instantly reminded of why I can’t stop.
My children, like all children, are so innocent and valuable and deserve for the adults in the world to be selfless, sacrificial, honest, responsible and intentional about living into those good qualities that will create a world that is worthy of their presence.
That’s how my children make me feel, I can’t stop working to make this world a place worthy of their presence.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.diversemindsconsulting.com
- Instagram: @KeshaforJPS
- Facebook: Kesha R. Hamilton
- Linkedin: Kesha Hamilton
- Youtube: Diverse Minds Consulting, LLC
