We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Montreece Payton-Hardy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Montreece, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
Faith & Failure – I thrive in adversity. Health failures, life-threatening pregnancies, divorce as a result of marriage ‘failure’, losing most of my eyesight, then all my assets and employment led to depression and three suicide attempts. Inspite of waning mental health, my faith in God is the foundation of my strength. It is also the root of the closest relationships that make up the strong support system that includes my kids, sister, mom and closest friends. I am grateful my loved ones remind me that my character is dripping with persistence, determination and adaptability.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’m a passionate social entrepreneur and dedicated advocate for Accessibility, Belonging, Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity – ABIDE. Drawing inspiration from my personal lived experiences, I have grounded my unwavering commitment to ABIDE for intersectionality and disability inclusion through writing, speaking, and training in educational institutions and corporate workplaces.
Over the past year, my primary focus has been on advancing accommodations and self-advocacy within workplaces. As a contributor for reputable platforms such as Bold Blind Beauty as well as The Haven, and Science for Life (both Medium publications), I apply a thoughtful and strategic approach to various subjects informed by either a disability or intersectional lens. Leveraging my background in education, training, networking and personal experience, I create/co-create podcast and online content, alongside written works, training sessions, webinars, and coaching. The content is marked by genuine and candid perspectives on intersectional life with disability, parenting with a disability and advocacy, workplace disability inclusion, online accessibility, and more.
You can always find me juggling multiple projects! I have coauthored Women at the Well: Healing Stories of Hope and Transformation and written other collaborative research articles and white papers in the K-12 education, healthcare, finance, and career coaching sectors. I also just finished writing a children’s book aimed at helping young children understand and confidently share their stories about having a parent who lives with with disabilities. I have worked as a research assistant to support health inequities in Global-Majority maternity and neonatal care as well as diversity efforts for pediatricians supporting severely underserved communities in the state of Texas. Looking ahead to Q1 and Q2 of the next year, I am gearing up for exciting projects and conferences, speaking on topics such as the importance of empowering parents with disabilities and the intersection with various cultural populations, tools to support K-12 educators in communicating effectively with parents with disabilities, neurodiversity in teens and adults, trauma-informed faith-based mental health programming, and wellness retreats. The latter, work in faith-based mental health, is part of my work on the Board of Directors for Oh Grace Ministries, Inc. led by Dr. Janette Bentley.
In a recent achievement, I successfully concluded the inaugural cohort for Syracuse University’s course on Foundations of Entrepreneurship for People with Disabilities. Currently, I am enrolled in the highly sought-after Women in Entrepreneurship Certificate Program in partnership with Bank of America and Cornell University, and I anticipate completion in the spring.
I am also poised to share a captivating write-up on the Inaugural Interracial Sisterhood Retreat hosted by the Interracial Sisterhood Coalition that took place in Miami, FL December 14-16, 2023. This event promised to be a transformative and enriching journey and it surely delivered. that aligns seamlessly with my broader mission of fostering inclusivity, awareness, wellness and empowerment for all who identify as women.
As I continue to break new ground in the spheres of entrepreneurship, disability advocacy, and inclusivity, it’s my greatest intention to amplify marginalized voices and leaders in disability, take up space, and subsequently create a ripple effect of positive change in the world. Stay tuned for more from me as I continue to make a profound impact on the landscape of accessibility and belonging.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Honestly, I am still early in my journey! I believe persistence, empathy, and growth mindset for lifelong learning. Working in concert these three qualities have led me to people and opportunities that allowed me to be authentically me, learn, educate others, and model self advocacy. I am also grateful for immersive opportunities with Texas Workforce Commissions, American Foundation for the Blind and the Foundations of Entrepreneurship course at Syracuse University that put me in direct spaces with professionals and leaders with disabilities, where I gleaned the importance for being a passionate changemaker in this space.
If I were to offer advice to individuals who are early in their journey, I would emphasize the importance of cultivating these three qualities. First, persistence is crucial in overcoming challenges and setbacks. It’s the ability to keep going, even when faced with obstacles, that often leads to success. Second, empathy plays a significant role in building meaningful connections and just being a better doggone human being. Understanding and resonating with the experiences of others opens doors to collaboration and shared growth. Lastly, maintaining a growth mindset for lifelong learning is essential in a rapidly evolving world. Embrace opportunities to expand your knowledge and skills, and view challenges as opportunities for personal and professional development.
Reflecting on my journey, I’m grateful for the immersive opportunities I had with Texas Workforce Commissions, the American Foundation for the Blind, and the Foundations of Entrepreneurship course at Syracuse University. These experiences exposed me to professionals and leaders with disabilities, reinforcing the importance of being a passionate changemaker in this space.
My advice for those starting their journey is to find their voice and passion by connecting with people and organizations that share their values. Seek out integrative experiences that put you in direct spaces with professionals in your field of interest as well as those you seek to serve. These experiences not only provide valuable insights but also open doors to opportunities you might not have encountered otherwise. In connecting with like-minded individuals and organizations, you’ll not only find support but also a community that can inspire and propel you forward on your journey.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
I’m open to collaboration with individuals passionate about inclusion, education, parenting, neurodiversity, technology, innovation, and other creative projects. Whether you’re a writer, entrepreneur, educator, developer, designer, or enthusiast, let’s connect!
Reach out to me on LinkedIn ( https://www.linkedin.com/in/montreecehardy/ ) schedule with me at https://theversavox.com/our-pro , or via email at [email protected] to explore exciting opportunities and bring ideas to life together! I am very serious about this by the way – don’t hesitate, just click a link and drop a line! *warm smiles* Yes, this is me breaking the fourth wall – stop reading and reach out so we can get stuff done – let’s go!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theversavox.com/our-pro
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/montreecehardy/
- Other: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/difficultteapodcast
Image Credits
National Career Development Association Jina Etienne Consulting Diversity Crew ProFellow Bold Blind Beauty, Stephanae McCoy Montreece Hardy
