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The Power of Impact: Volunteering in Rwanda & What It Meant to Me

March 1, 2020 by Kelly Nash 4 Comments

On my 31st birthday last September, I was writing in my journal when I noticed a crinkled and stained piece of paper had fallen out. I picked it up and realized it was the bucket list I had written during my early years of college. As I read over my list, I noticed two things written down: volunteer abroad and visit a developing country. 

Not even a few days later, my manager, Kristen, told me she was heading to Rwanda with another co-worker of ours for a volunteer trip in February with an organization called Venture2Impact. Venture2Impact is an organization that aims to help communities around the world break the cycle of poverty. Not only does this apply to material poverty, but V2I also addresses issues of isolation, vulnerability, powerlessness, physical weakness, and other forms of poverty. As Kristen was telling me about the program in Rwanda, I knew I wanted to partake in it.

The plan was to partner with an organization on the ground in Kigali, Rwanda called Hope and Homes for Children (HHC) to help disadvantaged people in their community learn English, computer skills and train young businesswomen specifically on business and entrepreneurial subjects. The goal was to upskill them so they could qualify for better paying jobs and ultimately reduce child abandonment rates. There has been a preconceived notion in developing countries that placing your children in an orphanage will allow them to flourish and live a better life than if they lived with their families. HHC is debunking this myth and they are striving to close all orphanages and put children into loving homes instead.

We would be in Kigali for a week, but V2I would be on the ground with additional groups of volunteers for a total of three weeks. I knew nothing about Rwanda, the land of a thousand hills, or what I was really getting myself into, but I felt in my heart that it was meant to be.  If I was going to volunteer abroad, I wanted it to be working and teaching people one on one. Without any hesitation, I found myself setting up a meeting with the founder of Venture2Impact, being interviewed, getting accepted into the program, and planning my trip to Africa in a matter of days.

As months turned to weeks and weeks turned to days before my trip, I found myself getting nervous but energized at the possibilities that awaited me. I’d be traveling alone most of the way, going farther than I ever have without family or my trusty travel partner – my husband, Adam, but I saw it as a challenge to be on my own. I’d be going to a new country (and continent for that matter) that I had no familiarity with and would be totally out of my comfort zone, but I was excited to immerse myself in a culture and way of life that was so different from my own. I couldn’t wait to meet the people we would be working with. What I didn’t anticipate was how much the country, the people and the trip would make an impact on me.

Kelly walks towards her RwandAir flight.

Picture courtesy of John Malangone

Rwanda landscape from up above.

Picture courtesy of John Malangone

Rwanda’s Tragic Past

Most people who have heard of Rwanda know it for its genocide of 1994, where nearly one million people were brutally tortured and lost their lives in a span of only 100 days. I can’t believe that I was alive during this horrific time of history and had no knowledge of the genocide all these years prior to planning my trip. I wanted to make sure I understood the impact it had on the country and its people before I arrived. To educate myself, I read countless articles online and watched Hotel Rwanda a few months prior to landing on the ground, but nothing could have prepared me for the shock and utter grief I felt walking through the Kigali Genocide Memorial Museum on our first full day in Kigali. It opened my eyes to the terror, cruelty, and hatred that enveloped the genocide.

The genocide occurred after decades of social disparity between two tribes, the Hutu and the Tutsis. This segregation was instigated by both the Belgians and French at different periods during the 20th century. I’m not going to do the genocide justice explaining how it came about, so I highly recommend you read more of the history here. Below is a picture I took that provides an inside view of how the Hutu took control of the country.

Hutu Ten Commandments

Picture courtesy of Casey Deck

The museum didn’t hold back in visuals and stories, sharing the gory details and harsh realities so many Rwandans faced during that time. I read stories about families who were entirely wiped out, women who were raped by men infected with HIV, children – no matter the age – who were ripped from their families’ arms and brutally murdered. As I made my way through the museum, I became increasingly more and more emotional. As I was taking it all in, I realized my group had walked ahead of me and I was going through most of the rooms alone. I entered a room of photos upon photos of faces of those were killed. Their eyes stared only back at me in that moment and I felt tears welling up in my own eyes.

Victims of the Rwandan Genocide.

Picture courtesy of John Malangone

Children who lost their lives in the Rwandan Genocide.

Picture courtesy of Casey Deck

After seeing and processing all of those beautiful faces, the next set of rooms were full of skulls and bones and the clothes people were wearing the day they died. Much of the clothes you could tell were stained with dried blood. It was then that I completely broke down and cried.

Clothing worn by the victims of the Rwandan Genocide.

Picture courtesy of John Malangone

During my time in Rwanda, I gathered that nearly everyone in the country had been impacted by the genocide in one way or another. In one particular English lesson, we asked the HHC beneficiaries we were teaching what their birthdays were. A handful mentioned January 1st and the volunteers and I realized after the fact that it was likely because they didn’t remember their actual birthdays since their parents had died in the genocide.

I also had a chance to have an intimate conversation with the owner of Yambi Guesthouse, the hotel we stayed at, one day after class on its porch.

Yambi House in Kigali, Rwanda

Picture courtesy of John Malangone

Patrick shared that his parents were refugees living in Uganda when the genocide happened. Three months later, they came back to Rwanda after being asked to return and help rebuild. When they arrived, he told me that there were still lifeless bodies scattered all over the streets. He also learned that his grandfather, uncle, two aunts and all of his cousins had been murdered. I couldn’t even fathom how that kind of experience would affect a 14-year-old boy. The most tragic part is that so many Rwandans have similar stories like Patrick’s. It really put things into perspective.

Rwanda Genocide Museum

The Beauty in Rebuilding Rwanda

Despite their horrific past, the people of Rwanda have miraculously found forgiveness in their hearts to move forward and live in harmony. This movement was led by Paul Kagame, Rwanda’s current president, shortly after the genocide as he empowered his country to forgive and find peace. Rwanda’s official view toward ethnicity is that there is no longer a divide of Hutu and Tutsi – they are Rwandan. You’ll hear Rwandans today refer to themselves as “one people” – an incredible feat, considering the tragedy that happened only 25 years ago. As a result, Rwanda is now arguably the safest country in Africa today. There’s something amazingly inspiring and beautiful about how Rwandans have been able to rebuild their country and move past a massacre of such grand scale.

Rwanda Genocide 25 years Anniversary

Going into my trip, I had a strong perception of what Rwanda would be like. Growing up in the States, I was haunted by images I’d seen in the media and conditioned to think of African countries as poor and in need of constant aid. On top of that, thinking to what the ramifications of a city pained by genocide would look like, I imagined a very run down, poverty-stricken city. But Rwanda was so different than what I had expected, in the best way possible.

The City

I was elated to see that Kigali in particular was a functioning and modern city, bustling with cars and ‘moto-taxis’ and full of hotels, stores, bars, and restaurants. You could just feel positive energy electrifying the city and I knew on my first drive through the city that I wanted to explore and expose myself to as much as I could.

A Moto Taxi in Kigali.

Picture courtesy of Matt Creaser

The first afternoon we were there, a few volunteers and I ventured to the market where meat, fruits and vegetables, and clothing were being sold. What an experience that was! As soon as we began walking through and touching all of the beautiful fabrics, we were welcomed by many of the working women. They brought up pictures of dresses, pants, and skirts on their phones and told us we could pick any fabric and they’d make anything we wanted in a matter of hours. Their tenacity to sell was strong and I knew I wanted a piece of Rwanda to bring home with me, so I happily purchased a pair of elephant-patterned cotton pants (that I love and have been wearing to bed nearly every night since being home).

Kimironko Market in Kigali, Rwanda

Picture courtesy of John Malangone

Kimironko Market textiles.

Woman in the Kimironko Market.

Picture courtesy of John Malangone

The volunteers and I also headed out one night after teaching to let loose at an art gallery that transformed to a bar and dance party at night. It was eclectic and full of life. The DJ was spinning a mix of both American and African beats and we quickly found ourselves on the dance floor, practicing our best moves with some of the locals. I couldn’t help grinning ear to ear and absolutely loving every minute.

Kelly and her co-workers have fun at a bar in Kigali.

The Community

While there are certainly some more commercialized areas of Kigali, there are also areas where poverty is more prevalent, where we happened to spend most of our time. The majority of the beneficiaries we were teaching came from more financially disadvantaged situations. I learned that many didn’t have running water at home and a few even lived at the local orphanage.

Because of our exposure to Kigali’s poverty, the other volunteers and I talked at length about its effects. While we agreed it was eye-opening and humbling for us to be exposed to it, we admitted we were envious of the beneficiaries. Because despite their financial state, they were rich in so many other ways.

Rwandans didn’t seem to be consumed by the tight grip of technology like so many of us experience in Western countries. Kids happily played and ran around in their front yards, instead of glued to their TVs. Schoolchildren walked to and from school together, holding hands and laughing, instead of their heads buried in their smartphones. It reminded me of the days when I was a kid, before we had computers and cell phones, when life just felt more simple and care-free.

Children of Rwanda

Picture courtesy of Casey Deck

Rwandan children out having fun.

Picture courtesy of Casey Deck

On the 25 minute walk to and from the community hub we taught at, adults and children alike would wave at us and gleefully say ‘hello!’ I couldn’t remember the last time – if any time – a stranger in Chicago waved at me and said hello as I walked by. On one particular walk to the community hub, a 2-year-old girl ran up to us and hugged each of us. Her mother looked on, her face beaming. In America, we’d yell at our child if they ran up to a stranger, for fear of kidnapping (or worse). The trusting nature and strong sense of community among the Rwandans instantly made your heart fill with love and happiness.

V2I volunteers walking home.

Picture courtesy of Rosh Davis

The best part of my day was when the beneficiaries came into class with a smile and ready to shake your hand or give you a hug. The Rwandans could not have been more kind or welcoming to us. The feelings I had being surrounded by them each and every day is something I will never forget. 

Smiles at HHC Rwanda Community Hub.

Picture courtesy of Rosh Davis

Venturing to Impact in Rwanda

Our time on-site with Venture2Impact during the week I volunteered was three-fold: 

To teach the beneficiaries of HHC Rwanda (ages 10-70) computer skills and English – The competitive educational and economic environment in Rwanda increasingly demands computer literacy skills and the English language. Because of this, our goal was to provide foundational skills so they could compete favorably in the job market and work their way around educational activities.

We worked with a wide range of literacy when it came to English, as some spoke fairly fluently, while some could barely speak a few words. Regardless, we found our ways to teach and communicate, whether it was through facial expressions, hand gestures or writing out what we were saying instead (I found many of them could read English). We had so much fun getting to know the beneficiaries on a more personal level through games we played and the English we practiced in class. I personally had never taught English in my life, so I was learning as I went but found it so rewarding when I saw the group I was working with say their sentences in perfect English in front of the class.

Kelly Nash works with her group in English class.

Picture courtesy of Casey Deck

Computer class proved more challenging because not only were we teaching computer skills, we were communicating in English, which not everyone spoke or knew. Most had little access to computers (a few mentioned they hadn’t used a computer in years!) and many didn’t have basic computer literacy. We were doing what most of us would consider the simplest of tasks, like how to turn the computer on, how to type, how to navigate to programs like the internet, and how to search for things on Google. One day, I was helping one of the beneficiaries, Joselyne, search for restaurants in Kigali. As I was guiding her, I saw her eyes light up and a smile appear on her face when she saw the page of results pop up. Something that we would consider a norm was magic to her. 

Kelly Nash teaches one of the HHC beneficiaries, Joselyn, computer skills.

Picture courtesy of Rosh Davis

Computer class at the HHC Rwanda community hub.

Picture courtesy of Matt Creaser

During the week, we helped the beneficiaries also create Gmail accounts. On our last day of class, we began passing out our email addresses and I secretly hoped they’d remember how to log-in to their accounts so we could communicate long after I was back in the States. At the time of writing this, it hasn’t been even two weeks since I’ve been home and I’ve already received a handful of emails. Each and every one I’ve received has been more precious than the last.

Computer class in Rwanda.

Picture courtesy of Matt Creaser

To empower marginalized women and young mothers (roughly ages 18-30) in the community with business trainings – In the past, many Rwandan women were expected to stay at home and tend to the families. Nowadays, it’s customary for the women to work as well. Our goal was to train women who own their business on subjects such as customer segmentation, customer service and value proposition. We worked with the women two days during the week we were on-site and I learned of their varying businesses, ranging from selling shoes to food to makeup.

Rwandan businesswomen hard at work.

Picture courtesy of Rosh Davis

I became particularly close to the two women, Sandrine and Natasha, who I worked exclusively with during the week. Both had their own clothing business; Sandrine sold clothes, while Natasha specialized in undergarments and swimsuits. While it was my mission to help them understand the lesson plan and put it into practice in the respective activity each day, I found it was more important for me to listen and empower them through our conversations in English. Looking back, it’s the strong connection we shared that will stay with me when I think of my time in Rwanda. They both spoke extremely good English, so we were able to relate to things on a deeper level. They asked me about my life in America, what my family was like, and if I knew how to drive a car. In turn, I wanted to know how they ran their business and what their life was like in Rwanda. 

Kelly sits with Natasha and Sandrine during class.

On my last day with them, I knew I couldn’t realistically hug them good-bye with the hope that maybe I’d see them again. I instinctively gave them my contact information so they could message me and connect with me long after I left. Every day since I’ve been back, receiving a message on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger or Instagram from Sandrine and Natasha has instantly brightened my day. In this regard, I am so beyond thankful for technology. 

To educate HHC Rwanda employees on the importance of social media – While HHC corporate has a strong presence on social, HHC Rwanda previously had none. I was put in charge to create two trainings on social media to present to HHC Rwanda employees and help them create their own social media accounts to raise awareness and gain financial support.

Kelly Nash introduces herself to HHC Rwanda.

Picture courtesy of Matt Creaser

Kelly Nash teaching social media at HHC Rwanda.

Picture courtesy of Casey Deck

Kelly helps one of the HHC employees create a Twitter account.

Picture courtesy of Rosh Davis

One of the most rewarding days of my trip happened to be the last day when we were working with HHC. We had just finished the second part of my social media training and the Director of HHC Rwanda kindly asked me to go to his office and help him and his colleague set up their Facebook page. My co-worker, John, and I agreed and I taught them the steps to do so. By the time we left, HHC Rwanda was up and running with their page (check it out here!) and the director had invited all of his 4,000+ friends to “Like” it (😂). 

Kelly Nash helping to create the HHC Rwanda Facebook page.

Picture courtesy of John Malangone

I checked in on the page before I boarded the plane home later that night and noticed they already had 55 fans and had made two post updates. They have since gained more fans and are consistently posting almost daily. They also set up their Twitter account the week after we left with the second set of volunteers! This is a huge testament to the fearless leader of HHC Rwanda, Innocent Habimfura.

Kelly and Innocent, the Director of HHC Rwanda.

Picture courtesy of John Malangone

The Impact Rwanda Left on Me

When you go into a volunteering opportunity like the one I had, all you’re really thinking about is how you’re going to be able to impact those you are helping. You don’t give much thought to what you’ll receive in return. While the V2I volunteers and I certainly had the opportunity to leave a lasting impact, I can say with certainty that we all departed feeling that Rwanda left a lasting impact on us. We’ve still been communicating via WhatsApp on our experience and how grateful we are for the lessons it taught us.

V2I Volunteers stand and smile in front of the HHC Community Hub in Rwanda

Picture courtesy of Carol Payne

Stand Proud of Who You Are 

In one of our English lessons, we taught the beneficiaries ways they could describe themselves. We practiced saying a handful of adjectives out loud and then opened up the room and asked if anyone wanted to come up to the front and say “I am (an adjective)” in English. Immediately, hands shot up and one by one, they walked to the front of the class, standing tall and proudly describing themselves such as “𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨,” “𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥,” “𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭,” “𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘻𝘪𝘯𝘨.” It was so uplifting and empowering to see how the women especially had no qualms or doubts with getting in front of the room and describing themselves this way.

HHC beneficiary

Picture courtesy of Casey Deck

It got me thinking. What if women did this same exercise in the States? What would we say? Who would be brave enough to describe themselves in that way? As women, we typically have a hard time being open and proud of who we are. We can feel awkward and uncomfortable when we talk about ourselves in a positive manner because we don’t want to rub people the wrong way or feel like we are bragging. But the women of Rwanda reminded me that we need to ignore those “icky” feelings and own our power and stand proud of who we are. We should be able to say we are strong, kind, beautiful and amazing with pride and positivity. Because the truth is – we ARE those things and we shouldn’t minimize any of it. 

Pursue Your Dreams

We all have a dream. No matter who we are, who our family is, where we live, what our circumstance is – we all have a dream and it’s up to us what we do about it. That very thing is something that can connect us with people, even those who live halfway across the world. “𝘊𝘢𝘯 𝘐 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨? 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮.” Natasha said this to me in one of our business trainings. I turned to her and asked her what her dream was. “𝘔𝘺 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘈𝘮𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢 𝘴𝘰 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺,” she said in her near-perfect English.

She told me this, only 45 minutes into meeting each other. I admired her vulnerability and ambition. Even though Natasha may not get the opportunity to move to the States, I saw the silver lining in that she can certainly pursue her dream of owning her business in her home country and providing for her family, something that was unheard of in Rwanda for women only two decades ago. And that in of itself is pretty incredible. 

Kelly smiles with Natasha, one of the HHC beneficiaries.

That conversation with Natasha opened my eyes to the fact that she and the other beneficiaries refused to be victims of their circumstances. They are working towards their dreams and putting in the effort to improve themselves and learn new skills along the way. They are seizing every opportunity and soaking in each lesson so they can create a better life for themselves. It was a reminder for me to do the same. Life’s too short for excuses.

Make Your Mark with Kindness

I have never felt kindness in the way that I did during my time in Rwanda. There was never a shortage of warm hugs, loving touches, sincere smiles and joyful high fives from the people there. When they smiled at you, you felt it in your heart. When they laughed with you, you felt a connection. When they touched you, you felt their gratitude and compassion.

Kelly goofs off with the beneficiaries after computer class.

On our last day in English class, we discussed the topic of holidays since it just so happened to be Valentine’s Day. One of the activities during class was to write notes to our valentines – the people in our respective groups that day. I watched in delight how seriously the beneficiaries took the task and shared out their thoughts on the notecards they had written. It was the smallest act of kindness, but one that went a long way and filled the room with love.

Valentine's Kelly received from the HHC beneficiaries.

Even though Joselyne, my student and friend in computer class, wasn’t in my group during English, I had taken a notecard to write her a valentine and handed it to her when I arrived to our computer lesson. I helped read what I wrote to her and she instantly flashed me a smile and gave me a big hug. After class when we were saying our final good-byes, she grabbed the interpreter, Ali, and walked over to me with him in tow. She said something to Ali in Kinyarwanda and he looked over at me and smiled. “She says she loves you very much and she will miss you dearly. And she will pray for you and hopes you will come back to Rwanda.” I could have cried right there.

 Joselyne, like many of the other Rwandans I met, taught me the power of kindness and reminded me to spread it every chance I get. A smile to a stranger, a hello to a passerby, a compliment to a friend, a thoughtful note to our partner – the momentum of one small gesture can make a difference and lead to a ripple effect of warmth and compassion, something our world so desperately needs. 

Kelly and Joselyn smile on.

I write and speak a lot about ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴀʀᴋ when it comes to L&I. ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍᴀʀᴋ is a simple phrase, but one that’s jam-packed with meaning and purpose. It means that we have a chance to create an impact. To stand out. To be women of influence – whether that’s in our family, our friend group, our community, or halfway around the world. We never know how big of an impact we can be on someone’s life. Just by taking the time to get to know someone, or extending a hand to help, or showing kindness in some way – the littlest actions that we can take can make a difference on someone’s life. We have the power to change the world in a positive way and touch the lives we come into contact with – we just need to go out and spread kindness every chance we get.

We Are One People

I mentioned earlier how Rwandans today refer to themselves as “one people.” That saying will stick with me forever because it carries even more meaning to me now. Through my experience in volunteering, I was reminded that we are one people of the world. No matter our language, our religion, our skin color, our upbringing or our way of life – we all belong to one human race. Despite our differences, we share the most critical commonalities. We are all striving to provide. We are all aiming to create our best lives possible. We are all craving love and connection. And at the end of the day, it’s that what unites us. We are one world and one people.

English class in Kigali, Rwanda.

Photo courtesy of Matt Creaser

My Immense Gratitude

Thank you to my loved ones and donors who supported this cause. Thank you to HHC for providing a safe space for us to educate and be a beacon of light for its beneficiaries. Thank you to V2I for creating this beautiful opportunity and allowing me to be a part of it. And thank you for taking the time to read about my trip and the impact it had on me.  The level of gratitude I have for this experience and the people I met through it is beyond measure.

V2I Volunteers laughing and walking after class.

Picture courtesy of Rosh Davis

It may have been my first time to Rwanda, but I left knowing that it would not be my last.

Pink lipstick stain

Kelly, Founder of Lipstick & Ink
Kelly Nash

Kelly Nash is a Chicago-based writer, speaker, career advisor, and founder of Lipstick & Ink®. In addition, she works full-time in technology as a Success Manager at Salesforce and has over 10 years of digital marketing experience. Kelly has been featured in Thrive Global, International Association of Women, General Assembly, Salesforce, SheFactor, and Six Degrees Society. She is also in the process of writing her first book.

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Filed Under: life, life changes, mind body & soul, realtalk, travel Tagged With: giving back, impact, life, life changes, personal thoughts, realtalk, reflections, travel, volunteering

About Kelly Nash

Kelly Nash is a Chicago-based writer, speaker, career advisor, and founder of Lipstick & Ink®. In addition, she works full-time in technology as a Success Manager at Salesforce and has over 10 years of digital marketing experience. Kelly has been featured in Thrive Global, International Association of Women, General Assembly, Salesforce, SheFactor, and Six Degrees Society. She is also in the process of writing her first book.

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Comments

  1. Jeff V says

    March 3, 2020 at 8:40 am

    Kelly! You’re right, it is long, but i can certainly appreciate long blog posts, as it’s often difficult to get all those feelings and experiences across with an abridged version. I loved it! Especially this part:

    “Because of our exposure to Kigali’s poverty, the other volunteers and I talked at length about its effects. While we agreed it was eye-opening and humbling for us to be exposed to it, we admitted we were envious of the beneficiaries. Because despite their financial state, they were rich in so many other ways.”

    This trip was really special, not just for you, but for the beneficiaries as well. ♥️♥️♥️

    Reply
    • Kelly Nash says

      March 3, 2020 at 11:54 am

      Thank you so much for reading the entirety of the post, Jeff! I so appreciate you doing so and leaving a comment too! The trip was incredibly special and one I’ll certainly never forget 🙂

      Reply
  2. Jill V says

    March 7, 2020 at 7:19 am

    Kelly: What an amazing experience you had! I loved the part was when the women stood up and described themselves in a positive manner! You are right about how uncomfortable it would make women here in the US to do the same.
    Your description of the people of Rwanda was so beautiful. I could feel their joy, love, enthusiasm, and desire. I know you will never forget them!
    And they will never forget you!
    Continue to make your Mark girl. You inspire us all!

    Reply
    • Kelly Nash says

      March 7, 2020 at 3:59 pm

      Hi Jill – thanks so much for reading and for your thoughtful comment! It was definitely an experience that I will never forget!

      Reply

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HI THERE!

Kelly, Founder of Lipstick & Ink

Welcome to Lipstick & Ink®, your home for everything career, wellness and #realtalk inspired. I’m Kelly, a Chicago-based advertising tech professional, career advisor, writer, speaker, events host, and goal getter.

Whether we’re discussing career advancement, the job search or keeping our mental health in check, I encourage you to own your power and make your mark - one lipstick stain at a time.

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Kelly💋 Career Advisor & Writer
I don’t know about you, but I have some 𝘴𝘱 I don’t know about you, but I have some 𝘴𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 in my step this month. The last few months were a different story. It was like 𝚊 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚠𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚎𝚍 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚖𝚎, day after day. Between the dreary Chi weather, starting a new role at work, watching mass shootings and anti-Asian hate in horror, all while in my condo with nowhere to go but the grocery store, it was feeling bleak. 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚑𝚎𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚐𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗.
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In the last week or so, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚍. With warmer & lighter days, vaccine rollouts, & vacations around the corner, things are looking up. 𝙸 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚖𝚢 𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚋𝚛𝚒𝚖𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜:⠀
♡ 𝗜’𝗺 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 - My mojo is BACK & I’m feeling so good about how my book is turning out.⠀
♡ 𝗜’𝗺 𝗽𝘂𝗿𝘀𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 (𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻) - Being in a new role for a few months, I’ve realized it’s not a good fit long-term. I was fortunate to discover a role opening that’s better suited for me that I'm now interviewing for.⠀
♡ 𝗜’𝗺 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 - @ajayvedo and I were so cautious this last year and rarely saw family & friends. I didn’t realize how much I missed that quality time until I hugged my parents sans masks. I can't wait to spend time with people again, especially my sister @knash27, who I haven’t seen in almost a year 1/2.⠀
♡ 𝗜’𝗺 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 - Adam & I will be vaccinated this month and have 2 trips planned, both involving the beach! I can’t wait to feel the sand between my toes and sun on my skin. Being in nature is my mental cure and I already know changing my scenery & being outside more will be good for my soul.
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One day, 𝘪𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘦𝘯𝘴.  Even in the most hopeless of days, with time, things turn around. 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚒𝚍𝚎 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚜. 𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚗𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕 𝚋𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚋𝚢 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜. 𝚂𝚘𝚘𝚗 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑, 𝚢𝚘𝚞’𝚛𝚎 𝚛𝚒𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚜, 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗💋
During the first job of my career, I convinced mys During the first job of my career, I convinced myself that because I was at the bottom of the ladder, 𝒎𝒚 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕. . Because of that, I remained timid at work, kept my head down and did what was expected of me. When I started my job at Salesforce nearly 7 years ago, I recognized that I was a small fish in a very large pond. Because of that, I accepted that I’d 𝑰’𝒅 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒕.
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Here's the thing though: I was wrong in both scenarios. If there’s anything I’ve learned, it's that despite your job title, despite your years of experience and despite how big your company is, you can build and exude influence. You can make an impact on your team, your organization, and your company. Swipe to find out how and save this post as a reminder that 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙚💋
Whether you’re new around here or not, on this # Whether you’re new around here or not, on this #workingwomanwednesday (is that a thing?), I wanted to introduce myself & share a bit about me & the mission behind L&I!
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◉ I'm Kelly, 𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗲. I grew up in the north Chicago burbs, went to college at U of I (𝘐-𝘓-𝘓!), and have lived in #Chicity the last 9 years
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◉ I started my career in advertising but transitioned to tech 7 years ago when I landed a job at 𝙎𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚, where I currently work today in Customer Success
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◉ After years of happily & successfully building my career, 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 2018 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 - 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨. I had an awakening that I wasn't being true to who I was. I had always considered myself a writer, but as I entered adulthood, I suppressed that part of me due to fear & self-doubt. By doing that, 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙜 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛. It was then that I decided to start L&I, not only to resurrect my writing, but to make an impact (𝙸'𝚖 𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊 𝚋𝚘𝚘𝚔 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚙𝚊𝚝𝚑 𝚝𝚘 𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚖𝚢 𝚊𝚞𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚒𝚝𝚢!)
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◉ I started L&I with a mission to help women 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 & 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸 so they can advance & drive impact in the workplace and beyond. With everything I do, 𝗺𝘆 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲
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◉ L&I consists of the blog where I write career, wellness, & #realtalk content, a monthly newsletter, virtual and in-person events, as well as career services, which consists of resume & cover letter reviews/rewrites, LinkedIn reviews, & career chats
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My hope is you think of L&I any time you're looking for career advice, direction, or motivation because I am here in your corner, cheering you on. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗵𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿💋
If you’re looking to land a promotion, obtain a If you’re looking to land a promotion, obtain a new job, or get noticed by leadership, then 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸! Keeping a record of this information is critical to growing your career.
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𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙠 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙨, 𝙮𝙤𝙪'𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙡𝙪𝙘𝙠! I have a free template you can download on thelipstickandink.com, found via the link in my bio under 𝚁𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚌𝚎𝚜. This worksheet is ideal for professionals who work with clients and on specific projects. However, the template can easily be modified to adapt to the work that you do.
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I recommend updating this worksheet on a consistent basis and doing so immediately when you acknowledge your accomplishments or receive positive feedback.
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Have a great weekend!💋
𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙇𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙚𝙨, 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙪𝙥. Today is #EqualPayDay, marking the day into the year the average woman must work to be paid what the average white man was paid the previous year. Aka - it takes us 𝟏𝟓 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡𝐬.
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The gender pay gap now stands at 18% globally, meaning women earn an average of 82% of what men earn. For women of color and women with children, the difference is even greater. At this rate, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟮𝟱𝟬+ 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗽, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report. 𝑰𝒏𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑼𝒏𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒑𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆. 𝑴𝒂𝒅𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔.
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So what can we individually do to ensure equal pay? ⠀
$ 𝗙𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘆 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻: The pay gap typically gets wider as women get older. Part of that is due to what is called “motherhood penalty” that proves being a mother leads to discrimination in the workplace. (The pandemic has amplified this as women have left the workforce 4x higher than men.) ⠀
$𝗕𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲: Realize you hold the power in your career trajectory. Don’t put off asking for a promotion and raise, especially when you’ve taken on additional responsibilities or it’s been awhile since you last received one. Plant the seed early on and discuss your aspirations with your manager. ⠀
$𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵: Find your market value based on your role, location, and years of experience by researching on sites like Glassdoor.com. If you’re feeling bold, ask your coworkers if they’re willing to share their pay so you can check for parity. ⠀
$𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 & 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀: Always negotiate your pay. As I always say, it never hurts to ask!! Bring facts to the table & quantify your work to showcase your value and make your case.
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Remember to always know your worth & speak up for yourself💋
When I first started my career, I remember being t When I first started my career, I remember being told to '𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘧𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭,' make my social media profiles private, and leave my emotions at the office front door. I listened and abided by that for a number of years, 𝗺𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝘂𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗜 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗮𝘀.
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After a few years, I said enough was enough. I didn't like that I wasn't being authentic to who I really was. The person I was at work didn't need to be any different from who I was outside of the office. Little by little, I began taking "risks:"⠀
✔ giving my resume and LinkedIn some personality⠀
✔ starting L&I and sharing about it in career settings⠀
✔ speaking my truth and not being afraid to speak up⠀
✔ not sitting in silence at the beginning of calls and asking attendees questions⠀
✔ showing my emotions and sharing how I'm feeling
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And little by little, I learned that 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿. Simply being myself and putting it out there ultimately led to new connections, deeper relationships, increased visibility, and more leadership opportunities - all of which are crucial to growing in your career.
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𝙎𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙪𝙥 𝙖𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 - 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 - 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧. You'll be surprised as to what happens when you do💋
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