Guess what guys! I officially graduated! Chibugo Okafor is an Oxford graduate! (Check out the day on my YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQhiI8dVgRQ&t=638s
This is literally so huge for me! It is a childhood dream come true! I have for as long as I can remember wanted to go to Oxford but as I got older - it just seemed like a distant reality. This is something that happens to all of us especially as social norms and cultures force us to think and operate as almost 'less than'.
I could write about how grateful and happy that I am to have ticked this of my Chi to-do list for a couple more paragraphs but this isn't the important part of this post. The importance of female representation in positions of leadership is. The first time I heard about Oxford University was when I was about 13/14 years old and a girl had been brought out to the pulpit at church to be celebrated as she had achieved 12 A*'s at GCSE level. I mean 12 A*s is literally insane right lol! When asked where she wanted to go to study for university - she said she was determined to go to Oxford and she did! In that moment, I remember whispering a quiet prayer to myself: 'Ah wow! God that's it - I want to go to Oxford University too! Amen.' Fast forward a couple of years (just a couple lol), by the grace of God and hard work - I was able to make that dream a reality.
However, in addition to this I understand that because from a very early age I was exposed to this level of excellence from young girls that it was very much a reality for me already. When I was praying in that moment, my subconscious knew that it was possible to attain to such heights because the evidence was right in front of me and continued to as moved through life. No matter the continent, institution, social class or circle - I was intentional in surrounding myself with brilliant and exceptional women who leaders in their space. However, I could not help but notice that they were disproportionately outnumbered - they were few and far and at times they were the only females at the highest leadership levels.
My story of listening to the young lady share her fantastic results and her university of choice (no.1 in the world btw) conveys how important representation is. Thus, on my journey of advocating for more women in position of leadership - my argument for it is anchored primarily on the basis that representation matters and is extremely important! More female leaders equals more empowered young girls who can visually see that they too can achieve these things!
Join us on the journey to increasing representation of women in leadership positions!
Governing Hearts since the'90's,
Chi
Tw³C
