International Women’s Day & Giving to Girls Inc.
Intention 2 Impact (I2I) represents what is possible when women trust their intuition, lead with their values, highlight their strengths, and show up wholly + unapologetically in pursuit of their most ambitious and righteous dreams.
I am humbled to write this blog post on International Women’s Day 2021 and launch our new website during Women’s History Month. I2I would not be possible without the fearless women who paved the way for this daughter of immigrants to start her own consulting firm and empower other women to join her on the journey.
For me, it started at home. In her 20s, with nothing but faith and a “cup of ambition,” my mother left her family and career to move across the world to chase the American dream. She had a great job as a manager of a bank in the Philippines, but came to the U.S. and worked as a telemarketer for minimum wage while she planted new roots. Over the course of three decades, she moved up the corporate ladder in a field dominated by white men and retired early as a Chief Financial Officer. My whole life, my mother taught me how to rewrite cultural and gender narratives by staying true to my values and dedicated to the hustle.
I am effusively grateful for my network of women role models, friends, and colleagues who simultaneously uplift and ground me. When women support other women, we celebrate our power, transform vulnerability into courage, raise awareness of intersectional inequity, and prop one another up to see and be the light (s/o to Amanda Gorman).
In 2020, I found myself at a career crossroads. I could choose a full-time job at a research company doing high-quality work that I was good at, but not passionate about. Or I could lean into my strengths and power, and chase the dream that I have always wanted. There was a safe choice, and there was the only choice. The job at the other company was not really a choice. It would have been caving for a false sense of security made out of fear. Fear of uncertainty. Fear of scarcity. Fear of failing. 2020 showed us how much there is to fear in a world that was not built to protect the well-being of all its people.
But standing there, in that intersection, I knew that choosing I2I meant choosing myself. I’m choosing me for me. For my mom. For grandmothers. For my sister. For all the women who sacrificed parts of herself for others. For all those who didn’t. For all those to come. I decided to pour everything I am into this company because my commitment to our vision and belief in myself outweighs the fears designed to weigh me down. I am also fully aware of my privileges that allowed me to start this company. At I2I, we acknowledge our privilege as our responsibility, and are committed to dismantling and rebuilding systems to give every woman and girl the opportunity to choose herself.
As a minority + woman-owned small business, we are relentless in our mission to shake up the patriarchy while doing what we love (and doing a damn good job at it).
Although we primarily exist to provide research and evaluation services to purpose-driven organizations, we are also devoted to creating the type of business we want to see more of in the world. I2I is unwavering in our commitments to pay women for their value, encourage women to live in alignment with their own strengths and priorities, and give back to organizations that inspire the next generation to take ownership of their futures. Because the future is female.
In Q1 2021, we are proud to donate 100% of our training, speaking, and advising honorariums to Girls, Inc., an organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold through direct service and advocacy. In partnership with schools and Girls Inc. centers, Girls Inc., focuses on the development of the whole girl. A combination of long-lasting mentoring relationships, a pro-girl environment and research-based programming equips girls to lead fulfilling and productive lives, break the cycle of poverty, and become role models in their community. Learn more about them here.
In the future, this blog (we’ve dubbed “The Intersection”), will continue to share more about how we live out our vision and values, spotlight the causes we champion, and unveil the conscious business practices we are implementing. We look forward to sharing our journey with you!
Whether you work at a foundation or organization that could benefit from a partner in evaluation + strategic learning; an independent consultant looking to level up your #squadgoals; or someone who resonates with who we are and what we stand for, please reach out! We would love to connect with you.
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