It’s happened many times….

Just when we start to spiral down into doom and gloom….

We see little rays of hope….

A hint of possibility of better things to come….

The inkling of a sigh of relief….

It’s possible that the voters won’t elect an old crazy guy who spouts racist and derogatory comments to women. It’s possible that we could feel a bit better about our political system.

Just maybe some people will be held accountable for murdering people of color here and around the world. It feels exhausting to keep seeing this go on and on.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how I grew up in the 50s. We were an entirely segregated society. Dallas was run by an oligarchy of elite white men who were in the Dallas Citizens Council:

“The DCC was supposed to advance the interests of Dallas as a whole. However, there was a strong conservative and pro-business character to the council. Practicing attorneys, doctors, educators, journalists, and labor leaders were excluded from membership as they did not possess the desired level of control over their respective institutions and employees. Their sectors of the economy were therefore not directly represented in DCC meetings. Moreover, heads of financial institutions, such as banks and insurance firms, were over-represented in DCC leadership compared to representatives of other industries. There was a close association between the DCC and the Citizens Charter Association (CCA), a political organization that slated candidates for mayor and city council. Many DCC members were also members of the CCA and had close personal and business connections throughout the association. DCC members influenced the selection of candidates by the CCA, and the organization secured a close relationship with Dallas city council members and mayors.” From the Texas State Historical Association article dated June 9, 2021. to see the entire article click here.

This group gradually morphed into a more inclusive body, actually tackling integration to a degree in 1961. However, the lines were still drawn in neighborhoods around the city. There were ways in which “redlining” certain areas to prevent Black people from moving into specific sections became a common practice. And banks conspired to keep that system going well into the 21st century.

How do I know? I lived it. I was an unconscious racist because it was how things were. Almost everyone I knew was white. There were Mexican people in some of the neighborhoods that fed into my high school (Woodrow Wilson in east Dallas), but we were so culturally accustomed to our circles that most of them weren’t included. I went to school with Marian Martinez (later known as Mariano), who invented the Frozen Margarita. He was sort of a rebel, and told me at one point that his ambition was to someday be able to join the Lakewood Country Club (of which I was a member). We were friends, but mostly because I was wild enough to sneak out of my house at night and ride around in cars with boys.

He eventually married the daughter of Henry Wade, our District Attorney, and achieved a lot in his life. I haven’t seen him in years, but I’m glad for him.

And no, there were no Black people at Woodrow Wilson High School.

I graduated from there in 1965, right as the world was breaking open. My rebel days were far from over as I got very involved in the student movement to end the war in Viet Nam and open admissions to Black people in colleges and universities. Some of what we did was effective, most of it was vilified by those people in the Dallas Citizens Council, etc.

But I look around today and have a small sigh of relief that within my circle of dear friends are people from many cultures: Black, Hispanic, Latino, Arabic, Asian, Native American, and yes, still a lot of white people.

This much healthier mixture are the people I see on TV cheering for Kamala Harris. And I’m a little teary-eyed that I lived to see it. At age 6, when I started school, I couldn’t have imagined this world.

So yes, much has changed in 70 years. And I hope and pray that it keeps changing and getting better for ALL of us.

Member Notes

GGN Member Maddy Kulkarni shares Marketing Tips for your Business:

Could your business use a marketing boost? Want to tweak your messaging because your business has evolved? A trick marketers use to sharpen their communication is to write a Positioning Statement – it has 3 parts:
1. The Target – Who you are trying to reach
2. Benefits – The value you offer
3. Reasons to Believe – Credentials for why the Target should believe you can provide those benefits
For example, this statement is ‘meh’ (a.k.a. boring): Jane is a great tailor and has been serving women in central Dallas for 20 years.

A more interesting positioning statement could be: For professional women (rising stars to C-Suite) in Dallas, TX, Jane specializes in tailoring business casual to couture pieces. Trained in the Dior and Chanel ateliers of France and Voted Top 50 Most Loved Small Business Owners by D Magazine, Jane’s clients consistently praise her for transforming their wardrobes, making them feel confident and ready to conquer any board room, meeting, or gala.

Do you see the Target, Benefits, and Reasons to Believe in the second statement? (I’ve bolded them 🙂 )

Give it a try, and if you’d like more guidance, Maddy’s marketing agency Citizen Marketing Group is ready to help.
Contact: [email protected]

GGN Member Jane Baldwin shares her Wisdom again…

Have you ever felt a gut feeling about a decision, only to ignore it and regret it later?

Or perhaps you’ve made a choice based solely on logic, without considering how it felt physically?
Your body is a powerful source of wisdom. It’s constantly sending signals, providing insights that can enhance your decision-making process. Somatic awareness, the practice of tuning into your body’s sensations, can help you tap into this hidden potential.
By paying attention to physical cues like tension, relaxation, or energy levels, you can gain valuable information about your emotional and mental state. This heightened awareness can help you:
• Make decisions aligned with your authenticity: Your body often reflects your deepest beliefs.
• Find your calm core: Grounding yourself in physical sensations can help you stay calm under pressure.
• Improve intuition: Trusting your gut feelings can lead to better outcomes in relationships and decision-making
• Enhance your creativity: Somatic awareness can open you up to new perspectives and solutions.
In our next email, we’ll explore practical exercises to help you cultivate somatic awareness and apply it to your daily life.

Until then, take a moment to notice your body right now. What do you notice? Are you feeling relaxed or tense? Where do you hold tension? This simple act of awareness is the first step to unlocking the wisdom within you.

Thank you to Toni Portmann for sharing this inspiring message….

Track Meetings

We still ask for $5 to cover costs. And yes, you can register at the last minute…. but it would be GREAT if you let us know a couple of days before so we can plan our refreshments!!!

Our Track meetings are designed to give us a sacred space to have meaningful, purposeful conversations without fear of being judged or competed with. Only Members can attend. They are amazing experiences, unlike any ‘networking meeting’ you have ever attended!

GGN members MUST REGISTER to attend these meetings, so just follow the links below! And if you want to learn about us, go ahead and join GGN~~if you decide it isn’t for you, we will refund your membership fee!

Currently we meet the 2nd Monday morning and 3rd Wednesday evening of each month (see below).

Each one is an event or happening in itself. Some members come frequently, some come only once in a while. Whenever you attend one, you will find out things you didn’t know, connect with women who will challenge and inspire you, and you will leave with some new perspectives.

Monday Morning Magic Track

• August 12, 2024
• 10 am to noon CT
• Time to re-energize ourselves! Let’s find some things that spark joy!!!!

Click here to join us for Monday Morning Magic!

Growth & Transitions

• Wednesday, August 21, 2024
• 7 to 9 pm CT
• Still having growing pains? Join the club! We can all encourage each other!!!

Click here to join us for Growth & Transitions!