YWCA Women of Excellence: Whitney Casement

What inspires you?

I am inspired by a good underdog story. We're seeing a lot of underdogs finally having their moment right now after years of perseverance, including the Black Lives Matter movement and women's rights advocates. Seeing the courage it takes for those individuals to speak truth to power encourages me to speak my truth and stand up for what I know is right. I am also currently inspired by the women elected officials who are leading the charge for their countries, states, and local governments in the fight against Covid-19.

What advice do you have for others?

Move towards your values as best you can and the rest will follow. Show kindness to others, but more importantly, speak truth. Stand up for the underdog. Learn to empathize with others and find ways to learn about their struggles. And for professional women in particular, help the next woman climb the ladder instead of pulling it up behind you.

What is the greatest lesson you have learned on your journey?

What you resist persists. I have spent many years trying to fit a mold that others foist upon me. My attempts at pacifying others have led to a lot of stress and internal strife for me. I am learning to live authentically and to move towards my values each day. I find I am less miserable and more effective when I'm living my values instead of trying to always be diplomatic. I spend a lot less time "going along to get along" these days. However, I do this as best I can while showing kindness and compassion to others.

What does your vision for our community look like?

I envision a Topeka and Shawnee County that fights for the underdog and that continues the progressive movement that Kansas was known for in the early Twentieth Century. I hope for our citizens they will continue moving towards equality and justice for all, even when the going gets rough and we want to retreat to our comfort zones. We must forge on.

What does "Equal - Powerful - Unstoppable" mean to you?

For me, "Equal - Powerful - Unstoppable" is a great way to sum up the current state of social justice movements. Like I said before, we are seeing marginalized communities finally being heard. We are seeing women overcoming fears of repercussions of being "bossy" or "aggressive." We are seeing people of color using their voices and finally being heard. People of color and women are finally educating the world on the many injustices and micro-aggressions they face on a daily basis. My hope is that this forward momentum continues, because we have a long way to go.