Alisha Delgado, MA, CCC-SLP | YWCA Women of Excellence
TK: What inspires you?
ALISHA: My family is my why I do what I do. My daughters inspire me to keep pushing for change. The families I serve inspire me to not give up when things seem impossible or I must stand strong in my advocating for what is best for their child. Seeing women and children succeeding against the odds inspires me especially when the fatigue creeps in.
TK: What have you learned about yourself through the challenges of the past year and a half?
ALISHA: I am more flexible then I realized. My drive to make access to the best of the best services for children in our community and across the state did not change. It pushed new creative and innovative ways of thinking to keep progress going during uncertain times. We have not historically put enough emphasis on the foundation and gift of caring for others and our own mental health. And thinking outside the box is a beautiful and exciting place to exist.
TK: How do you take care of yourself?
ALISHA: Watching and cheering my kids on and their teammates at any of their sporting events have always been one my most favorite activities. Win or lose, seeing them push through hard odds while sometimes winning and other times falling short and watching them learn how much grit they have makes my heart happy. It is very challenging to turn my brain off or at least quiet the ideas that flood it as well. Movies have been a favorite escape, sneaking in a pedicure or an occasional massage have also been glorious moments of rest. These all have been lacking during COVID. But quiet time with just my husband is my favorite place of all.
TK: What is the best advice you've ever been given? Or what advice do you have for others?
ALISHA: My favorite piece of advice I give to any woman young or mature is...Don’t ever apologize for your brilliance. Know your worth and don’t apologize for it.
TK: What is your vision for our community? Has it changed through the pandemic and racial justice reckoning of 2020?
ALISHA: My vision for our community is that as we eventually get to the other side of this pandemic our differences are celebrated and embraced more freely. Those who have been accustomed to living more affluently have a greater understanding and compassion for those who live with daily worry to make ends meet. That as a community we acknowledge every person’s worth to a greater degree than before and everyone has the opportunity to contribute to the growth of our community instead of extending the divides that already exist.
TK: The mission of YWCA is to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. What does YWCA's mission mean to you?
ALISHA: It means to me that my daughters have a greater chance of finding paths to push beyond the generational ideologies of what a women’s role in society should be than I experienced growing up. It means to me that my sons will not be viewed as a threat just because of their last name. It means my husband and I and our children may experience less moments of blatant racism or lack of our voice being heard and respect and opportunities will be afford based on merit and work ethic. It means that those who are unfamiliar with another’s cultural beliefs and practices will take on the responsibility to self-educate instead of continuing to expect the minorities to do the work for them.
The YWCA is on a mission to empower women at all stages in their careers. Diversity in leadership is particularly vital to our vibrant business community in the Greater Topeka Area.
