Danielle Martin | YWCA Women of Excellence
TK: What inspires you?
DANIELLE: I’ve been given the vision to be the light in the darkness by using my platform as a journalist to give a voice to the voiceless. Whenever I have the opportunity to share stories from people in the Topeka community and/or be a listening to ear to people who want to share their story, I’m inspired to be able to be that light. My purpose inspires me.
TK: What have you learned about yourself through the challenges of the past year and a half?
DANIELLE: This past year and a half was a peculiar time in many of our lives and though it may be easy to focus on what was not here and what we did not have, I learned more than anything that I had everything I ever needed right here: it was all within. I learned that I had the strength within to fight for the things I wanted for my life, I learned that I had the confidence within to be who God created me to be, I learned that I had the courage to wear my natural hair more often even when I didn’t think it would be accepted, and I learned that despite what others may perceive of me, God loves me in all of my ways. I must say that within this last year and a half, it was hard to live in a state away from family for the first time in my life, all while being in pandemic and there’s no loved ones around you. It was very hard. But, I wouldn’t change it for the world, because I found me, I found community here in Topeka, I found friendships, and family, I found peace and I absolutely love it!
TK: How do you take care of yourself?
DANIELLE: Working out is definitely my therapy regiment, along with making time to hang with friends and volunteer in the community. I’ve made it my priority to do what makes me happy. I love to workout and help others strive towards becoming the best version of themselves. I enjoy volunteering because now I have friends who’ve turned into family. When you find your happiness, you find your peace. Another thing I’ve learned is in order to take care of yourself, maintaining your mental health is significant. I’ve also made it my priority to unplug from social media and anything else that I feel has majority of my attention. It’s important to treat my off days with care in order for me to be able to function at my fullest capacity.
TK: What is the best advice you've ever been given? Or what advice do you have for others?
DANIELLE: The best advice that I’ve ever been given is: “life is simple, we as people just make it complicated.” When you simplify things, life becomes easy. We have way more control than we think, especially as a woman of color. It may not always be easy for a woman of color, but I’ve learned that I can choose to accept what I want to accept in my life, and I can also choose to not accept what I don’t want in my life. Life is all about choices. When you know better, you’ll do better. What I would offer to other people is to live your life authentically and unapologetically, and to live in your truth. I believe in order to connect with people on a deeper level, speaking from a place of transparency can open up many barriers and possibly a conversation where people can learn from one another. I believe we are living in a time where everyone’s voice matters and people are looking for a sense of belonging, so instead of wanting to be heard, sometimes we should listen first.
TK: What is your vision for our community? Has it changed through the pandemic and racial justice reckoning of 2020?
DANIELLE: My vision for the Topeka community is to create a diverse and inclusive community, a community where everyone has a voice, a community that gives everyone the same opportunities, and a community that gives everyone a chance to thrive despite their skin color. There is more efforts in people trying to make things different and offering opportunities for everyone, However, I believe there is always work to be done in order to improve not only the community, but to also improve the lives of the people who live in the community by offering everyone a chance. There is more conversations on racial justice and we are open to having the conversations, but we need to grow towards taking action now that these conversations are happening.
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?
DANIELLE: The mission of YWCA means it’s creating a space for diverse women to collaborate in a transparent environment by keeping women accountable, racially just and conscience. I believe it’s important to be intentional and proactive to eliminate racism but it’s going to take a collaborative effort of women to work together. I believe YWCA’s mission means it’s important for women to continue to celebrate each other, because we need that. The power that’s created when women unite is something that’s unforgettable. Change happens, glass ceilings are broken and we leave a mark everywhere we go. When we conquer, we persevere and our efforts create a legacy that remains on forever, and sisterhood is created along the way. We need each other, we need support, we need community, and Together we can prosper.
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.
