Lauren Tice-Miller | YWCA Women of Excellence
TK: What inspires you?
LAUREN: I have always been a dreamer with a desire to make the world a better place and to be a voice for the voiceless. Now, as a mother, my children inspire me daily to keep working to make things better for them, and their generation.
TK: What have you learned about yourself through the challenges of the past year and a half?
LAUREN: Through the challenges of the past year and a half, I have learned that I can slow down, live in the moment, and find joy in the little things.
TK: How do you take care of yourself?
LAUREN: I regularly have dance parties in the kitchen with my daughters.
TK: What is the best advice you've ever been given? Or what advice do you have for others?
LAUREN: When I spoke at the graduation for the class of 2020, I gave them the following advice: It’s easy to be a keyboard warrior. To achieve real change, you have to show up, listen, work hard, and be willing to find a common ground. It’s okay to have differing opinions, beliefs, and life experiences. You can still come together and find a compromise to keep moving forward.
TK: What is your vision for our community? Has it changed through the pandemic and racial justice reckoning of 2020?
LAUREN: I envision our community being inclusive with opportunities for all to succeed and to be who they want to be. I believe the pandemic and the racial justice reckoning of 2020 provided us with an opportunity to learn from each other and to identify the challenges we must first overcome in order to keep moving our community forward. I am hopeful that we can keep creating opportunities to have the difficult conversations and keep working to find common ground.
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?
LAUREN: The YWCA’s mission means everything to me. It’s a big mission, but it captures everything that I care about, believe in, and work for every single day.
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.
