My dad, bless his heart, is a proud archivist of my life. Recently, he unearthed a faded newspaper clipping from my high school graduation. There I was, a wide-eyed 17-year-old, beaming in my senior photo, and among the highlights of my grades and college plans was a clue of how a lawyer would end up leading inclusion efforts at an insurance brokerage. In addition to the extracurricular activities, I frequently reminisce about, my participation in the student equity committee was highlighted.

Looking at that picture, a wave of emotion washed over me. It wasn’t just nostalgia; it was a profound sense of recognition. This wasn’t just a high school extracurricular; it was a seed, a tiny clue to the path I was destined to walk. In that moment, I realized something powerful: my entire journey, every experience, every challenge, had been preparing me for “such a time as this.”

Examine Your Journey

As Chief Diversity Officer and Legal Counsel at Holmes Murphy, I navigate the complex intersections of law and inclusion every day. It’s a role that demands empathy, resilience, and a deep understanding of human experience. But it’s also a role that feels intrinsically connected to that young woman in the newspaper clipping, the one who believed in fairness and the power of community.

We often look at our lives as a series of disconnected events, a random assortment of experiences. But what if we shifted our perspective? What if we saw our stories as a tapestry, woven with threads of purpose, each experience a nugget of who we were becoming?

Think about your own life. What were the moments that ignited your passion? What were the challenges that shaped your character? Maybe it was a childhood experience that sparked your sense of justice. Perhaps it was a mentor who saw potential you didn’t see in yourself. Or maybe it was a personal struggle that taught you the importance of resilience. These are not random occurrences. They are the building blocks of your unique story, the clues that reveal the path you were meant to walk.

Embrace Your Story

In my work, I see the power of these stories every day. I see how our backgrounds, our identities, and our experiences shape our perspectives and our contributions. I see how creating space for diverse voices leads to innovation, empathy, and a stronger sense of belonging.

But more than anything, I see the human connection. I see the shared desire for dignity, respect, and opportunity. And I believe that we all have a role to play in creating a more inclusive world. It starts with recognizing the power of our own stories. It starts with embracing the journey that has led us to this moment. And, it starts with believing that we were made for “such a time as this.” Let’s look back at our own newspaper clippings, metaphorical or real. Let’s unearth the moments that shaped us, the experiences that guided us. And let’s remember that our stories, our unique paths, are the very things that equip us to make a difference. Because, in the end, it’s not just about what we do; it’s about who we are, and who we are becoming.