Panelists Talk About Bringing Authentic Selves to Work at Queermunity Event

 

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On International Women’s Day, Minnesota Women’s Press participated in two community events. One was a women’s history trivia night hosted by Global Rights for Women. The other was “Makers of HERstory,” an all-day celebration and artisan fair hosted by Uptown Minneapolis community space Queermunity.

As a Queer Minneapolis-native and contributor to Women’s Press, I was delighted to represent the magazine as the moderator of two joy-filled and critical conversations with women leaders.

Featured in the first panel were Tiffany Xtine Beamer and Lou Block, of the women rock ‘n’ roll collective Rebel Queens; Minneapolis Fire Department captain Kalimba Edwards; and Minnesota Senator Clare Oumou Verbeten. Each speaker provided insights on how their identities have shaped their careers.

Beamer and Block reflected on how early exposure to female representation in music inspired them. Edwards shared that she draws on her 14 years of sobriety, and experience growing up as one of the few Black people in a small Nebraska town, to approach the community she serves with humility and empathy.

 

 

A common refrain during the afternoon conversations was about the importance of showing up as your authentic self, for both personal fulfillment and because authenticity offers best selves to communities.

“I’m all of the things,” said Verbeten with a laugh. Along with Erin Maye Quade, Verbeten is the first openly Black and LGBTQ+ woman elected to the Minnesota Senate. “I’m one of the youngest people [in the Minnesota State Legislature], I’m Queer, I’m Black, I’m a woman. That’s also what people in Minnesota are and look like. That’s why we should be in the legislature.”

As Verbeten said — encouraging folks to show up in political and community spaces — “just standing in your power, honestly being your true self, is also an act of rebellion and is very important.”

The second panel included women business leaders who have succeeded in traditionally male-dominated fields. Sarah Lechowich, for example, is CEO and founder of True North Roofing. Steph Johnson is a Battalion Chief with the Minneapolis Fire Department. The panelists talked candidly about the ups and downs of showing up authentically in complex, if not outright hostile, professional environments.

“I have always believed that you should work for a place where you can dress as you are,” said Jesi Peters, Director of Development and Communications at the Lift Garage, an all-women–led auto repair service nonprofit, which provides low-cost, high-quality services to low-income Minnesotans. Peters has spent years carving out a career in the fundraising space, while honoring her working-class roots. She  relocated to the Twin Cities from Chicago. She said that finding or creating a supportive work environment is something worth fighting for.

Deb Loch (master brewer) and Jill Pavlak are co-founders of Urban Growler, Minnesota’s first women-owned microbrewery. They had to fight to bring their vision to life. They recalled being denied by 12 banks, despite an award-winning business plan and a lot of industry experience and accreditation.

Despite the obstacles that every featured speaker faced and shared, each was steadfast in their “no regrets” view. They encouraged aspiring entrepreneurs and trailblazers to forge ahead.

As Pavlak put it, “No matter what, you’re going to hear no. You’re going to hear ‘no, you shouldn’t do that,’ ‘no, we’re not going to fund you,’ ‘no, that’s a bad idea.’ But you know yourself. If you don’t do whatever it is you’re thinking about doing, you’re going to have regrets. What we always said is ‘someday is now.’ Once you make that decision, it just takes off.”

 

 

 

 

 

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