Shout Out Sunday. 10 Questions With Owner of iSlay Walden Education Alliance.

Who or what inspired you to open iSlay Walden Education Alliance…

iSlay Walden Alliance is a legacy organization inspired by the scholarship and economic advocacy of Islay Walden, a formerly enslaved, legally blind theologian and graduate of New Brunswick Theological Seminary. In 1879, Walden identified and set out to eliminate educational and economic barriers within recently freed communities. The mission and vision of iSlay Walden remain the same: to identify and eliminate barriers to personal, professional and economic development.

One thing I use in my business everyday…

Walk by Faith. Running a publicly funded corporation has its unique challenges. There is a balance between providing services in overburden communities and empowering those communities to become self-sufficient. As a minister, when I look at the work of Christ, His purpose was to provide a “way of escape” from poverty and lack by empowering us with the power to get wealth. So, through faith and prayer, I purposefully plan, through programming and alliances, for iSlay Walden to be resourced as a beacon of hope and escape for historically and systematically marginalized communities.

My business needs to be…

Over-resourced and sustained. What I mean by that is that iSlay Walden needs to have revenue for our present programming and for programming 50 years from now. I say this because our humanitarian efforts are universal, generational and never changing. Therefore, this work must be resourced and sustained.

The social media task you dread the most is…

I do not dread any of the social media tracks. I believe in the power of young people, guided by the wisdom and experience of organizations like iSlay Walden and others, to help the next generations of creators build and innovate ethically. The fact is, dread (fear) is the antithesis of faith and I do not walk in fear. So, let’s continue innovating, creating and guiding our youth (and incorporating it ourselves) to ethical use, application and creation of innovative systems.

The greatest thing I have ever done for my company was…

First, I hire staff and volunteers who are smarter than me and the majority of those people have been younger than me. I love having young people in my circle. The very young challenge me to grow both spiritually and intellectually because they are inquisitive and unjaded. Teens and college-aged youth allow me to explore what is possible. Young professionals propel me forward and inspire me. Secondly, I listen. For me, it makes no sense to bring a smart person into the organization for tasks that do not respect their capabilities.

I wish I could tell my younger self that…

Invest more, invest early. There is a Biblical directive that says, “Remember your Creator in the day of your youth; before the difficult days come, while the sun and the light and the moon are not darkened”. I would tell 13-year-old Pauline that reading the stock report is normal, subscribing to Black Enterprise was a wise investment, whole life insurance is better than term-life and marriage is as much of a business contract as it is a love covenant.

The greatest invention ever created is…

The human being. This is something that we as military leaders know all too well. With all the capabilities of the U.S. Defense Agencies, we know that the most valuable asset is the Soldier, Seaman, Marine or Airman. That is also true in technology capabilities, business and any industry. Investing in people, early on, is critical. Being made to create, like the Creator, the power of human ingenuity and capability is endless. For those who consider humans a creation and not an invention, then I say, pick any one of the many black inventions.

Small habits that help me deal with stress without drinking alcohol…

While wine is good for celebrations, a merry soul does good like a medicine. For me, that means maintaining healthy relationships, taking care of my mental health, eating a balanced diet and engaging in regular exercise. I read everything, which not only keeps me informed but keeps me mentally lucid. I love to travel and learn about other people, cultures and cuisine. I am deliberate in spending time with my family.

If I could talk to anyone in the past, it would be…

Wow, if I had to pick one person, I would ask to pick two. Those people would be Muhatma Ghandi and Howard Thurman. More than anyone, the discipline of non-violence, imperialism resistance and self-sufficiency has been informed by Gandhi. Thus, those who reference King or Malcolm X resonate with Gandhi’s voice. More than anyone, the American ecumenical and interfaith movement is informed by Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman. Civil Rights Leaders, Authors, Entertainers and Clergy who espouse faith as a unifying force are informed by Howard Thurman.

I want to be remembered for…

I cannot predict how people will remember me. Some know my ups and downs, my challenges and triumphs, how I will be remembered is none of my concern. What I want to be known for is giving her all for the betterment and uplift of the black community, with a focus on holistic education, financial literacy and economic empowerment. Someone who built sustainable programming and pathways to identify and eliminate barriers to personal, professional and economic growth, in all the ways and forms that such a mission entails.