
Across the country and in cities around the world, hundreds of thousands of teachers, parents, students, and activists are participating in the March for Our Lives, an anti-gun violence rally organized by student survivors of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida that killed 17 people.
The central march is taking place in Washington DC, but as was the case with the January 2017 Women’s March, thousands of demonstrators are participating in local marches from New York City to Orlando, Florida, to Los Angeles, and as far away as Berlin. For many of the young people taking part in the estimated 800 March for Our Lives that are currently underway from coast to coast, the event is about much more than just the Parkland shooting — as they've told us, it’s about feeling safe and being heard.
Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Times reports that thousands of area residents flocked to downtown LA to participate in Saturday morning’s march. Brianna Cornejo-Perez, a 14-year-old student at Santa Monica High School who attended the march with her mother, told reporters: “We used to have lockdown drills — now we have active shooter drills. It’s a bit scary.” (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty)
Philadelphia: Hundreds of protesters descended in the city’s protest, WHYY reports. Savannah Goldstein, a junior at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, told reporters: “In school, kids aren’t worrying about their tests for the day. They’re worrying about when the alarm goes off,’ Is this actually a drill or am I going to get hurt in school today?’ ” (Photo by Jessica Kourkounis/Getty)
New York City: The Manhattan march drew a crowd of thousands. Some protesters veiled themselves in white and carried with them photos of students and teachers who were killed in US school shootings, including the deadly 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty)
Washington DC: Massive crowds filled at least 10 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue, where some 20 teens — many of them, survivors of the Parkland shooting — were scheduled to speak. Stoneman Douglas High School student Cameron Kasky was among those to address the gathering, heralding today as a new era in youth-led change: “To the leaders, skeptics, and cynics who told us to sit down, stay silent and wait your turn, welcome to the revolution. Either represent the people or get out. Stand for us or beware. The voters are coming.”(Photo by Win McNamee/Getty)
Pflugerville, Texas: The Austin, Texas suburb attracted more than 200 demonstrators. Pflugerville High School junior Anakaren Salinas was among the teen speakers to address the crowd and held back tears as she told those gathered: “Instead of worrying about if you’re going to get gunned down at a school, you should worry about getting good SAT scores or passing a test.” (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty)
Berlin, Germany: The New York Times reports that 150 to 200 people, mostly American expats, gathered near the Brandenburg Gate carrying signs that said “bullets aren’t school supplies” and “Waffeln statt Waffen” (Waffles Instead of Weapons.) (Photo by Adam Berry/Getty)
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
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Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.