Dunni Talks About Knowing Your Worth and Investing in it

I graduated from undergrad with a B.S. in Chemistry and a minor in English; I was a chemist for two years before becoming a consultant. This person called me a unicorn; to them I was rare….No, a black female chemist was rare. While I got that this person was “complimenting” me, they were also saying the thought of a black female chemist was so unheard of it was somewhat mythical. I get it-Chemistry, well any science really, is thought to be difficult and for some reason black people don’t “do” science. The thing is, I don’t consider anything in life to be difficult; some things just require more effort than others. Science is one of those things. Balancing a full-time job and pursuing a Master’s degree part-time is one of those things. I often get asked how I “handle it all,” my answer is always, “I just do it”. It’s not something that gets handled, it just gets done. Period.

: Family is my Everything

: On the job. Chemically speaking.

: Live. Laugh. Love

: Work hard, play harder

: Primped and Pretty

: Always a cause for celebration!

The value of education was implanted by my parents. Being a first generation American born child, I was raised to work hard and smart, strive for the best and focus on math and science. Mediocrity wasn’t an option. My parents left home at 18 for a foreign continent to pursue their education. My father graduated with his MBA a week before I was born, he studied for finals with a 1.5 year old and a pregnant wife while driving taxis and pumping gas. Once my father graduated, my mother hauled two toddlers to graduate classes and worked at Burger King to make ends meet (more power to her, because I KNOW I was a bratty child). This was done because of their belief that education is the key to a better life. Fast forward 25 years, sans A LOT of ups and downs, I’d say it paid off.

Now I don’t believe education is the only way to success. It’s a tool that can and should be used to your advantage. But somewhere along the line, obtaining an education became wack. Nobody wants to go to school anymore. The “glitz” of the entertainment industry and living like a millionaire without millionaire pockets has taken over. Too many guys are focused on being party promoters, rappers and popping bottles while too many ladies are consumed with anything that quickly allows them to get a designer bag along with the notoriety of being “known”. I’m all for going after your dreams-I don’t believe in limitations. I just reject the notion that living comfortably or more than comfortably and being fly & fabulous only comes from being in fashion or entertainment. Flyness comes from within; you own it, regardless of what you do.

When young women see me and hear about my story, I want them to think “That’s it?! I can do that and more.” I want those coming after me to be better than me. My wish for young women, particularly young black women, is to realize and own their worth. Know they can obtain an education, warrant respect and make a life for themselves on their own accord without depending on a man’s money or showcasing their body. I also wish a common understanding that a woman who strives to make something of herself isn’t considered a psycho on a warped path of declaring independence. Don’t get hung up on requirements and “qualifications”; if you see something you want, go after it, period. If you don’t get it, go after something else and make it your own. You have to look at yourself as your biggest investor. I’m my biggest investment and the only gambling I do is on me. If I don’t think I deserve something or am worth taking the risk for, why should anyone else?