Throughout March, Dress for Success Luzerne County is teaming up with DiscoverNEPA to share their Women In Power campaign, which coincides with Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day. Both of which are an opportunity to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Each week we’ll highlight a woman in our community and share how they have found their own power.
Women In Power Series Highlights Melissa Rivers
Melissa Rivers is the 3rd Vice President of the Wilkes-Barre NAACP #2306 Branch. Melissa is a graduate of the American Intercontinental University and an entrepreneur and owner of the NEPA MR Lounge. In her role as 3rd Vice President of the Wilkes-Barre NAACP, Melissa is deeply involved in community outreach and improvement, and helping the women of Northeast PA achieve their goals.
What does “Woman In Power” mean to you?
A “Woman in Power” to me means a woman who is living her life on her own terms, being a heavy influence in her industry and to the people around her.
What would you tell a woman who is feeling powerless/experiencing powerlessness as a result of inequity?
I would tell her to focus more on the necessary things and people she needs to, to display and discuss this discomfort. In the meantime, she should stay working hard, be persistent, and diligent in whatever industry it is to eventually have that equality. It WILL happen!
Who were your female mentors in your career, and how would you suggest growing leaders identify possible mentors for their growth?
There are too many to name. In my career, my range of influence was wide, including leaders like Michelle Obama, down to friends and relatives that are around me often, that share the same interest and/or strengths.
When choosing a mentor, I would suggest that you make sure it’s someone of heavy influence and admiration to you. They should be someone that inspires you and motivates you to be better. So, if anyone gives you that feeling, that’s who you should choose to shadow!
What barriers have you faced in your career and how did you overcome them?
The barriers I particularly faced fell under discrimination. Not just my race, which was one of them, but also my gender, and age. I simply overcame that by ignoring it, staying focused, and on course with my goals. Things eventually came to fruition for me.
What message do you want to send out to young women thinking about their careers?
With this question I’m going to speak from a spiritual place, and from experience.
I would tell a young woman to follow whatever feeling she had/has that made her feel enlightened, full of excitement, and joy. Let me explain…
We are “FACTUALLY” unique individuals. NO ONE else has your DNA, and CAN’T duplicate you at all. Not even your parents having another baby can duplicate who you are. So with that, we are all born gifts with individual SUPERPOWERS!
Now to find it, I’d say identify anything that you do that feels good but everyone else thinks you’re weird or you’re a unicorn for it, that’s usually your POWER. That’s what you should stick with. Once you can identify with what makes you the “unicorn,” that is the best field for you to pursue.
We stay falling for careers and things that society and our parents want us to do and we truly don’t follow our SUPERPOWER. But if you take that piece of advice that I just mentioned, and find yours, I believe you truly will live the life that you want. That very “thing” will eventually have someone say “That’s a “Woman in Power” about you!
About Dress for Success
Dress for Success ® is an international not-for-profit organization that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire, and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Since starting operations in 1997, Dress for Success has expanded to nearly 150 cities in 30 countries. To date, Dress for Success has helped more than 2,000,000 women work towards self-sufficiency.
Since Dress for Success Luzerne County became operational in December of 2010, the program has reached 2,500 economically challenged women from the area by providing clothing, job interview support and workforce guidance. Dress for Success Luzerne County continues to create programs to enhance economic and social development, encouraging self-sufficiency through career development and employment retention.
To learn more about Dress for Success Luzerne County and the Women in Power campaign, please visit their website or on Facebook.
