In this post, guest author Dr. Nia Imani Bailey reflects on how her personal and ancestral journey reveals that true leadership is woven through resilience, faith, and the strength of those who came before us—thriving not on fear or adversity, but on the determination to break cycles and empower future generations.
A Familiar Feeling
This election really rattled me. I was so upset, yet numb. But it was a feeling that felt familiar. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was like I had felt this feeling before. The feeling of anguish, fear and sadness! I realized the feeling of Deja vu was attributed to my DNA. My DNA had felt this before. Let me explain.
My Great Grandmother’s Strength
The feeling of anguish, fear and sadness was once felt by my great grandmother, Marie Pryor, a 4’11” half Black and half Cherokee woman. Marie was born in South Carolina, May 10, 1910. She was married, birthed eleven children, and ironed the robe of the grand wizard of the KKK.
I’m sure she felt undeniable fear and undoubted complexities. I would like to think she also felt determined and driven. What she felt, witnessed and experienced, was a similar experience to her mother, grandmother and ancestors. I like to think she felt empowered to know her children, and legacy would not have to experience that type of emotional distress and trauma. While her emotional state was once felt by her ancestors, resilience was also woven in the DNA strands.
A Legacy of Survival and Faith
Marie’s daughter, my grandmother, Lorine Byrd Fields Latham, was born in Enoree, South Carolina, June 28, 1932. Similar to her mother, she had felt and experienced anguish, fear and sadness. So much so, she migrated to Philadelphia to have a better life. Though she experienced many challenges, including living through the Jim Crow Era. She also had the strand of resilience, and faith woven in her DNA. She birthed four children, was very active in her community, and was a wonderful servant of Jesus Christ.
My Mother’s Story: Turning Pain into Power
Loraine’s youngest child, and only daughter, and my mom, Narda J. Fields, has also experienced such emotions. Mom was born in Philadelphia, PA, September 30, 1961. She tells my brother and I stories of being chased by the neighboring children with hockey sticks because of the color of her skin. My mom remembers other traumatic experiences that fueled her to become the powerful woman she is today. She used the genetic feeling of anger, fear and sadness, and tapped into the genetic tapestry of resilience and faith. She is now a 2x author, humanitarian, chef, nonprofit leader and such a beautiful and brilliant woman.
My Own Experience: Feeling the Weight of History
Narda birthed Jarrod, and Nia Imani Bailey— Me. I was born August 26, 1992 at Temple University Hospital. It was a Wednesday, I was told, at 9:09 am. I have experienced such trauma as my school custodian “joked” that “Black people are just like apples, they hang from trees,” or when my fellow track mate stated how I wouldn’t be good academically, but only good at track because after all “Black people are good at sports.”
My dad called The Department of Education and made sure culture competency measures were set in stone. My parents afforded me such a beautiful and impactful life. That’s why I was so jolted by the results of the past election. I was told and taught, we as women can do anything. If you work hard, your results will show! Bigotry will never win. The genetic sadness I felt, I realized was felt before. In the same breath, I realized my ancestors, great grandmother, Nana and mom have given me the tools to be resilient and keep the faith.
Breaking the Cycle
I want to stop passing on the genetic feeling of fear, anger and sadness. I only want to pass on resilience and faith.
Leadership, especially in women, is built upon our ancestry. The women in our families are trailblazers and have passed the torch, literally and figuratively, on how to stand tall, firm, keep the faith and always remain resilient.
What we are experiencing, our DNA has felt and experienced before. Like our ancestors, we will remain steadfast, resilient, faith filled and strong! We will change our genetic makeup for the better. So our children, our girls, will remember our stories, but will not have to experience them.
A Call to Action: Women, Leadership, and Resilience
We, as women, are inherently leaders. Now, more than ever, we must:
✔ Be kind to ourselves and each other
✔ Support and uplift the next generation of women leaders
✔ Continue the legacy of resilience and faith
Together, we can make a difference.
Dr. Nia Imani Bailey, DPA, M.A.Ed., RT(T), is a native of West Philadelphia with a diverse background and a strong passion for making a positive impact. With 10 years of experience as a Radiation Therapist, she intimately understands the challenges faced by cancer patients. Dr. Bailey earned her doctoral degree in Public Administration from West Chester University, focusing her research on improving the timely diagnosis of breast cancer in young women and advocating for policy changes to enhance healthcare access for this vulnerable group. Through her diverse skill set and unwavering dedication, she continues to make a profound impact in healthcare, advocacy, and storytelling, inspiring hope and positive change for individuals facing adversity.
