849: Dr. V Boykin: From Prison to PhD While Finding Power in the Most Vulnerable Moments

Going back to school after 40 is not for the faint of heart. Dr. Vrnda 'V' Boykin knows this well returning to school in 2017 and obtaining her BS in Marketing Management, MS in Management and Leadership, Master of Business Administration, and Doctorate of Business Administration in Organizational Leadership. Dr. V’s expertise is in creating equitable work experiences for women. Dr. V established clear evidence to illustrate the importance of social support systems in tackling workplace equity through simple shifts in the social environment.

Bravery is in Dr. V's bones and she is known for her commitment to innovation. Viewing education as the most effective tool in achieving equity, V utilizes her skills and knowledge to disrupt and redefine leadership training and enablement programs resulting in increased performance and profitability within the technology space.

Listen in to hear Dr. V share:

• Her recent accomplishment of getting her PhD and becoming one 4.4% of black women with a doctoral degree
• Her life path from being a very young mother and stripper on food stamps who ended up in the prison system to then getting 4 degrees, including a PhD, in a mere 7 years
• How she used her time in prison, and how she decided to move forward from that time in her life
• How she sits with shame and how and why she has worked so hard to reconcile that for herself and other Black women
• The fine line between vulnerability and power and how dancing and stripping allowed her to step away from vulnerability and into her power
• The legacy she is building around creating equity and belonging in the workplace, as well as what true equity in the workplace looks like for women and moms
• The major caveat around the “bringing your full self to work” movement, especially for people carrying marginalized identities
• How providing services for women and moms benefits organizations
• Her tagline and call to action: stop talking about my attitude and start talking about my accomplishments

Links mentioned:

• Connect with Dr. V: drvboykin.com
• V on LinkedIn

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