Kemi Nekvapil : taking pride in power
“ You are the builder of your power ,” says Kemi Nekvapil , one of Australia ’ s leading credentialed coaches for female executives and entrepreneurs . Here ’ s a snippet of her story of finding her power , and empowering others .
Can you share some stories from your early childhood and your first lessons in power ?
My experience of power growing up was one of powerlessness . I grew up as a child of middle-class Nigerian parents and I was fostered out to white families in England . From the age of two weeks until I was 13 , I had five primary carers and I would go to my mother in the holidays . I was told within some of those families and by society that as a black person navigating white spaces , I had no power and that I just had to be grateful for wherever I was .
A defining moment from my childhood was one morning shopping with my last foster mum and she asked me what colour underwear I wanted to buy . I didn ' t really hear her the first or second time , and then the third time she said ‘ Kemi , I ' m talking to you !’. I just remember in that moment , the feeling I had was that she was asking me to have an opinion on some area of my life , as small as it was . I thought if that is what choice feels like , that is what power feels like , and I am not going to let go of it .
© Dietitian Connection 15 Infuse | May 2022