Sherry Thomas is all about elevating the Black woman. An author, public speaker and entrepreneur, she released her documentary 24 CROWNS: The Time Is Now! on Amazon Prime, Tubi, Netflix, iTunes and Xumo.
The documentary highlights the powerful Black women across all career fields who would meet in her living room for support and networking sessions.
Recently, Thomas stopped by rolling out to discuss the initiative and documentary.
How did the 24 CROWNS brand come to be?
One day, I was out for a walk. And the Lord was like, “You know all of these amazing women, but they don’t know each other, bring them together.” I knew a lot of entrepreneurs and executives, I was, at the time, in corporate America, and I knew a lot of executive women who [had] climbed the corporate ladder, and entrepreneurs. So I wanted to give these women a safe place to land. With that, I brought them into the living room, at the time, it wasn’t called 24 CROWNS, it was just, “Come to my living room. Let me give you leaders, people who are often pulled and tugged on, a safe place to land.”
So I invited all of my friends. And we started to come together. And I started coaching them as entrepreneurs and executives. Three years later, I was told to feature these women, put them in a journal, and let them drop gems to help people who are trying to start a girl business or climb the corporate ladder.
What did you think of Claudine Gay being forced out as Harvard’s first Black female president after only six months?
Being in the corporate space and understanding the climb, the climb is steep and the climb is hard, but the climb has to be strategic. Oftentimes, for the president at Harvard, a lot of times it’s checking the box to say that you have. … It’s unfortunate because I’m sure she is truly talented. She’s met every marker, and probably exceeded every opportunity. But it was just to say they did it.
One thing I would encourage her with today is: You have now become the Harvard president. They can never take it from her. Whether it was a minute, a second, an hour, it was given to you. Now, allow God to order your [steps] from here.
What was your reaction to the tragedy involving Antoinette “Bonnie” Candia-Bailey, the Lincoln University vice president?
That is such a great question, and I’m glad you asked that. One of the most important things we have to do is create community … for her, another very important thing is to lay the groundwork when you come into an environment.
You have to teach people how to treat you from the gate. From the door, I walk in the authority I know I belong. I’m going to respectfully respect you. If there’s anything that doesn’t align, I immediately start a paper trail from the time I come into a company and surround myself with a community of like-minded spirits.
