Sharon Gamblin expressed her heartfelt gratitude as she received the Sisters with Superpowers award from Rolling Out and the Steed Society, emphasizing the importance of community and collaboration in her journey. A proud retiree from AT&T, Gamblin now thrives as a realtor while dedicating herself to uplifting others and fostering a harmonious workforce. Drawing inspiration from her family and the wisdom of Nelson Mandela, she encourages individuals to embrace their unique strengths and contribute to the greater good. With over 25 years of supporting local artists and leading community initiatives, Gamblin exemplifies a commitment to service and a belief that together, we can achieve extraordinary outcomes.
This is her speech:
Thank you so much, everyone. Nothing like bringing your own cheer team to the party. I am deeply honored to be recognized as an honoree for the Sisters with Superpowers award by Rolling Out and Steed Society Incorporated. I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all the honorees.
I know that nothing is achieved alone. I am here truly by the grace of God, the love of my mom and dad, five siblings, my two children, two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and a large extended family. Here with me today is my daughter, my two sisters, and my extended family that I love so much. I am immensely grateful for the abundant love that surrounds me.
I am a proud retiree of AT&T and currently a realtor. Most of all, I never wanted to be mediocre. A friend of mine used the phrase, “I don’t want to be a dadoodoo person,” which is a really old phrase. I just don’t want to be doing enough to get by. So, I didn’t want to be mediocre. I didn’t want to be a “dadoodoo person”.
As a manager and certainly throughout my life, I have been impacted by countless individuals who are experts in their field, and I have been fortunate to find myself in win-win situations repeatedly because of their influence and their faith in me. As a manager, I always expected my people to do their job. But I also sought to identify and nurture their standout skills, whether that was technical, administrative, mechanical, leadership, interpersonal, organizational, or those people you were surrounded by that were troubleshooters.
My superpower was to always see the good in other people. That phrase, nobody gets up in the morning saying, “This is the day I want to fail.” I aim to inspire and help them enhance their abilities and certainly assist with promotions. Above all, I believe in the power of a harmonious and strong workforce. The collective resources and energy of a united team make us unstoppable.
So, my thing with my people, it was never I, it was never you. It had better be about all of us, because all of us make it together.
Regarding community involvement, I always felt a responsibility to give back. This was a value instilled in me by my mom, who was always willing to help and serve the community. In turn, I strive to continue to help the community. Those who know me know that I fully love art and books.
I recently came across a book whose cover read “The New Brownies Book: A Love Letter to Black Families.” Inspired by W. E. B. Du Bois and the original Brownies Book periodical. The periodical was founded in 1920 and would have been distributed during the Harlem Renaissance. The inside cover of each issue distributed in the ’20s contained the following declaration: “This book is designed for all children, but especially for ours.” It was a magazine for black and brown children and families to learn about the many contributions made by people of color worldwide, generating a sense of pride and awareness.
During that period, for a six-month subscription, you had to pay the large sum of $1.50. For each issue, you paid $0.15.
One quote that always resonates with me is from Nelson Mandela: “I never lose. I win or I learn.”
So once again, thank you so very much for nominating me. Thank you for all the love in the room. Thank you for such a grand evening. It is truly wonderful.
