Tag Archives: aapi

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v26

Can you believe that we’ve now hit the half way point of the year? This being the 26th post of a weekly blog?! WOWZERS!

Guess what? We’re also 2 days away from the end of the quarter and it’s got me all

money money

So you can tell what’s on my mind: “I got my mind on my money, my money on my mind” – Youngbloodz

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • How happy am I that I get to share my good friend, Tanya Tarr‘s interview for Forbes@Women with none other than former Texas State Senator and all around ROCK STAR Wendy Davis with all of you??? Ms. Davis is dropping knowledge on the art of negotiation. What does she say that’s aligned with my own beliefs? Know your value! #getit (P.S. I can’t wait to see what other fascinating stories and interviews Tanya shares with us in the future – follow her!)
  • We’ve talked about the Power Pose and how your non-verbal actions can provide insight on your internal dialogue (confident, anxious, nervous etc) so here are a few suggestions of how you can engage your body and hand gestures to appear more bold and confident. I have video of myself when I’ve given speeches or lectures and I’m a full on hand gesturer. I can’t help it! I never realized that there are people who put in hand gestures as part of their presentations to create emphasis. I gesture when I speak ALL. THE. TIME. even when I’m on the phone and the only time when I stop myself is when I’m taking notes. I recognize it’s because I’m comfortable speaking on the subject matter and when I’m doing presentations, my hands are part of my speaking presence. Now that I’m doing more video, I try to keep my gestures to a minimum so that it’s not distracting to the viewers. Always a work in progress!
  • I’m working with a mentor on her cover letter and my advice is to find your strengths and translate that into how it can help the organization where you’re applying. Personality is essential, even in a cover letter that can be as dry as a burnt piece of toast. Do you know how many of these things get reviewed on a daily basis?? Formulas are good in the sense that it helps to articulate pieces that you should highlight. What are the key things that people expect you to say in your letter? It’s up to you to jazz hands the shiz out of it so that hiring managers will remember why they picked your resume out of all the others. We’ve talked about how you can control your narrative. At this point, you are a blank piece of paper and when you submit your resume for consideration, you are giving people the best version of yourself. Do you know the saying, “It looks good on paper?” well this is a prime example. It can be tedious and most of all, you are forced to be your most creative and most insightful. If you only spend time in going through the motions, you won’t get very far. Here’s a great list of ideas of how you can share some of your best moments.
  • Change, regardless if it’s chosen or forced upon you can be a transformational moment. How you take that challenge can bring great rewards if you build upon the idea of always creating community and goodwill. I always tell people that it’s more important to help others first because it’s a nice thing to do but in addition, should there ever be a time when you need assistance, people will come to your aid. It’s the same with donor relationships. Donors don’t want to feel that the only time you come to them is to ask for money. I really enjoyed reading the story of Sree Sreenivasan because he lives the principles that I like to share. You have the ability to control the narrative of your own story – whether it be good or bad. Whatever way you want to share your changes is up to you.
  • We all got fears. Fears of not meeting expectations; fears of public humiliation; fears that we are not worthy; many of them can be rationalized and many of them can’t – are our friends drinking the kool-aid and encouraging us even though they think we’re going to fail? Well let me tell you, we always need a reality check and those friends who can be supportive while also walking through all of the scenarios with you to make sure that you have thought of the pros and cons are who you need in your corner. Do you know who else you need in your corner?? YOU!!! You, my friend need to look in the mirror and trust in yourself. Let me go full circle back to the previous article about Sree. We are not perfect and we can’t be great at everything. Do not let fear be the barrier that keeps you stagnant. You will soon realize (like me!) that 20 years of being in the business that you always wanted to be in has happened (that’s a good thing) and it’s OK to transition into something else that you find meaningful. Don’t give anyone the ability to judge your decisions. That is a gift that you’re giving when you allow people’s opinions to matter. I give that gift to friends that I trust and to people who I admire because I know that they’re looking at for my interests. They will challenge me and will make me question my decisions not for the sake of being dickwads and I give them that opportunity because I know that they care and will support my decision. #YOLO
  • Women have to work twice as hard to get elected to Congress and to overcome gender bias. It’s incredibly important to have female leadership in elected office and it’s scientifically proven! With that in mind, if you’re looking for ways that you can be a part of a community that supports females running for office, here’s my list:
  1. Identify as a progressive/Democratic woman of color, especially of Asian American or Pacific Islander descent then visit, America’s Opportunity Fund (AOF). There’s a network called The Power of She. (full disclaimer, I’m the Executive Director of AOF).
  2. In the history of the Women’s Information Network (WIN), there have been quite a few women who were members who later became elected officials so the organization has a good track record of supporting from within. (full disclaimer, I’m the Advisory Council Chair of WIN).
  3. The grand dame of pro-choice Democratic women is Emily’s List. Their investment in pro-choice female candidates is off the charts. They have trainings and their endorsement is quite a feather in your cap.
  4. There’s also Ignite, Emerge, Running Start, WeLead, Women’s Campaign School at Yale University, and I know that I must be missing many others. If you have gone through a training or know of other resources, please share so that we can have a more comprehensive list. We never want any female to not know of places where she can go to get the training she needs to run for office.

That’s it for this Tuesday – we hope you enjoy the rest of the week! Thanks for reading/sharing & if you haven’t subscribed, then I hope you will do so today!

— Madalene

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v13

Photo credit via

As you read this little ditty, I’ll be flying to the west coast for a few days on work travel. People are out and about on Spring Break so although I’m a bit joyous that I get a time-out from fundraising events, the work still continues. When Congress returns, I’ll be going full steam ahead with a barrage of fundraisers, #tistheseason #politicscanbefun

So whether you’re mushing it up in Iceland or drinking a beverage that has an umbrella in it, here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • We know that diversity is a key issue for all aspects of life. Having a seat at the table is important to bringing a different perspective and to highlight challenges and triumphs. What’s also critical is that women and minorities tend to be penalized when they try to help in that process through their hiring practices. The Harvard Business Review explores the implications of having those kinds of attitudes.
  • One of the many reasons I enjoy being a part of the Women’s Information Network (WIN) is that it gives like-minded women a safe space to be women and to share their knowledge and expertise with other women. We’re one another’s cheerleaders. It’s long been known that the “old school” method of networking in the boys’ club was via poker, golf, and men’s dinner clubs. As more women join the ranks of senior leadership, they’re creating spaces that allow us to embrace all of the attributes of female empowerment. Yes, we’ll mix with the boys, but let’s remember that it’s OK to spend your work life also socializing with other women. With that in mind, Shelley Zalis conceived the idea of a Girls’ Lounge, the equivalent of the Boys’ Club so that women could “pair and share”. Read more of her efforts here.
  • One of the things that I’ve learned through the years is that courage manifests itself in a variety of ways. I know my fears and although not fully conquered, I know what I have to do to overcome them: to face them and not allow them to own me. Believe me, I still weigh the risks (such as when others tell me that I’m going to get eaten by a shark every time I go surfing), but I know that I do myself a disservice by not doing the things that scare me. It makes the rest of my life that much less fearful.
  • Normally on an election year, I tend to focus solely on work. It’s work, work, work, work, work (thanks Rihanna!) and everything else goes to the wayside. I realized that every other year is a fiercely intensive time in my life and even more so when accentuated if it’s a Presidential year. I create my own stress because I’ve left everything else to wither. My health doesn’t necessarily wane because I recognized that I needed to exercise and get enough sleep so that I could continue to function in an optimal condition. So I decided that I needed to give myself goals that would test my commitment to myself and to my future self. I added private French lessons and although there were moments when I really questioned my sanity in taking on this additional task, it forces me to take action in another area of my life. It’s a lot easier to focus solely on work when you decide that nothing else should matter and that’s not how life works. If you really want to be a whole leader, you need to recognize the other aspects of your life because those aspects also matter to your team.

Thanks for reading/sharing and leave your comments below!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v10

It’s #InternationalWomensDay! Let’s celebrate those women who have made it possible for us to live better lives and continue to encourage girls to know their value.

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • I’m a bit of wack-a-doodle for getting up at the crack of dawn to work out, even on weekends, but I know that getting my exercise in the morning is the best time for me, otherwise it won’t happen. Sometimes it’s really hard for me to slow down because I know that there’s so much I want to do. Starting my day early allows me to extend the hours that I have to get the most out of life and as I get older, taking naps or taking a break seem like a distant memory. Here are a few ways how you can have seemingly endless energy.
  • When I once served as a mentor to the Running Start Fellows program, their main advisor Arnie Thomas told me that he thought I was meant to be a teacher and he was probably right. Although I have the technical skills and experience as a fundraiser, I truly enjoy my training portfolio that much more. One of the things that I’ve recognized in myself is that I’m a “sharer” which comes to a surprise to most people because I’m an only child (do only children always have such a bad rap?). Nonetheless, I like sharing whatever knowledge I possess to those who are interested in learning. If it’s not knowledge that I share then having time to volunteer on projects that mean a great deal to me is part of that teacher mentality. I may not know a whole lot but I know that it makes one’s life that much more fulfilling.
  • Every once in a while, I get into a mood where I contemplate the old adage, “What am I doing with my life?”. After 40+ years of living on this Earth, I still wonder if I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing or if I’m meant to do something else. To be perfectly honest, I usually get this way when I’m a little overwhelmed. For a time when I had my quarter life crisis, I wasn’t feeling fulfilled and wasn’t sure if I was doing what was right for me. Having the privilege of choice can create fear and paralysis. In the end, it always came down to what I was passionate about and having the belief in myself that I could do it if I created my own path. I know that I will continue to examine my life’s purpose for the foreseeable future as a way to check if I’ve gotten lazy and now I have the perfect set of questions to ask myself.
  • I get really excited when I see AAPIs succeed, especially in the political world because hey, I want to see more of my people engaging in the electoral process. It’s nice to see that it’s becoming more common to see AAPIs running for elected office and winning!
  • I first met Amy Dacey when she worked at the DCCC and I worked at the DNC so I’ve seen this woman in action for a long, long time. Well deserved article touting her abilities to get the job done as the CEO of the Democratic National Committee.
  • Most of you know of my involvement of the Women’s Information Network (WIN) and through that organization, I’ve had such a wonderful experience meeting young women who are doing extraordinary things. I want to give a personal shout out on this #InternationalWomensDay to the women (Katie Breslin, Christy Carter, & Claire Gould) behind a soon-to-be launched podcast called Beyond the Ceiling. They’re telling the stories of women who are making the world a better place. Catch their inaugural podcast on March 10th!

Alright folks, what you have up your sleeves for the upcoming week?? Share them in the comments or drop me a line!

Thanks for reading/sharing!

— Madalene

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v5

Photo credit via

How many of you were up last night watching the Iowa Caucus returns? I had returned from a trip and was already tired from the travel, however it was addictive to watch the hours and hours of commentary. I usually don’t watch scripted television (i.e. reality tv) but this is the ultimate reality tv for me because it really is completely unknown to all of us the eventual outcome in November. It’s going to be quite an election!

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • I often get asked why I started my own consulting firm and my 2 second answer is that I wanted to be my own boss. I’ve always been an independent worker so when I first began, I actually had to tone down the amount of hours I worked because I placed myself in an environment that kept me working ALL.THE.TIME. I never had a problem where I was distracted by working from home. So if you think working as your own boss in a non-traditional environment is for you then take a look at these suggestions about being your own boss.
  • If you didn’t know, DC had a pretty big snow storm last week where the federal government had to shut down due to travel concerns. The U.S. Senate decided to convene and lo and behold, it was a historic moment because the entire chamber was staffed entirely by women (the Senators, the parliamentarian staff, the pages, the floor managers – EVERYBODY!).
  • I think I’m a procrastinator, but my closest friends think I’m such a weirdo for saying such a thing because they have a different definition for that term. It does help to think about procrastinating in a positive way. For me to fully concentrate, I need a sense of calm & a bit of silence. I can usually tune out the tv or radio but if someone is talking to me, I need to step away for me to focus. I’ll take a break when I write to read articles and let’s face it, look up my favorite Hollywood columnist and then I can re-focus my energy to finish another paragraph. Accept it and don’t beat yourself up!
  • When you’re unhappy, the thought of leaving your job can be empowering! There was a point in my career when I would wake up and start crying because I knew that I was headed into work. That’s a bit extreme but the emotional toll was too taxing for my mental health. If you haven’t reached that point but realize that going to work isn’t your cup of tea, here are reasons why you should stay and focus less on the reasons why you dislike your current position.
  • If you’re interested in reading about the “New American Majority” then check out Brown is the New White, a book from national political leader Steve Phillips. It’s a powerful discussion about race and politics.
  • I’m a glass half full person with a touch of pragmatic reality thrown in for good measure. I tend to stay on the positive side of things, although I do recognize when things are going downhill. It’s fair to wallow in the negative, but I can’t exist in that place for too long. Here are steps you can take so that you can transform a bad day.

Thanks for reading/sharing and get a friend to subscribe!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2016 edition v1

Photo credit via

Happy 1st Tuesday of 2016! I’m such an optimist and even more so when it comes to “fresh starts”. If you’ve read the blog long enough, you’ll know that I’m an advocate for constantly evolving and not waiting for a particular time to get started but when you add the blank canvass of a new year, everything aligns to moving forward! I hope you’re having a great “fresh” start!

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Last year, one of my closest friends decided to quit her job as the Chair of her department at an elite university to move to Africa and join the Peace Corps. Was this the right move? Only she can answer that question. She went through a lot of soul searching and preparation to reach this decision. I applaud her for leaving the comforts of the US (the ability to easily communicate your wants/needs, knowing the difference between luxuries and necessities, and going to a place where there isn’t a visible safety net of friends/colleagues willing to help in time of distress, but I’m sure that she will build that over time) and for putting her desire of living a life that she values first. I think I’ve talked about I’m not a fan of the word “disrupting” but there are times when it is quite applicable and in this situation, it completely applies. What do you need to disrupt your own existence? How does this change your course of action? Questions that can really motivate how you value your life!
  • When I talk with my friends/colleagues and they ask me how I’m doing, there are times they wonder if I’m the same person from the FB version of me. I always try to stay positive but you know, I like to keep it real when I’m with people IRL. Whether work is being a total drag or life is throwing me a curveball, I always try to find ways where I can keep a positive attitude (thank goodness for my multiple gym memberships!). Lucky for YOU, I’m sharing an article on how to improve your mental health! What do you find helps to give you peace of mind?
  • As a believer in “there’s no better time than now” to do something, I’m constantly calendering things so that I can take the time to assess. Why not do that when you’re putting your more mundane items into your calendar? Checking on your sleep, exercise and whatever else that will help in making yourself more productive? Here are 6 ways you can get to a better version of you and don’t forget, we’re not perfect so whatever incremental changes you make is considered a win – one foot in front of the other!!
  • Can you tell that there’s a bit of a theme going on in this post? Personal development through growing/disrupting/or whatever you wish to call it is all about living a life that you designed. There are circumstances that you can’t control but eventually, you create your life. There will be sacrifices and tough decisions but there will also be triumphant celebrations and milestones. Here’s one way that you can design your personal growth. Do you have others that you want to share? What do you want to learn so that we can provide that as a resource? I got an email over the holiday break from a reader about a colleague taking credit for the reader’s work. That’s a douche-y thing to do but alas, we gotta deal with those kinds of situations so I’ll be sharing those articles next week. Email me or leave a comment on what you think you need! I’m happy to share and let me know what you would like to share about your experiences with this community!
  • The DNC AAPI Engagment Desk along with the Asian American Action Fund and America’s Opportunity Fund announced a networking event to connect political campaign operatives/professionals to review job seekers’ resumes and talk about political opportunities in 2016 on January 26th. Get more information here and if you haven’t already, submit your resume for review for America’s Opportunity Fund’s AAPI Pipeline Project.

Thanks for kicking off 2016 with me and for reading/sharing and subscribing!

— Madalene

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v50

Photo credit via

This may be the last week that Congress is in session so there are last minute and well planned events on the books. I hope that you’re enjoying the holiday season and the promise of the soon to be new year.

Here’s this week’s Tuesday Truths!

  • Who doesn’t look for more efficient time management strategies? I’ve been using 1/2 hour increments to get projects done or to “think” on the creative aspects of my work. Here’s an excellent version of how you can create a similar scenario from a Google email request.
  • There’s always a risk in sharing ideas and presenting a project in its raw state to get feedback. You’re exposing yourself to criticism and commentary however the results of that feedback provide meaning to your creations. Using that information can better define the relationships between what is it that we do and the audience to which that work is created. Learn more on what to do with feedback from your work.
  • I like to promote diversity. As a woman of color, I like to see diversity throughout the leadership in organizations I support. Having worked in government and now working to help elect people who represent the U.S., I’d like to see that representation reflected in the halls of Congress. Unfortunately, the reality is that Capitol Hill is a very white place. Statistics show that communities of color comprise of 36 percent of the country and yet, African Americans hold less than 1% in the senior staff positions of the U.S. Senate. Organizations such as APAICS, CBC Foundation and the CHCI are working to get more diversity into staffing positions which leads to more opportunities and exposure.
  • I have to give a shout out to one of my former staffers, Chris Chan on his role at the Democratic National Convention Committee as Deputy Chief of Staff. After he served his time in my office (I actually kicked him out as part of my Empty Nest program), he went onto the Denver Convention in 2008 so this will be his 3rd convention since he also went onto working at the Charlotte Convention. Kudos to your progress! Of course, I can’t forget my good friend and fellow WINner Cynthia Jasso-Rotunno, who was hired to be Senior Advisor and Director of Government Relations – looking forward to all of the great work you’ll be doing! Read more about the new hires for the Philadelphia convention team.

Thanks for reading/sharing and for subscribing!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v49

Photo credit via

Happy Tuesday! I’m writing this while sitting in Puerto Rico on a work trip. My fellow fundraisers (or really anyone for that matter) never feel sorry for me when I do this annual weekend leadership event because the location is just spectacular (to say least).

dorado beach

So no violins or crying a river for me that I’m working over a weekend – I get it 🙂

On with Tuesday Truths!

  • I’ve worked with enough clients and campaigns to know when it’s time to hit the road. When you’re working on a campaign, it’s especially important to remember not to burn bridges (although you may be tempted to light the match and watch it all go to hell!!) so if you’re looking to make an early departure, check out these tips.
  • One of the most important aspects of working on campaigns is the behind the scenes work of the research department. In fact, it’s so important I mention it as one of 3 pillars for making strategic decisions. Learning how to do the work as well as how to disseminate the information is a matter of skill and finesse. The New York Times had an op-ed on how important it can be on a campaign.

Thanks for reading/sharing and don’t forget to subscribe!

— Madalene

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v48

Photo credit via

I hope everyone is having a great start to December! I like this time of year because it reminds me to be better – not just with others but also to myself. I don’t believe in resolutions because I always think that there’s nothing like the present to make improvements. I hope you have a productive month reaching your goals and milestones.

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • For me to fully focus, I need to clear the mental “to-do” list and see the horizon of progress. I think I’ve mentioned that I tend to triage so that things that are the most important, bubble to the surface first and therefore, get addressed. To have clarity, it’s important that you’re doing it with a clear head so empty all of the things that are distracting you so that you can find your own focus.
  • When you’re facing a challenge and think you’re at the end of your mental toughness, you’ve only used 40% of your will power so you’ve got a lot left in the tank!
  • In the discussion of Millennials this article shared that there is a profound impact on how financial support affects their ability to build their own personal assets. This is especially true with millennials of color and this financial disparity is also connected with race. As a result minority millennials are having a difficult time getting ahead.
  • I think I run a pretty tight ship in my firm in that I have procedures that illustrate how to do pretty much everything for each of my clients. One of the things that I try to provide for my team is feedback not only related to their current positions but also to their own professional goals. What have they identified as their weaknesses that they need to improve? What habits/behavior have I noticed that I could help them to correct? How can we create opportunities to strengthen those skills? Reading this article has really formulated what I try to put into action – radical candor – the combination of caring for people and being direct. This also applies to me and my team’s feedback of how I can help them. I also recognize that the best version of myself involves my routine of going to the gym – my team always thanks me for it because I’m a nicer person when I get my frustrations out by sweating it out. One of my favorite reads!
  • Every job has some level of stress and some of that stress can’t be controlled. If you work in customer service, you can’t control if the person who you’re trying to help was late leaving their house to get to work and irritated from traffic. You can only control your own behavior. So if you’re in need of finding ways to reduce stress at work, you may want to act upon these tips.
  • I’m getting ready to hit a more tropical locale for a work trip where it’s island cocktail for some of my events. If you work in an environment where business casual is the norm, here’s an article that illustrates what business casual really means.

Thanks for reading/sharing and if you haven’t already, feel free to subscribe!

— Madalene

 

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v45

This week we’re honoring our Veterans (something that should happen every day!) and as a daughter of a Veteran (Go Army!), I value the sacrifices that our military personnel and their families endure for the preservation of our safety and for freedom. I especially get emotional when I’m in the airport and see a crew boarding/deplaning. I’ll make a trip to Arlington National Cemetery to pay my respects to my father and all of the others who have served.

Here’s Tuesday Truths

  • Growing up in a multicultural household, I’ve always straddled the heritages that have accompanied my family history – neither fully Caucasian or fully Vietnamese, I grew up knowing that being American had a widely diverse definition. I’m happy to see that television is following suit and my friend, Jeff Yang writes about how tv is redefining the definition of being American. With more diverse casting along with the powers that be making decisions, our stories are being told.
  • It’s the last quarter of 2015 before the holidays take over the calendar and we dive into the deep end of the pool for 2016. I spent 2 days last week working on projects with some fellow operatives visualizing and setting goals for the election cycle. Which meant I was tasked with the fun part of “how do we do all of this legally” – certainly not the sexy part of the planning stage but most definitely an essential part so that none of us go to the clinker. With the excitement of the election, be prepared to know how you can best use your advocacy organizations without losing your tax status.
  • I always come back to fundraising because honestly, if you can’t pay for it, shiz just doesn’t happen and in the AAPI community, we’re growing more politically aware and that includes building our financial capital. Journalist Bobby Calvan wrote a three part series for Al Jazeera America showcasing the AAPI electorate for the 2016 cycle. I hope you read it just to educate yourself about this very critical swing vote. Here’s the 1st part, 2nd part and 3rd part (where my colleagues and I are quoted about the AAPI donor community).

Thanks for reading/sharing & get your friends to subscribe!

— Madalene

Tuesday Truths 2015 edition v42

Photo credit via

Aloha! If you’re reading this post in real time (Tuesday, 10/20) then I’m likely flying over the Pacific or across the continental US returning to DC from a beautiful albeit short trip from Hawaii. I’ve been here since Thursday night/Friday morning and got back on a plane on Monday night to get back to DC where there are a ton of events going on so I’m super grateful to have a great team in DC helping me so that I can celebrate a dear friend’s wedding. There are times in life when work shouldn’t take precedence and being with loved ones when they’re celebrating a milestone is a true priority. I did spend part of my trip working because I’m a crazy type A personality but at least my “office” wasn’t too shabby 🙂

diamond head october 2015

Here’s Tuesday Truths!

  • As a fundraiser, I’m constantly following up so much so that I have #FollowupFridays in my office to evaluate what contributions haven’t come in yet and who I need to email/call/send a carrier pigeon to see when I’m getting those commitments in the door. As such there are a ton of other activities that require follow up in other industries (a pitch, book manuscript etc) or the day to day activities of being an entrepreneur (getting an invoice paid) so here are a few tips from pros who can help you master the art of the follow-up.
  • I’m always looking for ways to improve productivity! Here are 15 habits that we can all use – not sure about the tidy desk. I live among piles of paper.
  • Living in a “busy” culture, I try to remember to be mindful to myself and to others. The more that I think about breaking old habits, it helps me to re-focus my energy. Here are 3 ways to help set your mind on track.
  • All in an nutshell on how to ask for an informational interview, what to do to prepare for it as well as how it should go and what to do afterwards. Step by step instructions – gotta love it!
  • Since we’re getting into election season, here’s a great read on what female candidates face when they run for office. If you thought that appearance would be one of the key factors then you’re correct and the bias doesn’t really stop there.

Thanks for reading/sharing & please don’t forget to subscribe!

— Madalene