Wednesday Wonder Woman: Althea Webber-Bates

Mrs. Althea Webber-Bates currently operates as the CEO and founder of A. Bates Consulting which provides a range of training -related consulting services to nonprofits/municipalities relative to topics and areas in youth development, case management, workforce development and human services practices. In August of 2016, Althea launched and founded The Project Resiliency Movement, LLC and kicked it off with the #Resilience Conference in 2016 which hosted over 250 women of all backgrounds supporting each other through workshop and interactive activities, while women embraced the fact that they don’t always have to be strong. This conference opened the path for a seconnd conference entitled Destination Resiliency which inspired the writing of “Destination Resiliency: A Self-Care Planner and Guide (2017) which has reached over 300 people since its initial printing.

The theme for both events came from Mrs. Bates belief that “we can as women of color uplift each other consistently, because supporting my sister in her time of need provides healing and resiliency to both of us.” As these women empowerment programs continued to enhance those around her and the connections to women she gained seemed to evolve, Project Resiliency was born. Project Resiliency has become a social movement that seeks to encourage and empower women of color in areas of self-care and resilience related to mental, physical and emotional health while providing connectivity and support to other women of color through resilience circles (organic meetups in a local park), conferences, workshops and summer seminars. This also highlighted that women wanted to remain connected for longer than just the moment. Watching relationships bloom in others, motivated Althea’s own desire to write her own stories; to heal others, as she healed herself.

Althea Webber-Bates continued her work as an author and co-author putting book projects including: “Favor in Failure” (2018); “Life Balance for the Women on the Rise” (2017) and “Soaring into Greatness” (2017), as well as “Brokenness, Baggage and Blessings” (2018). In finding her voice and owning her journey, she also found in herself the gift of presenting high energy messages that takes the audience through her own personal journey and the purpose she found as she built her Resiliency.

Throughout her years as a motivational speaker and author Althea relates to teens, adults and corporations alike inspiring and motivating them to begin the process of healing through empowerment. Today Althea seeks to facilitate personal and professional growth while motivating her audience to find their resilience personally and professionally using their narratives to facilitate the path to success. While inspiring others professionally she hopes to be inspiring the ones she loves. the most her son Zyaan and daughter. As a consultant, author, Resiliency Coach, motivational speaker/trainer and thought leader in the area of girls and women, she understands the varying areas of personal development that many struggle with including fear, lack of confidence, lack of self-esteem, etc. One thing that she has come to understand in the work she does, especially with women and young girls, is that we are all linked to one another and our connection to one another brings forth healing, growth and resiliency. Mrs. Bates not only encourages the women she works with to take this guided journey of self-discovery, but she challenges them to invite someone else in their inner circle to take it with them, because in doing so, you become accountable to someone else in committing to your own exploration, self-discovery to bring about its manifestation to ultimately discovering the favor of your secret sauce within the failure of the experiences that groomed, shaped and molded you.

Fancy: How would you describe your swagher? What makes Mrs. Althea, Mrs. Althea?

Mrs. Althea: SwagHer is a woman’s ability to walk into a room and command  the attention of those in that space. It’s an elusive term, coined to give name to a female-specific brand of confidence that’s both intoxicating to men and to women. In essence, it’s a mix of tomboy ‘tude with the ability to be a girly-girl, sprinkled with more than a dash of (non-arrogant) nonchalance. SwagHer is me, it’s the god-given boldness to not listen to the naysayers and to secure your bag by pulling out all your gifts, talents, skills and abilities and using them to encourage and empower others, especially other women ,as well as collaborating as opposed to competing with other women.

Fancy: Can you recall the moment that you realized you don’t always have to be strong?

Mrs. Althea: As a spirit led women empowerment leader, I act in confidence with everything I do, because I know that God has a calling over my life to produce works and fulfill this ministry of encouraging and empowering women in areas of resiliency and self-care. However I was not always this confident. I lived in fear for a large part of my life, fear of stepping out and fulfilling Gods purpose for my life, fear of being judged by others, fear of leading others when I thought I was not worthy enough based on mistakes made in my life, fear of people always seeing me based on my past and not seeing any more in me.

My lowest point was in 2009. God shared with me that He would allow me to experience brokenness in all facets and areas of my life. He severed ties with long-time friends; He severed ties with the person I had been dating; He severed ties with my finances being out of work for a year, He severed ties with my mobility through breaking two of my legs. God shared with me that He wanted to use me to talk with women about Resiliency and Self-Care. I began to take my physical, mental, and emotional break and allow God to take control over that year of my life. I took time to meditate, pray, and He began to work on my self-esteem and shared with me the meaning of true love, agape love, and that I was worth being loved despite my mistakes. I found my confidence in sharing my resiliency story with others via writing, speaking and talking with other women.

Fancy: You talk about the “growth mindset”, and it plays a big part in the mission of the movement. Can you share a little about that?

Mrs. Althea: Carol Dweck in her book “Mindset” (2006) discusses that mindsets frame a running account that’s taking place in people’s heads. Fixed mindsets are focused on judging: “that means I’m a loser” or “that means I’m better than they are” Where as a growth mindsets are constantly monitoring what’s going on while not judging themselves. They are focused on what can I learn from this? How can I improve?  I think back my own resiliency story of breaking two legs in one year. I had a big decision to make regarding my mindset. I could have accepted my broken legs and given up on learning how to walk again, but I chose to adhere to a growth mindset. This life changing impactful moment in my life was the catalyst that led me to create Project Resiliency Movement, LLC to support other women dealing with their resiliency.

Fancy: Now you are also the CEO of A. Bates Consulting, LLC. Can you tell us more about the business and what services you offer?

Mrs. Althea: A. Bates Consulting, LLC provides a range of training -related consulting services to nonprofits/municipalities relative to topics and areas in resiliency, wellness, self-care, youth development, case management, workforce development and human services practices.

Fancy: You are active in several organizations, you’re pursuing your doctorate, and you’re a wife and mom. How do you balance it all?

 Mrs. Althea: When I think about life balance for the mind and body and what that means, I think about self-care and self-love and always assessing in my actions whether or not I am building time to care for myself. I have learned that unless my self-care cup is replenished on-going, I cannot be my best self for the people that surround me. I have also learned what it means to give from the overflow of my perpetual cup that I have to refill and replenish my self-care reserves before I can pour out to others. My work to maintain a healthy mind and body consists of incorporating journaling and reflecting on my thoughts and experiences on daily basis, reading the Bible and other spiritually based materials, taking long walks to rejuvenate my mind, body and spirit, as well as connecting regularly with women God has placed in my life as anchors (women that feed my spirit and pray for and with me, encourage and empower as well as equip me to continue reaching out to women).

Fancy: What ways can we, as women, support other women in their many roles?

 Mrs. Althea: I have learned to acknowledge and listen to myself and my needs as an innate introvert and self-taught extrovert. I develop times throughout the week to be build-in self-care and time with self. I take at least an hour to two out of my day to be alone with my thoughts and reflect and be engaged and tune in with myself and my environment. I have found that I need this time, as an introvert, just as much as I need to connect and interact with others. I have also discovered that it is necessary to acknowledge and provide opportunities for me to be alone, so that when I do reconnect I am fully recharged, refreshed, and ready. I find time to nurture the people in my life through carving out time for quality and enriched experiences and interactions. Creating experiences around shared interest has been by far the most effective approach and this has been valuable for all types of relationships relative to family, friends, business networks, etc.

Fancy: Do you have any upcoming events or projects you care to share?

 Mrs. Althea: My latest book project entitled “Brokeness, Baggage and Blessings: An Anthology of Resiliency Stories” was released in September. This project is a collaboration with six authors sharing their stories of trials to triumph. Project Resiliency Movement will be looking to expand its scope and reach to share the message of resiliency and self-care amongst women on a global scale. My 3rd Annual Resiliency Conference framed as a “Self-Care Symposium” will be taking place on November 3, 2019 in West Hartford, CT from 10-4pm. We will also be launching our Resiliency Speaks Institute which will focus on areas of research related to Resiliency with a focus on Women for 2019.

Connect with Mrs. Althea below.

Website: www.abatesconsultinggroup.org      

Email: projectresiliencymovement@gmail.com or abatesconsulting@gmail.com     

Facebook Personal Page: Althea Webber Bates               

Facebook Page: Project Resiliency-Movement  

Twitter: @projresmovement         

 Instagram: @projectresiliencymovement