It's taken a long time as a black woman in United States to shed the stigma of being both female and black. I wasn't celebrated at home, school or work, or in my own mind. I felt something was intrinsically wrong with being black. I was satisfied being a woman, until I read the Gender Equity Report of 2018 commissioned by our then Mayor, William Peduto. I hadn't heard anything about pay and promotion disparities, and I thought it wasn't happening for me because I was black. Wow, a double whammy, but I am encouraged to say I AM Speaking Up, Standing Up and Speaking Out, because I need a better environment for my grandson, Justin, Granddaughter Taylor and Great Granddaughter Zoie, I do this for YOU !