TCC Chancellor Erma Johnson Hadley urged participants at the fifth annual Ariel Hunter-Chriss African American Professionals Conference to take charge of their lives.
How individuals define power and how they relate to themselves were among the factors that Chancellor Hadley said determine how they will respond to the aspects identified in the theme, “Become Powerful: Invest in Your Career, Your Finances, Your Business, Your Life.”
About 200 participants, vendors, speakers, presenters and volunteers attended the event Nov. 12 named in honor of the founder Ariel Hunter-Chriss, who was director of Continuing Education Services at South Campus until her death in May 2009.
Chancellor Hadley encouraged listeners to retain their power by not worrying about what others think. As an example, she shared that one way she dealt with naysayers when being considered for TCC’s top post was by not reading negative articles.
During her talk, she also shared thoughts on the impact of wealth on life using several quotes including “Money can’t buy happiness; it can, however, rent it.” And, also one from the late humorist, Kin Hubbard: “It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness; poverty and wealth have both failed.”
Chancellor Hadley urged those in attendance to define the theme for themselves. “It will be your definitions of power, career, financial success, a successful business and a good life that will drive your actions,” she said. “Remember power is really within you, you already have it.”