USA I realised that otherpeople—in particular,women, minorities, and the underrepresented —oftenfelt like theydidnothave a voiceor could notuse it. of law enforcement and attorneys and empower them to think through not only the responsibility they have but the privilege that comes with it. It is incumbent upon both of them to be the foundations of justice and equity, and to be the people’s voice, whether that is allowing them to have their day in court or helping them to resolve a dispute. I was honoured to foster conscious conversations and facilitate meaningful change. Law and advocacy has also influenced my businesses. I now help companies to change their corporate practices to create a more inclusive, diverse, participatory culture that sees each of their employees as a whole person, giving them a voice and a platform. I work with high-achieving women who are tired of the rat race and doing, being, and acting as others expect. I help them reclaim their voice and advocate for themselves and their families. I also have an entire division of my company that consists of two publishing houses plus a speaker’s coaching program and a program that helps experts become a global brand through media exposure. Through these, I offer platforms where everyday people have an opportunity to find their voice, tell their story, and share their message with the world. As I said, this principle has permeated everything. Looking at the many causes that you champion, which would you say you are most passionate about? I am definitely most passionate about fighting injustice in all its forms, and particularly in the realms of discrimination, human rights, and human trafficking. For me, it really boils down to closing the divide—it is about fostering systemic change and ending disparate access in the fundamental areas of life—education, medical care, nutrition, clean water, housing, transportation, representation, economic opportunities, and more. Disparate access to basic human needs is absolutely pervasive all around the world, and it is getting worse. There is definitely a greater divide between haves and have-nots on a global scale. My focus is on empowering governments and NGOs to address this. Right now I am working with one government to revise their prison system, and after that we are going to revise their criminal justice system and their constitution. This is real systemic change. I help NGOs all around the world that have boots on the ground negotiate with governments and tribal leaders to foster change. I work with organisations that create educational and economic opportunities for women. I work with organisations that work to end mass atrocities. And I work with organisations that rescue human trafficking victims and get them the care they need, while also working with local governments and law enforcement to prosecute the traffickers. I do a lot of this advising and advocacy behind the scenes. This is part of why this award is so important to me. If you look me up, you do not see much of this in my accolades, and that is because this work is not about me. My work in this realm is about creating systemic change and improving quality of life and equity throughout the world, not about any individual player in that. It is a big mission, and we have to work together to get there. 17
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