Full Circle Moments: Chicago!

 I love full circle moments! Sometimes we miss them, which is unfortunate. 

This week has been a full circle moment. 

Storytime...

26 years ago (this fall) I left Chicago at my lowest physically, mentally, and otherwise. I was leaving Naval boot camp, having endured multiple seizures as the result of severe sleep deprivation. I prepared for everything physically and was at top form when I left for boot camp. But I had not anticipated the lack of sleep. I came back home and further battled depression from these events and not knowing what my path now was. Many are aware of the aftermath of that and if not feel free to read my book. 

Needless to say, my path continued forward. Now 26 years later I'm back in Chicago, presenting on an international level about neurodivergence, leadership, and Indigenous and decolonizing perspectives of both at the 26th annual International Leadership Association (ILA) global conference. This is all done in the same place I was at my lowest in life, and where ancestrally my 10th great grandfather on my father's side, Potawatomi Chief Naunongee fought and died at the Battle of Fort Dearborn. He was over 100 years old, btw! The intersection of all this is not lost on me. These are two full circle moments converging together, generational and personal.  And this organization (ILA) has made it a point to acknowledge this unceded land, which is helpful and hope inducing.  

The neurodivergence leadership panel exceeded my expectations and I couldn't have asked for a better panel of professionals to present with. We went over because of questions, and we still didn't get to all of them. And people are constantly stopping me to discuss the subject. The need for this topic is huge. We hope to coordinate another for next year, but that one will be in Prague. Yes, Prague! 

My emerging scholar consortium poster presentation was a jam packed two hour session, working with a mentor about decolonizing leadership and answering numerous questions about my research to various people, including one of my professors. It's going to take some time to process all I've taken in. 

Tomorrow I have an author showcase where I will highlight my book. So I'll touch on that then. Right now I'm sitting on the 24th floor empty lobby couch just trying to take all of this in. It's a lot! And I'm trying to be mindful of it. 

https://youtu.be/aH7gkoBpN3s?si=cLldCGlL8_joGVuR