Sassy Rebellion Week 8 - Embracing the Sassy Rebellion
Rising Above: Embracing the Sassy Rebellion
Nahla woke up the next morning to find her viral clip featured on several of her favorite reaction channels. She was absolutely horrified, though some people praised her for standing up to toxicity in the tech world. She received numerous DMs requesting interviews or asking if she had anything else to say about her feelings. Deciding to ignore them, Nahla figured that, like most viral moments, the attention would fade within a day or two. Besides, the situation would conclude by the end of the week as the SWIT board cast their votes along with other members.
It was “D-day” in Nahla’s mind. As she had predicted, the virality of her clip died down just in time for the votes to be cast. She didn’t think she would win after everything she had said at the workshop, but she didn’t want to be a sore loser. Therefore, she decided to leave work a little early, treat herself to a manicure, and then head over to the SWIT election.
Nahla couldn’t believe she wanted the role but knew she had jeopardized her chances by being emotionally transparent. Reflecting on the Sassy Rebellion concept initiated by Roz, she realized it wasn’t just about rebelling against toxic norms for herself but also about standing up as a voice for others. For this reason, she was proud of herself for confronting Naquayla. She hadn’t anticipated her speech being filmed and going viral, though.
Upon arriving at the SWIT board meeting, Nahla was surprised by the large turnout. Non-board members were allowed to cast their votes for president until the previous night. The board needed to certify the results, meaning whoever received the most votes from SWIT members would be put up for confirmation by the board. If the board didn’t confirm by a majority vote, a run-off would be held to select a winner.
Finding a seat at the back of the room, Nahla watched as the current SWIT board members took their places at the table. Naquayla, as board president, was responsible for reading the results first reviewed by Vice President Danica to ensure transparency. Danica opened the envelope and handed it to Naquayla. As Naquayla read the results, her mouth opened wide.
“Judith received 5 votes; Lauren received 10…”
As Naquayla prepared to announce third place, Claire stood up and approached the board members.
“Okay, Naquayla said, second place… with 31 votes is… Claire.”
The room erupted in surprise, with everyone turning to look for Nahla. She glanced around in complete astonishment, questioning if what she thought was happening was actually occurring.
Naquayla sucked her teeth and declared, “With 178 votes, Nahla is in first place.” Nahla was stunned as the room cheered, especially Danica, who gave her an assured look. Nahla remained in complete disbelief.
Naquayla then yelled, “Shut up! This is not over yet. We still have to vote to confirm the results.” The room fell silent. There were seven board members, each required to cast their vote. Danica went first, voting to confirm the results. At that point, there were three votes for confirming Nahla and three votes against. Naquayla was the deciding vote, and Nahla knew she wouldn’t vote for herself.
Taking her time, Naquayla delivered a speech about the importance of leading SWIT and the remarkable work done thus far. She then announced that she voted to CONFIRM Nahla. Everyone was surprised and erupted in cheers. Members began jumping around Nahla as she walked up to accept the role from the board members. As she approached, Naquayla offered an apology, acknowledging that she had been perpetuating a toxic culture similar to the tech bros and apologized to Nahla for bullying her. She also admitted that Nahla’s speech at the AI workshop had a real impact on her.
Inviting Nahla to speak, she began, “I wasn’t prepared for anything like this to happen, but I am ready to get to work together to take SWIT to the next level, grow its membership, and encourage more women and girls to get involved in tech.”
While Nahla was giving her speech, the Motley Crew was blowing up her phone. Danica, one of Flossie’s best friends, texted to inform her of the results. They were incredibly proud of her for standing up for herself and reminded her that you always win when you show up honestly and authentically for yourself.
What’s next for Nahla and her plans to transform SWIT? Stay tuned because Lowkey Livia is waging her own Sassy Rebellion next month.
Are you ready to join the Sassy Rebellion and take control of your story? If you're interested in learning more about how you can rebel against the things holding you back and embrace your true power, we’d love to connect with you! Contact us at info@sassychicgeek.com, visit our website at www.sassychicgeek.com, or follow us on social media for updates, inspiration, and more. Stay connected with us on Facebook at Sasstopia, Instagram at @sassychicgeek, and YouTube at @SassyChicGeek. The rebellion is just getting started—let’s make some noise together!