No Money, No Credit…No Problem…Tell Them Your Story

…because your story will place you in rooms that money can’t buy

Lyric is a mom of three. She decided to go back to school after having her second child. And to make ends meet, she maxed out her credit cards, took out loans, and worked jobs that often left her with more month than money. Even with all the obstacles she faced, she managed to finish, graduating summa cum laude from one of the most prestigious colleges in the country. And yet, she struggles to feel a sense of accomplishment because her financial profile is ruined. She has no money, her credit is shot, and she is still on public assistance. There is so much she wants to do, including author a book, attend graduate school and buy a house. But how can she do anything when her numbers look so bad on paper? Financial experts will probably tell her that she should clean up her credit and save money first. And while she definitely has to get that work done, we know that her life doesn’t have to be on hold until these things improve. She has an amazing story, one that can take her places that even money will not. And we want to help her leverage that story to help make her dreams come true. 

  • "Sagashus was simply phenomenal!! What an amazingly powerful way to close a day full of learning! I felt unified with and mesmerized by Sagashus. Her standing ovation was well-deserved! A brilliant speaker who gave of herself so whole-heartedly. I'm humbled and honored to have been in the room."

  • "This was my favorite talk of the day. I appreciate Sagashus sharing from her heart and being so vulnerable in front of us. Her talk really moved me."

  • "Sagashus was an amazing speaker, and was very touching and personable."

  • "She was amazing and her story was amazing and so inspiring. The standing ovation at the end was not enough to show her just how moving her speech was. I am glad she shared things that must have been extremely difficult, especially things people would say to her when she was pregnant. Reminds you to not judge so quickly, etc but also reminds you that there are cruel people in the world and you need to be YOU and not let that get you down."

    sagashus

People often underestimate the power of their stories, or they don’t even see value in the value of them. But the truth is this: your story is worth way more than you believe. And it is often a gift to so many others. The real, lived experiences have the power to inspire, to heal, and to transform the lives of others. When you withhold it, you do them and yourself a disservice. And you deny yourself opportunities that will take you places that money and credit won’t. For way too long, you’ve been focusing on what you lack. You have bought into the idea that you don’t have the resources you need to get to where you’re trying to go. And I’m here to tell you that you have everything you need to be on your way. Attend this talk so that I can tell you how.

Learning Objectives

  • To understand your story as a form of currency

  • To understand the social impact of storytelling

  • To explore credit versus credibility

ALL KEYNOTES

  • Inconceivable

  • Naked

  • Your Hands Are in My Panties

  • Covet

  • Nothing’s Wasted

  • Story

  • Perseverance/Tenacity

PRE -PROGRAM SETUP

What is the best way to set up the room? 

Please, if possible, make sure the stage or platform is as close to the audience as possible, 10 feet or less is great! 

While Sagashus will move around the stage, she will require a lectern with a told that holds her water, book and notes and a hidden shelf for her purse. 

If the AV requires the computer on stage, please make sure the lectern has space for it. Otherwise, please create a setup where the notes, book and technology can all be in the same space. The goal is for Sagashus to be able to move seamlessly between the technology and materials without having to separate them. 

AV REQUIREMENTS

Sagashus requires the following A/V equipment be provided:

Wireless lavalier microphone 

Computer 

LCD projector with the capacity to play audio and video 

Large screen or screens 

Confidence monitor 

Sagashus will bring her program on a Flash Drive in a PowerPoint format. But she will also have a backup in Google Sheets.

Is audio/video recording allowed? No audio or video recording of any kind is permitted during the presentation without Sagashus’s prior written permission.

All rights reserved. No selling, distribution, or reproduction of the contents of this article are permitted without the prior written consent of the author.

Dr. Sagashus T. Levingston was born in Chicago and raised in the area now known as Bronzeville. She holds a bachelor’s in English Literature from the University of Illinois. She also holds a master’s in Afro-American Studies and a PhD in English literature—both from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. While her research focused primarily on literature, it was informed by theory and criticism from rhetoric, motherhood studies and black feminism.