Life & Work with Amber Booth-McCoy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amber Booth- McCoy.

Hi Amber, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
This is a story all about how my life got flipped, turned upside down…No seriously, my story is a full—bodied bouquet of lessons, laughs, mistakes, and accomplishments.

Today I’m blessed to do a job I didn’t even know existed when thinking about the age-old question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” I began as a big sister at age 5. My best friend and little sister were born on February 4, 1990. I’m confident that was the day I decided to forever defend, advocate for, and amplify the voices of those needing to be heard. As an inclusion specialist and diversity consultant, I get to merge all my passions, my gifts, and my desire for activism and inclusion. I discuss the part that luck played in the beautiful career I have today further in the interview. So in the spirit of not being repetitive, my story is still being written. I love the creativity this field affords me. I’m grateful for the positive impact and culture change/shifts I’ve co-created with organizations that provide a climate of acceptance and accountability providing relief for everyday individuals simply desiring to bring their whole selves into spaces.

We began this company in November 2018. Our name is Diversity Booth, Inc. birthed from an idea my mother had as we watched television. Our last name is Booth. We were starting a diversity consulting firm, Diversity Booth, Inc was born. It blows my mind to reflect on our growth, accomplishments, and positioning as thought-leaders in the JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, inclusion) community. Diversity Booth, Inc began with a dream, vision, and desire to create change. Less than 5 years later, we’ve worked with over 50 companies, in various fields and industries. Our clients range from global network security companies to elite Ivy League universities, and even small nonprofits in our home state. We began with a board of directors with 7 members, 1 employee, and a consultant. Less than 5 years later, we have 3 employees and a contracted team of approximately 10 people. This story is one of laughs, tears, and growth. I can’t wait to see what happens next. Follow us and find out!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road hasn’t at all been smooth, but it has been beautiful, insightful, and magnificent Every single road, cranny, mistake, success, joy, and setback has contributed to who I am today. If I had to identify my top three struggles; I would probably label them (1) me, (2) myself, and (3) I.

As a Black female, I am acutely aware of the impact gender and race play on my daily lived experience. There are ample data detailing the disparities in key aspects of my entrepreneurship in regard to women, specifically women of color, and Black women. A few include little to no access to capital, viable mentorship, frequent exposure to microinequities and bias, etc. Being a business owner is difficult enough without society making it hard simply because of one’s identity. However, at this phase of my journey, the truth is my most difficult battles were ones had with/within myself. I’m good at what I do. I am damn good at what I do. I love people. I have the heart to serve. I’m creative and gifted. I thoroughly enjoy and believe in this work. It is also true that anxiety, depression, and neurodiversity are also part of my story and experience. The amount of time I’ve spent questioning why I’m at the table instead of acknowledging I’m “in the room” is staggering. On my best days, the battle is exhausting, and on my worse days, it’s debilitating and often settled in a pyrrhic victory.

To be my best self and show up as the best version of me requires a commitment to uncomfortable growth, a dedication to intentionality, and a desire to explore vulnerability, and ground myself in authenticity. When discussing and learning from mentors and role models about entrepreneurship, I do not recall those being requirements on their list of tips and tools, but I can promise those are hard-won lessons for me.

My personal healing, commitment to self-care, and unwavering belief in my life‘s purpose and mission are the foundation of my entrepreneurial success and/or failure.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m Amber Nicole, YourFavoriteDiversitySpecialist. I am a Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Consultant. I work with clients and partners around the globe, I am best known for taking up space being my authentic and whole self and in doing so I make space for others. I’m a word-lover and understand language to be a labor of love. I am appreciated for my facilitation of genuine, transparent, and vulnerable exchanges around dimensions of diversity, identity, and society. I’m the spark, often light in dark & unwelcoming spaces. I amplify the voices of the underserved/overlooked.

I am best known as a co-conspirator for justice and inclusion, and a thought leader. I am the co-creator of warm spaces. I am the friend that mentions your names in rooms and tables you’ve yet to have access to. I’m a microphone passer. I’m a cultural agitator, and a story collector and bearer. My crowning achievement is 2-pronged. First, finding my nexus of integrity and authenticity, allowing my gifts to come forth, so they make room for me. Second, allowing my passion to fuel my purpose.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
In my life: Let me first be transparent in acknowledging fate or luck saw fit to grant me, what I feel, to be the jackpot of beginnings. This fortuitous roll of the dice afforded me a warm, loving, educated, 2-PARENT, upper-middle-class, hilarious home that would/could provide a solid foundation for whatever dream or idea I could birth. Luck granted my intelligent yet rebellious nature and an energetic, somewhat charismatic personality making me the troublemaker you can’t stay mad at long.

Sometimes despite my best intentions, luck provided soft landings even when learning hard lessons.

In business: I have approximately a decade of experience and expertise in the field of DEI. I’ve received some pretty cool awards and accolades. I love what I do. I truly believe it to be my life’s purpose. AND IT HAPPENED SIMPLY BY LUCK!!

Quick story: Many years ago, I was a few months into a new job and my then-boss enters the office and said “Amber, what are you working on? Would you like to help me think of a theme for the institution’s diversity month celebration?” I eagerly said “Sure!” At the moment failing to realize I knew nothing at all about diversity, equity, or inclusion (DEI), the committee, past celebrations, etc. At this point in time, I had no idea DEI was even a field. I went home and began brainstorming and decided putting “diversity” in a month seemed wrong. Diversity is large and vast as humanity. I returned the next day with a 12-month plan with various focuses, events, and celebrations. He loved it. We worked on it together, and on the day of the next meeting he surprisingly said, “You can’t possibly think I’d present this without you.” The committee loved it, I became part of the committee, and less than a year later I was working in what I called my dream job, in a role made for me, in a field I had no idea existed 12 months prior.

When I reflect on the role of luck in my life… Luck has been a beautiful gift, often catching me when I neither deserved it, understood it, or had proper reverence for it and I thank her often.

Pricing:

• STEM LOOKS LIKE ME-Children’s Book $15.00 https://hihello.me/hi/stemmeplease
• Dear Sis, I love you…ANTHOLOGY ON BLACK SISTERHOOD $35. https://hihello.me/hi/dearsisanthology

Contact Info:

• Website: https://thediversityboothinc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diversityboothinc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DiversityBoothInc/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/diversityboothinc/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TDB_Inclusive
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClpvjR331P6Rq-aE9qPUlIw