Unwavering

CHAPTER 8Network Like It's Your Own Dance Floor

Salsa dancing was a significant part of my young adult life. My friends and I had our game plan down to a science, frequenting clubs in New York like the Copacabana (or Copa, as we knew it), La Epoca, Chez Sensual, and many others. From Manhattan to the Bronx, we knew where to find the best salsa music and the best dance partners. We would befriend the deejays to ensure that our song requests were played. Then we'd scope out the dance floors for any talented new dancers and make our way towards them. Just like that, we were on the dance floor showcasing our best moves with the best partners. We were in our flow, our groove, with our best dance skills in full confident display and our energy soaring. Our clubbing attire was right on point, and our self‐empowerment in full effect! We looked good and felt good, all while having some of the most carefree and magical moments of our lives. We were savvy and intentional, displaying confidence even when some dance moves challenged us. We wanted to be seen in those salsa clubs, and we figured out exactly how to make it happen.

Reminiscing on those days, I now recognize that we had identified and implemented the necessary steps to effectively reach our goals. We knew where to go and whom to align with. We figured out how to be seen and engaged with the people who could help us evolve our skills. We were unapologetically claiming our space and showing up. Basically, we knew how to effectively ...