13 minute read
Lily Milliner
CAPACITY BUILDING
Lily Milliner, CEO, Build-IT-Up
Trailblazer Extraordinaire
Speaking with Lily Milliner is like having a spiritual encounter. Her narrative reflects so much of what we all need to learn, and she tells her story with emotion and truth. Her journey has been filled with blessings and lessons learned that she has carried throughout her career. As a child, Lily was always a perfectionist, an “A” student who wanted to be a doctor – until she got to university. Suddenly, high grades became harder to come by, and she had to confront what would be among the most important lessons of her life: accepting the challenge of being uncomfortable. Lily says, “I learned that even when you’re not getting A’s, if you’re doing your best and pursuing your passion, you can’t let the grade affect whether or not you stay on course. When we’re perfectionists, we try to stay in a comfortable space. But I’ve learned the importance of ‘being you,’ even if it means you’re uncomfortable. Actually, it’s okay to be uncomfortable.” And as Lily notes, getting uncomfortable may just turn up that excellence, that innovation, or that next solution that can benefit our society.
A Mentor and Teacher Who Says, “Be Your Best Self”
Lily enjoys working with and teaching young people. She’s done that most of her life, and she particularly enjoys collaborating with HBCUs as young talent emerges and joins the workforce. This Trailblazer’s advice to young students and professionals on the rise is, “Show up in your greatness, and if it’s not evaluated the way other people evaluate it, that’s still fine. Don’t look at the world and how they’re evaluating you, ask if you are being your best self? Are you showing up in your greatness? Wake up each morning and embrace that.”
Lily embraces precisely that. This Trailblazer guides us; she explains, patiently and lovingly (because that’s who she is), that once you really start embracing your truth, you can be in uncomfortable rooms and overcome stereotypes and patterns of expected behavior. Lily cautions that in embracing our truth and being our best selves, we don’t need to look a certain way, dress a certain way, or be a certain way. “You can be whoever you want to be, and you can do it your way. Take risks, be yourselves, and rejoice in that. “
Life is a Smorgasbord
“Do you go to the banquet and only try the franks and beans? No! Surprise yourself; try new things.” This is one of Lily’s mantras as she challenges young people to experience the wealth of different options that more available today than ever before. She is excited about the opportunities that STEM programs afford today’s youth, whether they want to go into aerospace, chemistry, or be a baker or an athlete. Lily points out that virtually all professions have elements of math and physics. And “embracing different things allows you to decide what you enjoy doing.” This advice comes from real-world experience: Lily’s mother took her family to different Churches and other places of worship so the family could embrace differences, including diversity of thought. This Trailblazer makes the link to HBCUs and HUBZones – it’s all about community involvement and helping people to be their best selves. She says, “Lives are like ministries: find people you can help and walk with them. Take a moment to walk with them and see things like they do. Take that moment; it makes all the difference.”
Speaking Truth
This Trailblazer notes that “Gen-Z” is dynamic – today’s youth have an incredible diversity of interests that point to their activism. Whether it’s Black Lives Matter, Stop Asian Hate, or any human rights movement, our upand-coming trailblazers will “cancel you in a second if you’re not honest. Are you doing what you’re saying?” Lily comments that today’s
Photo Source: Lily Milliner
younger generation has moved away from the old saying, “do as I say, not as I do.” As a mentor, coach, and teacher, Lily notes that young people are requesting Alignment – with a capital A – and that means being truthful to and with ourselves. It means pushing back and proving that actions speak louder than words. It means staying inquisitive and challenging those who won’t answer questions. And as this Trailblazer notes, “the best mentors are those who can say, ‘I don’t know – but I will help you find the answer.” Lily admires this trait in young people, and encourages them to keep pushing back because, as she puts it, “We have an opportunity to shape society if we align ourselves.” And that applies to HBCUs, the job market, and HUBZones.
It Takes a Village of Champions
Lily attributes her trailblazing success to “her village” – starting with her family, who never doubted her abilities. Her mom, dad, and sisters encouraged her to question – to be inquisitive –and to be her best self. This Trailblazer’s “village” has expanded to include other champions: dynamic women and men who have come into her life and ignite her. Lily’s village of champions is willing to walk alongside her for anything and everything. In keeping with the spirit of diversity, Lily says, “My village of champions goes across religious, ethnic, and cultural lines – and my champions check me; they push back.” She points out a challenge in our HBCU and HUBZone communities: our village isn’t diverse enough, and we can go along a path and not even know we’re wrong. She cautions, “Be inclusive and allow your village to push back. Communication is value – we need to be able to share perspectives because something magnificent happens when understanding takes place and allows us to go to another level. Our lives should be challenged by the people who walk with us.”
Empowerment
This Trailblazer’s ongoing journey has led to empowerment: the ability to overcome doubt, the tendency to walk alongside youth who have been told, “No.” She advises us all to use our powers to find the good, to stand up for ourselves with dignity. She says, “If you are sent, it doesn’t matter if you don’t look or sound like them; you’re supposed to be there. Do what you need to do for your neighborhood without judgment. To have a say in something, you have to build something. If you haven’t helped build the relationship, you have no say in it.” And that advice is perfect to further empower HBCUs and HUBZones: more people need to join the program so they can lean on the government to make sure we’re constantly pushing for more diversity, equity, and inclusion. This Trailblazer delivers an empowering message: “We can make progress if we come together, trust each other, do our part, and be accountable. There’s enough food on the table – which means working together to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be at the head of the table.” As this Trailblazer has seen, everyone can get a seat at the table. She advises us to find our lane, bring our talents to the HUBZone Council, and volunteer to help others and build our communities. We must knock on as many politicians’ doors as possible to move our country to another level. Lily ends with this:
NOT A MOMENT
Dr. Trent was still in high school when President Jimmy Carter signed the first Executive Order establishing the White House Initiative on HBCUs. By the time Dr. Trent had been accepted into an HBCU (Hampton University), President Reagan’s Executive Order set into motion a government-wide effort to strengthen our nation’s HBCUs. I’m sure Dr. Trent’s praying grandmother, a teacher in rural Halifax Virginia, dreamed that her granddaughter would change the world, but I wonder if she thought it would be in her industry. The Biden Administration could not have appointed a more passionate Trailblazer to lead the transformation of the White House Initiative on HBCUs. A woman steeped in her community – the churches, educators, and entrepreneurs.
A humble Trailblazer, Dr. Trent will quickly state that she is not unique, but rather, is part of a legacy of HBCU graduates who continue to passionately promote these institutions. As I listen to her express how blessed she is with words like, “I get to do what I love each day; I’m spiritually led to do this work; I would do it for free that’s how much I love it; and I’m here for a purpose,” I was truly moved. My thoughts drifted to that quote by Mordecai to Queen Esther (or Hadassah), “And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” President Biden and his administration have made sure that Dr. Trent has the funding and influence to accelerate the advancement of educational equity, excellence, and economic opportunities for all HBCUs. Every day, this Trailblazer makes clear her intentions to make good on their promises to the HBCUs and the nation.
Backyard Talent
Since 85% of all HBCUs reside in a HUBZone area, HUBZone businesses have an abundance of talent in their backyards. Dr. Trent believes with so much low-hanging fruit from HBCUs in their backyards, HUBZone
BUT A MOVE MENT
businesses should be intentional about gathering this talent to win federal contracts. Their ability to develop strong partnerships will lift all boats. She encourages the HBCUs and HUBZone businesses to lean in and find that common ground needed to develop new products and services for each of them to soar!
Aggressive: Biden Administration’s Support of HBCUs
The Biden Administration has delivered more than $6B in the last 18 months to the HBCU community. The President’s FY23 budget includes $450M for research at these universities, along with significant increases in Pell Grants and capacitybuilding for HBCUs. Dr. Trent said, “for the first time in our nation’s history this Initiative has major support.” That commitment is demonstrated by:
• President Biden’s and Vice President Harris’s commitment to providing the resources needed to eliminate historic and systemic disparities.
• The bipartisan HBCU PARTNERS Act (HBCU Propelling Agency Relationships Towards a New Era of Results for Students Act), which commits federal agencies with relevant grants and programs to develop plans on an annual basis to expand the participation of HBCUs in their agency activities and track their progress towards engagement-related goals.
• Executive Order 14041 White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity Through Historically Black Colleges and Universities Elijah’s story helped me understand why Dr. Trent keeps turning over every rock and fiercely pushing the envelope to improve the nation’s educational system for the disenfranchised. I listen carefully to her story about a little African American boy name Elijah. Dr. Trent met him years ago at an elementary school in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Elijah lived with his eight older sisters and mother in one of the four public housing projects that fed the overcrowded public-school
As Elijah talked about his walk to school, Dr. Trent held back her tears, thinking about the drug paraphernalia and the possible yellow tape from a murder that children had to pass to arrive at class that day. Instead of letting the tears flow, she focused on Elijah’s beaming face and asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. Elijah told her proudly, “I want to be a fireman.” Dr. Trent encouraged him, but in her heart, she felt sad. She knew the statistics better than anyone: children living in these situations – war zones and in poverty – are not likely to do any better than their parents. This would be Elijah’s story unless she intentionally challenged the status quo.
It's Time: From “A Moment” to “A Movement”
Dr. Trent decided that moment to be part of a movement. “I thought to myself you know my job from now on is to solve the education problem for Elijah.
Photo Source: Dr. Dietra Trent
If I can fix it for Elijah, I can fix it for everybody else.” She had personally witnessed the impact of HBCUs on neighborhoods like this one. They provided the connections and leadership that could change his story as well as the stories of millions of others. That encounter with Elijah continues to fuel this Trailblazer’s passion for immediate change. She works daily with the Biden Administration and the thousands of stakeholders who understand that their educational accomplishments really matter to the millions of Elijahs out there.
This Trailblazer is excited about the fact that HBCUs are finally getting the attention they deserve. For decades, they have been graduating thousands of leaders annually in every industry, raising the Gross National Income (GNI) for the US. The national statistics she provided, as they relate to African American HBCUs graduates, were simply staggering: 85% of the federal judges, 85% of PhDs,
“This is the most intentional team I have worked with. Everybody in this Department and White House wants to get it right for the HBCU community. Having an equity agenda that will make a huge impact on the lives so many people. I’m really proud to be affiliated with such an intentional administration. They are leveling the playing field bringing equity today not tomorrow.” – Dr. Dietra Trent
70% physicians, 55% teachers and engineers – and that was just from her highlight reel. These institutions are critical to the nation’s economy. That is why the Biden Administration is investing in HBCUs – ensuring that the generations to come are resource-rich, intellectually, and economically. Dr. Trent says, “HBCUs are owning their greatness, supplying the unique talents and perspectives needed to solve national and global problems. This is not a moment but a movement as HBCUs embrace their greatness and shout it from the rooftops. HBCUs are here to help every industry with embedded leadership skills.” Dr. Trent has millions of heroes, but the list starts with her mother and grandmother. They were the ones who taught her the value of having a relationship with God along with her moral values, including treating people with kindness. They did all of this by being her living examples. Her grandmother was the type of teacher who taught 365 days a year. If she wasn't in the traditional classroom, she was at the softball field, teaching at the church, or working with some organization that needed her passion for empowering young people. She made sure to take her trailblazing granddaughter with her. Then there are the 3 million schoolteachers in the United States who go to their classrooms everyday despite the hardships. They are committed to teaching the next generation of problem solvers. These teachers know that the future of the nation and the world rests in their hands. Heroes who are intentional, enduring the low pay, workload, crime, or even the global pandemic – they are the ones who keep showing up to empower our young people.
