Tawana looks to expand the reach of the Today’s Woman community in new digital realms, and create an inclusive sisterhood for all. Photo of Tawana Bain by Albert Jones, Albert Jones Photography
their whole selves to the table. I can run a meeting with a baby on my hip. I can dream about an acquisition while juggling dinner and homework. There is no limit to what a woman can do in the spaces she frequents.
How do you cope with fear when embarking on a new challenge? Self awareness and acknowledging the fear, but not allowing the fear to cripple me. I believe you can become a slave to fear. I have always told people, ‘Boss Up on your fears of uncertainty, or become a slave to never moving forward.’ I have watched so many women share their dreams with me but never materialize them because of fear, and I made a conscious decision that I would rather fall on my face than to have regrets that I didn’t try. Fear is also not of God, and I am a woman of faith. I don’t like to be
restricted. I am a free spirit, and to me, fear is just another restriction.
What challenges do you see facing women in light of what’s happening in our country now? For women of all backgrounds — women of color, white women, black women — there is a reality check that we have all experienced about who is and is not represented within our circle. Who is and is not seated at our dinner tables, our social tables, our work tables, and this has mobilized women of all backgrounds of all ages of all races to recognize that we can do better as women for each other. It is definitely an opportunity for sisterhood. I am passionate about it. I care about it. I have always been fortunate. I have friends from every background: Asian, White, Hispanic,
Muslim, Arab, and African. I hope to be a catalyst for more women to say ‘I want that. I want a diverse circle of friends who I know and love and I think of them as sisters.’
How do you unplug?
Sometimes it’s with a book, sometimes a trip, or a party. It used to be — before losing my sister in 2019 — spending time on the phone with her. It has definitely been an outlet that I no longer have. I was able to be unapologetically vulnerable and having that sounding board no longer around was a very scary time.
Tell me something that isn’t on your resume — something more personal. I stash $100 bills, and when I get to a certain amount I buy something nice for myself. The last thing I splurged on was a pair of Gucci boots.
