#10 Chaquetta Grace - Alpha Woman, Scientist, Bride

Chaquetta Grace.
2004.
Atlanta, GA.
I am a servant.
I am a scientist.
I am a sister.
BE better.

Badass Quotes:
> I knew that I was pretty good, but I wasn’t phenomenal.” (3:15)
> “I knew what my potential was.” (10:43)
> “I had no hesitation. I had no hesitation.” (18:59)
> “It was stepping out of that comfort zone because I knew I was destined for more.” (39:25)
> “It becomes this fire within your gut, and a need.” (40:14)
> “I feel like I’m such an Alpha woman.” (46:50)
> “Because of that confidence, because of that self-assurance – [she] get things done.” (51:10)

Podcast Intro:
Chaquetta Grace is a God-fearing Alpha Woman. Born and raised in GA, she left the nest – the first person in her family to do so – to make it in New York City.  What is making it? She is an African American woman in upper level leadership as a flow cytometry laboratory supervisor. There were big setbacks, huge changes, friendships that needed to go and through it all, she braved with persistence, belief, hard work and grace.

Official Bio:
Chaquetta Grace is a Flow Cytometry Laboratory Supervisor with the Mount Sinai Health System where she works in the Clinical Immunology division of Pathology. When not working to help patients, Chaquetta loves helping and serving others in her immediate community.  She has always understood the value of volunteering, serving, and giving back, in part because of her experience with her beloved sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha. Chaquetta is also a member of the Hospitality Ministry as a Greeter with Emmanuel Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York.  Additionally, she is a veteran mentor with Catholic Big Sisters Big Brothers and was selected as Meritorious Volunteer of the Year for CBSBB and presented with an award from Pope Francis via Cardinal Timothy Dolan in 2015.

Biggest Takeaways:
> How Chaquetta messed up in college (5:20)
> What it’s like to know you are on the right path (10:45)
> Her “Proving Point” (20:00)
> How an only child appreciates loneliness (23:14)
> What it means to be a God person (26:09)
> Why questioning your faith is good (27:57)
> How leaving a friendship invoked fear (30:00)
> How she is helping someone else make it (33:22)
> Hardest part of her job as a black woman in upper level management (36:45)
> The big meaning behind the wedding (45:42)
> Characteristics of her bravery role model (50:19)

Major Conversation Highlights: 
> What passion for science looks like (4:24)
> How the universe helped lead her to New York (13:20)
> Getting mystified by a creature from New York City (14:08)
> How she knew her mom was proud of her (21:18)
> How Atlanta raised her, but New York made her. (23:45)
> What does God-fearing mean (26:53)
> How God speaks back to us (28:37)
> What young girls are most sacred of these days (34:45)
> Chaquetta’s 7 Line Brave Pitch (42:23)
> What “being better” means for her (44:49)
> How she is a typical Southern Belle (48:17)
> What is an Alpha woman (50:45)

Social Media:
Instagram - @ms_grace_1908

Science & More Info:
Working Through Fear

Additional Links:
Flow Cytometry
Rap History
Catholic Big Sisters & Big Brothers