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Black First: An Undiplomatic Juneteenth Celebration with Deesha Dyer
Friday, June 14
6-7:15 PM ET
virtual event; open to the public, including all mentees, mentors & alum
How many rooms have you shut yourself out of before you even got the chance to reach the door? Systemic inequality has taught us an image of who is right for what opportunities, but it is imperative to envision yourself achieving your dreams even when others can’t. Join Girls Write Now and former White House Social Secretary and author of the memoir Undiplomatic: How My Attitude Created the Best Kind of Trouble, Deesha Dyer. Her debut book Undiplomatic from Hachette Book Group is due out April 23, 2024. The evening will be an exploration of self-awareness, overcoming adversity, embracing your authenticity at all costs, and feeling the joy and freedom that awaits on the other side.
Meet the Guest Author
Deesha Dyer
Deesha Dyer is the Founder & CEO of Hook & Fasten, a social impact firm. Dyer is an award-winning event strategist, community organizer, and sought-after keynote speaker who specializes in transforming ideas into causes that create tangible change. Dyer is also the Co-founder and Executive Director of beGirl.world, an organization that empowers teen girls through global education and travel. Additionally, she oversees Black Girl 44, a scholarship fund for young black women seeking internships in Washington, D.C., and the Deesha Dyer Second Chance Scholarship at the Community College of Philadelphia. Deesha’s journey began at a community college and led to her role as social secretary for the Obama White House. Her work has led to her being named Marie Claire’s new guard of women changing the world and the Root’s most influential African-Americans. She has also been featured in Vogue, Travelnoire, and The Washington Post and in 2022, Deesha was awarded the Women of Excellence Award by the city of Washington, DC. Her debut book Undiplomatic from Hachette Book Group is due out April 23, 2024.
More about Undiplomatic: How My Attitude Created the Best Kind of Trouble:
From the most unlikely person to end up as a senior official to President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama comes a candid, incredible, and inspiring story. Moved by the election of the country’s first Black president, Deesha Dyer applied for a White House internship in 2009 as a thirty-one-year-old part-time community college student, taking a leap that carried her into a permanent full-time position, followed by three promotions landing her at the epicenter of politics.
In spite of the little voice in her head telling her she didn’t deserve to be there, Deesha thrived and rose to the highly coveted role of White House social secretary, giving her a front-row seat to defining moments in history while curating some of the flyest parties 1600 Pennsylvania has ever seen. Yet, with humor and realness, she peels back the curtain, revealing the hard truth about why she spent years trying to hide behind it. Undiplomatic is a deeply personal narrative about combating self-doubt while being on top of the world. Deesha reflects on how imposter syndrome threatened her self-esteem, proven aptitude, and survival until she realized that it was neither her fault nor her responsibility.
In this vivid portrayal from a true “around the way girl” on the personal impact of the Obama presidency, Deesha shares her road map from imposter to impact. In Undiplomatic, she invites you on a journey of self-discovery where she overcame doubt, unearthed true love for herself, and learned that your unique worth is not something to be earned, but something inherently deserved. Uplifting, funny, and sincere, Deesha’s story shows you about authenticity at all costs, and the joy and freedom that awaits on the other side.
This event is open to:
all mentees, all mentors, program alum and the public