Rev. Dr. Lakeya Stewart
Minister, (M.DIV., D.Min.)
Therapist, (MA, LMHC, LCAC, NCC)
Executive Director, Renaissance Pointe YMCA
Can you share your journey into the work you do? What experiences, moments, or values led you here?
My journey into the work I do starts with my grandmother. My grandmother sacrificed time, money and energy to care for me and my twin sister after our parents divorced. Those years were some of the sweetest years for me. As a Black woman in America, I have had to navigate systems that were not meant for me to enter, yet alone succeed in. Statistically speaking, I should not have accomplished what God has allowed. I have a family history of addiction, have divorced parents and therefore I was raised by a single mom.
My mother never let me settle. When I played Clarinet as a child, she made me and my sister practice 30 minutes every day. My twin sister plays the saxophone professionally now. My mother instilled in me the importance of having a good work ethic. She taught us that we can attain anything we want in life as long as we work for it. One of my proudest moments is graduating with the earned Doctor of Ministry degree in 2017 from Regent University while my triplets were 13 months old. By the grace of God, I was able to write and complete my dissertation/ministry project through the challenges and difficulties I experienced carrying those sweet babies 31 weeks.
These experiences and people in my life have shaped who I have become today. As a
therapist, a community leader, a minister, and an adjunct professor, I am able to take my experiences and advocate for others. The discipline I learned from practicing everyday showed me that my skill level in various areas of my life can increase if I “put in the work”. Essentially, all that I have learned, gained and accomplished in this world has led me to the work that I do now.
Who or what has most influenced your leadership and commitment to this work? This could include mentors, community, lived experience, books, faith, or movements.
My faith in God has been the largest influencer in my leadership and commitment to the work I do. I am called to be the hands and feet of Jesus on earth. I do this by advocating for the defenseless, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, and offering counsel to those seeking support. My faith informs how I lead others as I understand that Jesus was a servant leader. I am called to serve others and to lead by example.
For those who feel called to doing this work, where would you suggest they begin? Is there a book, organization, practice, or resource that helped shape you?
For those who feel called to doing this work, I would suggest they find a person who is
doing what they want to be doing. This person can be an informal or formal mentor and can offer insight not the path one might consider taking to reach their anticipated goal.
What wisdom or encouragement would you offer to the next generation of Black women leaders entering this space?
The wisdom I would offer is to lead with integrity. Those I serve know that I will do
the right thing even if it causes me to “take a hit”. If I lose everything and die
today, I want others to know that I was a person of faith who was honest, fair and
a person of integrity.
How can people stay connected to and support your work? Please share your website, social media, current campaigns, or other ways to get involved.
People can stay connected with me through my Social Media pages on Facebook
and LinkedIN. People can also volunteer at the Renaissance Pointe YMCA if they
meet the guidelines for those volunteer positions.