Inspiration, pride, gratitude and hope
American Family Inclusive Excellence Director Leslie Bradley reflects on the importance of celebrating Black History Month and on her own journey.
As I reflect on the importance of celebrating Black History Month, I think about the impact my journey has on who I am today.
I grew up in rural Virginia and was fortunate to be exposed to various backgrounds and cultures through my family and surrounding community. More importantly, my parents instilled in my sisters and me sound morals, strong ethics, and enduring values that included love, courage, strength and respect.
We were always told that we could be and do anything we wanted regardless of the color of our skin or gender.
My family’s encouragement also inspired me to travel, which afforded me an opportunity to experience and immerse myself in cultures completely different from my own. As part of my military, personal and professional life, I have had the pleasure of residing abroad, including living in Germany, Italy, Japan and Korea. It was during those times that I met and learned from some amazing people whose interactions, differences and enriching cultural competencies not only taught me a lot about myself but helped shape me into who I am today.
Read the rest of Leslie's story on the ideas sharing site, Medium.
See reflections by employees of the American Family Insurance group of companies on Black History Month:
About the American Family Insurance group
Based in Madison, Wisconsin, American Family Insurance has been serving customers since 1927. We inspire, protect and restore dreams through our insurance products, exceptional service from our agency owners and employees, community investment and creative partnerships to address societal challenges. We act on our belief in diversity and inclusion by constantly evolving to meet customer needs and preferences. American Family Insurance group is the nation’s 13th-largest property/casualty insurance group, ranking No. 254 on the Fortune 500 list. The group sells American Family-brand products, primarily through exclusive agency owners in 19 states. The American Family Insurance group also includes CONNECT, powered by American Family Insurance, The General, Homesite and Main Street America. Across these companies the group has more than 13,500 employees nationwide.