Called to Serve isn’t about self-sacrifice.
It’s about choice, clarity, and consequence.
Here’s the truth: too many marginalized leaders were trained to serve the system rather than shape it. That’s not calling; it’s conditioning.
So, let’s reclaim that.
You are not being called to:
1) Carry dysfunction quietly
2) Over-function to earn belonging
3) Translate injustice into palatable language
4) Save systems that refuse to evolve
You are called for:
1) Liberation: To lead without internal chains. No more proving, shrinking, or self-erasure.
2) Visibility: To make your impact legible on purpose. Service without visibility is exploitation.
3) Transformation: To change what harms, not just survive it. Service that doesn’t shift conditions is charity, not leadership.
The Line I’d Put in the Sand
I am here to serve, but not at the cost of my freedom, my voice, or the future of those coming after me.
That’s elevated service.
Service with authority.
Service with boundaries.
Service that leaves systems better than I found them.
You’re not here to be useful.
You’re here to be consequential.
