Yesterday I took the day off to spend with my mother, who is an incredibly resilient 72-year old healthy African American woman who perseveres through even the toughest of times. We went to see the critically acclaimed summer sensational box office hit The Help featuring an incredible cast of women whose performances were absolutely perfect. Yes, I said Perfect.

The Help is one of those movies that makes you think well beyond its plot, cast of characters and timeline fades to black on the cinema screen. Set in the heart of the Civil Rights struggle in the deep south (Mississippi), this movie pushes beyond all boundaries that we have safely constructed in 2011. It makes you think about women, leadership and one's own legacy. Yesterday evening, I reflected upon all the nameless African American women who were maids in the South during a time when being deeply undervalued and widely discriminated against was commonplace. Then I thought - "what am I complaining about?" in 2011 at an unprecedented time of modernity and opportunity. Now I won't go as far to say the the movie is ancient history because biases against women and people of color certainly still exists today. My mother, who grew up in New Orleans, attests that The Help was a 100% accurate depiction of "how things were back then."  But I am inspired by the women's leadership; they exhibited stalwart character that exuded courage, intelligence and faith. Each character (Black and White) really taught me valuable lessons on perseverance, ingenuity and humility.

Watching The Help yesterday was food for my soul and such a timely blessing. I needed an infusion of perseverance and leadership inspiration because I have been a bit behind the eight-ball trying to balance my life! My NYC Marathon training has been derailed a bit by rainy weather (the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee that sailed from the south through the north.) also I feel the enormous pressure of finding my own way as an ambitious entrepreneur. All in all - I am inspired for yet another day (maybe even a few months) by the women of this incredible movie. I encourage everyone to see it with your family and friends and deeply reflect on its leadership lessons. We can all take a page out of this book!

-Karen

P.S.

I am running the NYC Marathon to raise $3,800 in support of the incredible life saving work that The Alliance for a Healthier Generation does each and every day. If you would like to donate to the cause click here or go to www.crowdrise.com/karenrenaeowens