From Protest to Power, and Back Again.

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This week’s message: What the #NoKings Protests Taught Me About Leading Across Generations. On June 14, the nationwide #NoKings protests wasn’t just about one moment or one organization. It asked every leader: Are you listening? Are you trustworthy? You are still accountable.

And that protest? That was an intergenerational display of a diverse crowds, urban, rural, and outside the mainland - millions standing tall in that truth. They weren’t just making noise and holding signs- they were making history, the same way my Boomer generation once did. There were those who couldn’t march, mostly Boomers & the Silent generations residing in a nursing home collectively rolled out in their wheelchairs!

Although I didn’t physically attend a march, there was one city, where something powerful happened that was a reminder for me of what leadership looks like across generations. Working across generations has taught me that wisdom and truth don’t belong to any one age group. Gen X brings strategy and survival instincts. Millennials bring values and digital fluency. Gen Z brings righteous urgency and no tolerance for sugarcoating. Just ask Mikala…

In Charlotte, North Carolina, the streets filled with thousands of people standing together under the #NoKings banner, one of 2000+ such demonstrations across the country calling out an administration that has forgotten what servant leadership looks like. This wasn’t just a protest, it was a movement reclaiming the soul of leadership. And it made this Big Mama’s elder activist’s heart swell with hope. Later that day, I received a text message from my dear friend, Mikala, one of the brilliant young Gen Z leaders I’ve had the honor to mentor. We met over eight years ago. Back then, she was my pet/house sitter. We’d sit and talk at my house for hours. Today, I no longer have my cat, but I still have Mikala in my life.

Mikala was one of the tireless activists who helped organize the Charlotte march. Here’s her text message: "Hi my friend. We had a great turnout today in Charlotte for 'No Kings'—about 8–10k people. I was able to connect with so many community organizers as well. You're in my heart every day, but especially days like today. Thank you for the mentorship."

That moment right there? Well, I felt tears begin to swell in my eyes. My friends, that is what leadership across generations looks like. It’s not about ego or holding on to power - it’s about passing the baton and walking beside those (even in spirit) carrying it forward. After a few minutes, to get myself together, I took a deep breath and responded to Mikala with a full heart I wrote: "Oh my dear Mikala! I am so proud of you for taking this step forward for social justice! Sometimes I feel like I didn’t do enough but then you and others remind me that you were listening all along.” She replied: “We sure were!!! And every preteen girl I meet at these events I hope I can inspire them half as much as you've inspired me. That’s the true goal. To keep momentum moving forward."

That exchange reminded me of my previous post, From Protest to Power, about my generation, the Boomers. We once knew how to take to the streets. We were the original rebels. We knew how to question authority. Yet too many of us have become the very systems we once resisted. We sit in power but have forgotten the purpose. Some of us suffer from groupthink, that dangerous place of comfort and security- where nobody wants to rock the boat, even when the ship is headed down the wrong way. We are all accountable.

Younger folks like Mikala? They give me hope.  They’re rowing in the direction of justice.

They’re asking the hard questions. They’re refusing to worship titles or tolerate unaccountable leadership. And Lord knows, I’m grateful for it. Leadership across generations works best when it’s rooted in mutual respect, accountability, and shared purpose. Mikala has picked up the baton. Mikala reminded me that mentorship is not measured by how many accolades you rack up or the amount of power you think you have, but by how many others you lift up.

So, here’s some advice from Big Mama in this moment. For Younger Leaders: Find elders who still remember the fight. Not all of us have forgotten. Some of us are still right here with you, cheering you on, ready to hand you tools we once used. For Wise Elders/Seasoned Leaders/Mentors: Stay teachable. Respond when called in. Don’t get defensive. Get reflective. Pass on your wisdom. We no longer need to lead, but don’t keep your wisdom locked inside. Share it generously, and trust that they were listening, even when you thought they weren’t.

The #NoKings protest wasn’t just a rally. It was a call back to the roots of real leadership: shared, just, optimistic, and accountable. And seeing Mikala rise up in that moment? That’s the fruit of seeds planted years ago from my lived experience - my classrooms, workshops, in my living room, lunch conversations, through coaching, and building coalitions - and now here.

Finally, here’s my call to action: Whatever your age, your title, or your experience: lead like someone’s watching and learning from you. Because they are. And one day, they’ll show you just how much they were listening – like Mikala did for me. And remember, in the words of the late Sly Stone, “Somebody’s watching you.”

Weekly wisdom, in their own words:

“Stand! For the things you know are right It's the truth that the truth makes them so uptight.”

Sylvester Stewart better known as Sly Stone(March 15, 1943 – June 9, 2025)