happy sunday, {{ subscriber.firstName | default('friend') }}! let me begin by sharing that today's newsletter intro was intended to be about my post college career journey. considering June 1st marks the five year mark of me graduating and starting my first BIG GIRL job, it seemed like the perfect topic to wrap in a pretty little bow and put out in the world before moving on to the next task on my to-do list. but, you know what? that is NOT what we'll be talking about today. because I'm fired up about what is happening in our country and feel strongly that it's our collective responsibility to open up the dialogue around race, white privilege and the tools to become better allies to POC.

I grew up in a small, conserservative, predominately white town. college infused a bit more diversity into my life, but in all honesty, the majority of my friends looked like me. they still do. frankly, I'm ashamed of how that likely stems back to an unconscious bias I hold, but for the first time, I'm willing to admit I have some unlearning to do. previous to the outpouring of anger spurred by the wrongful death of George Floyd, I had never felt that I had the license to talk about race beyond the walls of my home. in my mind, I don't have the tools or language to do it properly, so, why would I even try? but, the visceral awakening our media and neighbors are experiencing seems to be shifting the narrative and encouraging people like myself to use their voice regardless of the risk of "saying the wrong thing." because to stay silent out of fear is a far greater burden to bear than perhaps making a misstep in expressing our outrage.

there is no quick fix to becoming a better white person. we are each products of our unique environment – so if you, like me, have a frame of reference that is white-washed, acknowledging your privileged perspective is where the work begins. but don't fool yourself into thinking that turning on CNN and being "sad" about what you're seeing is enough. it's not. if it's change we seek, then radical empathy and self-accountability around steps to spur action are critical. we must use our access, privilege and platform to SHOW UP for POC. for me, that starts with a shifting of resources to those who need it most. I chose to donate to NAACP which was accompanied by a letter to Senator Kirsten Gillibrand asking for urgency to pass a bill ensuring equitable recovery for communities of color. but, there are several organization you could consider and I've linked a few below thanks to a roundup shared by my friend, April Yau, who you should totally give a follow if you are looking for a thoughtful ally's perspective: 

• NACCP – a grassroots-based civil rights organization fighting systemic racism
• Minnesota Freedom Fund – helps jailed protestors with legal fees
• Reclaim the Block – helps to move money from police departments back into the community
• Black Visions Collective – takes a healing and transformative justice approach for all black lives
• Color of Change – run campaigns to end practices that unfairly hold black people back

putting your money where your mouth is a start. the next step is education. and friendly reminder, it is not black people's burden to explain systemic racism to those who are its beneficiaries. so whether it's the wealth gap, disproportionate maternal mortality rate of black mothers, preschool to prison pipeline, housing discrimination or voter suppression, these issues are real. as someone who doesn't have first-person experience with these disparities, it's critical that we connect the dots to how the political candidates we support, companies we invest in and conversations we have with our communities can mitigate these injustices. I'll be turning to resources like those of activist Rachel Cargle to better understand how I can be a part of the solution. I highly recommend giving her thoughtful three-pronged approach (knowledge, empathy, action) linked below a watch.

okay, while that is just a fraction of what's on my mind right now, I truly believe that from here it's about each of us accepting the responsibility to do our own anti-racism work. one final resource I advise turning to is this incredible Google doc shared by my bright friend Kait Hanson – it's a compilation of articles/books to read, podcasts to listen to, TV shows to watch and organizations to follow to deepen your understanding of the black community. my ask is that you not be quiet about this work! talk about it with your family, friends and your community online. I'd love if you'd tag me @curatedbykayla so I can share, too. ALRIGHT, on a lighter note, let's transition to this week's interview, shall we?

in Steven King’s biography, On Writing, he gives the advice, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” while I don’t personally gravitate towards King’s thousand (plus!) page books, I do agree with his sentiment; the more we immerse ourselves in stories we are inspired by, the higher we elevate the quality of our own work. Elana Lyn Gross is one such writer that millennial women like myself find ourselves turning to as we strive to excel in our careers, find a fitness routine that works, straighten up our finances and balance delicate relationships with mentors, friends and even significant others. 

Elana’s extensive coverage on personal and professional development across her blog and notable national outlets offers readers guidance from an authentic and relatable perspective. if you were to come across one of her articles in publications like Fortune, Fast Company, TIME, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Women’s Health or Forbes, you’d find that her conversational approach guides women through topics ranging from actionable job search advice to effective networking tactics to debt repayment strategies. most recently, these areas of expertise collalessed into her recently published her first book, “What Next?: Your Five-Year Plan for Life after College” – and I’m thrilled to share our recent chat about her journey on bringing the book to life with you. 

KD: you went to undergrad at George Washington University for Criminal Justice and Psychology. Back in 2007 when you started school, what was your vision for the next 10 years? how did that evolve over time?

EG: During my time at GW, I interned at The White House, Capitol Hill, at the Pentagon and then at the FBI for two years. I really thought I’d end up at the FBI – that was my goal – I absolutely loved my time there. but right when I was graduating, they went on a hiring freeze. So, I needed a job quickly and ended up becoming a paralegal in New York City; but I really missed writing and having a creative outlet. That was when I launched my blog! In retrospect, it all makes sense, but it took time to get to this point. Ultimately, it was the twists and turns along the way that inspired me to share advice with young professionals who are still sorting out their path.

you mentioned using writing as a creative outlet. tell me more about what readers can expect when visiting your blog, Elana Lyn?

It’s a personal and professional development site for women –– I think a lot of the advice is applicable to men, too, but the majority of the content does feature women. I have a Career Profile series where I’ve interviewed over 200 women to discuss their career paths and glean their advice. Beyond the profiles, you can find anything on my site from advice on negotiation tactics for a raise to how I trained for my first half-marathon to quieting that inner negative voice.

speaking of that inner dialogue, what are some of the things you’d tell to someone who’s facing a lot of uncertainty right now?

Uncertainty is very anxiety-provoking – it’s really difficult not to know what’s going to happen next. We are used to being able to make things happen for ourselves and have control. people like you or me are Type A, we like having a to-do list and crossing things off! So, right now, looking at our calendars and not knowing is going to happen next – for instance when New York is going to open again or what it’s going to look like when it does – is unsettling.

But, one thing that’s been really helpful for me is channeling more energy into what I can control. there are so many things right now that are out of my control, but there are a handful of things that are; for instance, that I’m finding joy in cooking or that I can call friends and family when I’m lonely. Ultimately, my best advice is to take it one day at a time, especially right now.

eventually, you ended up working in social media marketing. I can relate to the demanding nature of working in the social space. how do you establish boundaries when the nature of this work is to always be on? what tools do you recommend people implement, regardless of their work, to create boundaries?

One thing that I’ve found helpful in the past –- both between writing the book and right now –- is creating an intentional shutdown of technology at the end of my workday. I laugh when I read these articles about having a separate room for your office because as we know, if you live in Manhattan [as I do on the Upper West Side] that’s probably not going to happen. But, sometimes just the act of physically closing your computer helps create that space. Another thing I recommend is to start your day for yourself. Instead of going straight to your email and looking at that to-do list others are dictating for you, set your own intentions for your day.

how did you know that pursuing your master's degree at Columbia for journalism was the right move? what's your advice for someone debating investing in grad school?

It took me a little while to figure out what I wanted to do, but once I knew journalism was my path, I wanted to be the best at it I possibly could be. Personally, I only applied to one school [Columbia] because that program was my dream...and it just so happens to be less than a mile from my apartment. Luckily, I got in and it was definitely the right choice for me! At that point, I was already working for myself and I decided to go school full-time so I could have a wider range of class choices and could get to know more people on campus. Networking has this bad reputation as being transactional, but if you just think about it as getting to know people and creating genuine friendships where you’re both helping one another, you’re going to find a lot more value. Some of my closest friends have been people I met through networking.

fast forward to the present day and you're a senior contributor to Forbes and are featured regularly in publications like Business Insider, Fast Company, and The Huffington Post. how did you get started in freelance writing?

I started with a genuine curiosity around career advice. At that point, I was pretty early in my career, but I was finding a lot of articles that felt dry, boring and patronizing. So, I decided to just start writing myself. I advise others to start by writing for some smaller websites, even if just your own. That way, you’re developing your voice and your style is improving and changing. Then, once you get comfortable and you have a body of work that you can use as clips, start pitching those bigger outlets. But you want to land those bylines when you’re more confident.

whether it's to land a freelance placement, informational interview, or just expand your network with a new connection, what's behind the science of the perfect pitch?

It’s hard, no one likes rejection or being ghosted, but the way I try to think about it is you’re not going to get a “yes” without trying. So it’s always worth it to try. And don’t take it personally if someone doesn’t respond or if it’s a “no.” Especially with writing, or if you’re choosing a career path where rejection is part of the game, you have to understand a lot of it is about timing. So, just keep at it, even if the first go around isn’t the answer (or lack thereof) you want to hear.

In terms of the pitch itself, keep it short. It should be something that can be read without scrolling on a phone because as we know, people have limited time and attention spans. I like to start by saying one or two sentences about who I am, why I like that publication, what I’ve written in the past and then just get straight to the pitch. It can simply be a concise paragraph of the idea and why you’re the person to write it.

tell me more about landing your book deal and what the story is all about.

An Acquisitions Editor of Simon & Schuster reached out to me to write the book. She’s in charge of finding authors and accepting book ideas and it turns out, she’d been reading my blog. so despite having written for all these outlets, it was my own site that really got me the opportunity. It’s definitely an example of how important it is to craft your own personal brand. I could have thought, “why am I doing all this work for free?” but by following what I was passionate about, it led to something so much bigger. 

“What Next?” teaches readers how to create a five-year plan for your life in different aspects; so it’s your career, finances, wellness and relationships. And then the rest of the book shares all of the advice I wish I'd had when I graduated college for meeting your goals in those areas. I'm super excited to be giving away a copy, in addition to a career journal and a 30-minute career coaching session with me to the winner of our Instagram giveaway, to 2020 graduate Megan Seefeldt!

what advice do you have for those who have been furloughed or laid off due to COVID-19?

I think the first thing to look at is revising your budget and ensuring your health insurance is intact. But my main advice is to look after your mental health. It doesn’t matter if 60% of the company or just one person who got laid off, losing a job is difficult on an emotional level. I think that especially as women, there is a lot of self-blame. All of the signs could be pointing to it having been a financial decision but we’ll often still ask that question, “could I have done something more?” So, focus on your mental health; if you can find a therapist or be a part of a support group, that’s key. Don’t brush it off because you’ll run the risk of it snowballing.

But ultimately, in either scenario, I think it’s important to start looking for a new job. Being open-minded about what industry you land in and looking for ways that you can get transferable skills that will help you get back to where you want to be is key. And also consider different types of employment: internships if you’re earlier in your career or maybe a temp job or part-time. Any of these could turn into a longer-lasting opportunity.

you offer coaching services including resume and cover letter writing, interview prep, and general career advancement. Tell us more about your coaching clients!

Similar to my site, my services are an amalgamation of many different things. With applying for jobs, it’s so helpful to get a second set of eyes on your resume and cover letter – not just for grammar or a typo, so I coach clients and give that unbiased perspective. Especially as women, we often have a hard time with self-promotion, but I help to identify accomplishments and then build confidence with their applications and interview prep. I also help writers with freelance writing, perfecting the pitch, finding an agent and even book proposals. I’m here to share all the tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way.