Read more
In this rich, intelligent, and witty memoir, the President and CEO of Essence Ventures--a woman with a defiant intuition who rejects cultural expectations and outside influence--tells how she charted her own destiny, offering inspiration and advice to help everyone on their own journey to becoming everything they were born to be. That confidence took her from interning at Target to becoming the company''s Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, and eventually to the top of Essence Ventures, where she has only magnified her reach. Oprah Winfrey once emotionally remarked that Wanga reminded her of the great Maya Angelou with the strength and clarity of her purpose and voice. But Wanga has faced challenges along the way, including losing her sense of identity and veering from living her purpose. Throughout the narrative, told in her raw, purposeful, yet humorous voice, she separates the person from the profession, to help us understand the sequence of all that transpired in her life and the lessons she discovered along the way.
About the author
Caroline A. Wanga is currently the President & CEO of Essence Ventures. She joined as Chief Growth Officer in 2020 after a 15-year career at the Target Corporation, where she started as an intern and held a number of transformational leadership roles eventually serving as Target’s Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Culture Officer. Prior to Target she spent almost a decade in youth and community development at several non-profit organizations in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area.
She co-founded WangaWoman LLC. in 2020 whose mission is to "Democratize Authenticity," through discovery of purpose. A self-proclaimed cultural architect who refers to her personal style as armor, Caroline's "real-talk" delivery and unmitigated perspective make her a highly sought-after keynote speaker, equity strategist, thought leader, and community advisor/influencer.
Caroline serves on several corporate advisory boards and has received numerous awards, accolades, and honors including the National Action Network’s “Keepers of The Dream” Award and two honorary doctorate degrees from her alma mater, Texas College and Dillard University. She is a Kenyan citizen and her greatest life’s accomplishment is her daughter, Cadence.
