Photo By Spc. Nataja Ford | U.S. Army Maj. Nakia Zanders assigned to the 348th Field Hospital and Lt. Col....... read more read more
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CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait -- She checked her hair and uniform one last time and flashed the front row with her contagious smile before taking the podium.
U.S. Army Reserve Lt. Col. Chiquita Matthews, assigned to 336th Financial Management Support Center, channeled the wisdom and spirit of those who paved the path before her, took a deep breath and scanned the dimly lit chapel auditorium of Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
"Welcome, and thank you for joining us today as LeadHERship presents Black History Month,” said Matthews.
Matthews stands taller than most of her female peers and exudes a confidence to match. Her personality is as colorful and rich as New Orleans, Louisiana, the city she grew up in.
Matthews' upbringing immersed her in a rich tapestry of culture. The Big Easy, renowned for its vibrant and unapologetic celebrations, instilled in its residents the belief that culture is meant to be cherished and shared. It was among these colorful streets that Matthews learned the value of embracing diversity. These formative experiences inspired her to share her own cultural heritage as a part of Black History Month with the entire community at Camp Arifjan.
Throughout time-- culture and identity have served as pillars of strength, empowering individuals to navigate life's challenges with resilience and purpose.
"I grew up with strong black women who were secure in who they are," Matthews said. "They taught me to treat everyone as if they're important, and there was no separation based off color, class, or anything like that."
Enlisting in the Army in 1988, Matthews worked her way up through the enlisted ranks; after 10 years of enlisted service and achieving the rank of staff sergeant, Matthews faced a choice: to become a sergeant first class or a second lieutenant. The decision could only be made by reflecting on her goals.
"I decided to become an officer because I felt like the officers were the decision-makers," Matthews said. "I wanted to be able to impact change. I wanted to take care of Soldiers."
Matthews pays homage to those who came before her, inspired her, and influenced her decision.
"I was inspired by having black officers… or even female officers," said Matthews.
Just like those who had once inspired her, Matthews took it upon herself to become the representation she felt was lacking and to be the change she wanted to see.
"Representation matters, and we sometimes feel that by emphasizing our color, our gender, that we are somehow excluding others, but it's not that we're excluding others,” said Matthews. “Soldiers need to see someone like them in leadership positions because it inspires them to get to the next level, it shows them that it is doable."
"I get people coming up to me every day, asking me questions, and telling me about their experiences,” said Matthews. “I just talk to them and encourage them and let them know that you can accomplish anything that you want to accomplish."
Following the precedent Matthews set for her career and for her life, she treated her deployment to Camp Arifjan no differently and jumped at the opportunity when she saw an opening as program coordinator for the LeadHERship group.
The LeadHERship Program in the Army is a female-led, dynamic initiative designed to empower, mentor, and support women serving in a military capacity. It provides a platform for female Soldiers, Civilians, and contractors to come together, share experiences, and foster personal and professional growth.
"We want to empower the people to be the best version of themselves, not only as a soldier but as a person," Matthews said. "Sometimes it feels like it's group therapy, but it's needed because we as Soldiers, as women, as people, sometimes we need people to share with, and it's a transparent, safe place that you can be open to share whatever is going on with you."
LeadHERship emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusivity, creating an environment where all members feel valued and supported regardless of their background or identity. By promoting collaboration and mutual support, the program aims to cultivate a community of strong, confident, and resilient women ready to lead and inspire others within the Army and beyond.
With this in mind, Matthews knew it was LeadHERship that was fit to lead the charge for a Black History Month celebration.
"Black history is American history. It's not just our history," said Matthews.
It was this concept that sparked the theme for the celebration, "My history, Your history, Our history."
This motto was the brainchild of U.S. Army Reserve Maj. Nakia Zanders, assigned to the 348th Field Hospital. Zanders had a lead role in the planning of the celebration and will be LeadHERship's next program coordinator.
When they first met, Zanders and Matthews bonded over the shared experiences of growing up in Louisiana. When Zanders joined LeadHERship, it wasn't long before Matthews asked her to take over as the next program coordinator.
"I see her as also a mentor to me,” said Zanders. “She has an impact on the Soldiers here. I want to follow in her footsteps to be approachable and knowledgeable. That's the main thing when you're dealing with people. She's not afraid to engage with people who look like her and don't look like her."
Matthews was captivated by the celebration's theme. For her, it is about ensuring that culture thrived and a deep appreciation for the past and the future remained vibrant and alive.
"It's important for everyone to understand their history,” said Matthews. “If you don’t know black history, challenge yourself to know American history and the contributions we’ve had."
"We talked about the invention of the technology behind the cell phone," Matthews said. "Everyone has a cell phone, but maybe everyone doesn't know that a black person created that technology. I think it's important to recognize the contributions of Black and African Americans because once you realize that a person has some value that may benefit you, maybe you'll stop looking at people by the color of their skin and just recognize that we're all human."
The Black History celebration was supported by the hard work of many people from many different organizations such as the Camp Arifjan Gospel Choir, Central African American Military Association, and the Arifjan Chaplain office.
"It really speaks to the fact that teamwork makes the dream work…we are better together, when we take in a diversity of opinion, when we can bring a group of people together, we operate so much better, you can only accomplish a little by yourself," said Matthews. "All the nationalities and genders, and just all the different people and ethnicities that showed up who understand that it is American history, not just black history."
Matthews believes the next step to build a better Army is to continue teaching and embracing culture.
"We learn from each other," Matthews said. "Imagine how plain and bland society would be if we all were one type of people. So, I think it's important that we teach diversity so that all leaders understand their biases and address their biases. But not only that, grow from that bias so that they understand how to embrace all people."
While acknowledging the bittersweet nature of passing the torch to Zanders, Matthews said she embraces the opportunity for the program to continue thriving under new leadership and to further evolve and grow.
| Date Taken: | 02.28.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 02.28.2024 11:05 |
| Story ID: | 464857 |
| Location: | CAMP ARIFJAN, KW |
| Web Views: | 273 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, New Orleans Soldier Brings Black History and Culture to Kuwait, by SPC Nataja Ford, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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