As the CEO of A Lawful Truth Enterprises, LLC, Andrea Lawful-Sanders focuses on helping to develop children and adults into the best versions of themselves. She is the chair of SE PA Cares, an arm of the national CARES mentoring movement spearheaded by Susan L. Taylor. She also acts as a consultant for police departments, helping them improve community relations.
The Jamaican native who authored “A Lawful Truth: Words of Affirmation: Simple Truths for Every Day Living,” helps her clients, ranging from college students to professionals, develop leadership skills that will make them more competitive in the work force. Her efforts have refined the lives of countless individuals, corporations and organizations. Lawful-Sanders is committed to producing tangible, measurable results that impact society for the better. With an undergraduate degree in communications and a master’s in education, Lawful-Sanders’ professional journey has successfully impacted her investments in advocacy and consultancy.
What is a defining moment in your career and life?
I have always stood up boldly on behalf of the underserved in my career and life and so the defining moments are many. As a mother, raising my sons to navigate the society they would find not always welcoming and kind to them, is one of my greatest joys. Taking on an entire police department and prevailing on behalf of my oldest child, is one such moment. Teaching, coaching and training educators, civil servants, parents and young people to find common ground, is another moment.
After one such training in a police department, several officers and captains, asked to work with my team, and do a speaking tour around implicit bias. All of them are Caucasian and were so impacted by the work, they wanted to continue on their own time. Helping a transgender child to enter school safely with protective systems in place, and hearing from the parent of that child years later that they are doing well, will always stay with me.
What challenges have you faced as an African American woman in your field and how did you overcome them?
I have been ignored and thought of as inconsequential in many spaces. I overcome that by studying my subject matter, collecting data and presenting the irrefutable facts. I add to that, being welcome, kind and open to other points of view to find common ground. I do not waste time feeling sorry for myself.
What woman inspires you and why?
Michele Lawrence. She is a petite giant in the business world, who draws no attention to herself, gets business done in rooms many would never be able to enter, and carries no ego about it. In fact, if you had no idea of who she was in a room, she blends right in with kindness and grace. She taught me that real power comes with humility.
What is your advice to the younger generation of women coming after you?
Develop the kind of core that will allow you to see beyond being dismissed, to learning and developing strategies that will serve long term. Having solid mentors is also key, and always take mental health breaks as needed without apology because while hard work pays off, enjoying your life is also crucial.
What does being a part of the African Diaspora mean to you?
Everything. I was raised on the island of Jamaica, with a strong sense of who my ancestors are. From my determined mother, my purposeful father, and loving siblings, to Nanny of the maroons who is one of our national heroes, I grew up learning about other countries and the integral roles people across the Diaspora played in who I would become as an adult. Each time I enter a room, I carry them all with me.
