Schnelle: How long were you the mayor for Joplin?
Colbert-Kean: I was mayor for two years, Vice Mayor for two years, and then Mayor for two years. Vice Mayor when the tornado hit, and Mayor when we began the recovery the next year in 2012 So 12 to 14, I was mayor, although I wasn't physically affected. I think everybody was mentally affected. And so trying to get a sense of, I don't even want to say normalcy, it was just a sense of being human, and it was trying to spread that again, spread that hope. I like determination. I like using determination. And that was one of my catch phrases during that time, devastation doesn't last. Determination does.
Schnelle: As a former mayor, what was your favorite and least favorite part about your job?
Colbert-Kean: I think my favorite part was being a voice for the people, because I found out during my time, not only as mayor, but as council member, there are a lot of people who don't feel they have a voice. I enjoy bringing that to the council, bringing it to the city, and finding out answers for things that they wanted to know. I don't know a word that can encompass the whole feeling, the range of emotions, and all the things that I felt when it happened. It was kind of a two fold, because I was super excited, and then I was kind of super disappointed, because it wasn't a unanimous nine member vote. It was five to four. So right off the bat, you're starting off with, gosh, four people don't want me to be married. It didn't overshadow the joy that I felt, the accomplishment, I guess you could say, and not just for myself, but for the people I saw out in the audience, the people that were out there were older, black people that I have grown up around, or that watched me grow up.
Schnelle: What was it like being a woman of color in leadership in Joplin?
Colbert-Kean I kind of checked off a few boxes when I got elected, because I was the first black female to ever be elected. And then when I made it to the Vice Mayor, that was a first. And then, of course, being mayor, that was a first. I was the answer to a lot of people's prayers. And I don't take that lightly, I am extremely grateful. I am extremely thankful. It was a blessing that I didn't ever see that would befall me.
Schnelle: Were there any women in your life that were either a source of comfort or source of advice during your time as mayor?
Colbert-Kean: There was a teacher named Mrs. Dish Marilyn Dishman was her name, and she told me that there is nothing that I couldn't accomplish if I wanted to or if I put my mind to it. She said, You are like a natural leader. She said, but you don't realize what you have going on. I would say she was the most influential, as far as being in those positions that I was able to be in.
Schnelle: What is the biggest lesson that you want to share with people listening to women listening in your industry, or women in general?
Colbert-Kean: Woman Should Know that it doesn't matter what obstacles come in your path. It doesn't matter what people say that you can or can't do. What matters is what you believe. So if you have a goal, if you have a dream, if you have something that you feel you want to accomplish or that you want to work towards, the only person that's going to stop you is you. I would challenge every woman to dig inside and find that mindset, because the sky is infinite, so there is no ceiling. We are our only limitations.
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