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Welcome to Spotlight Hustle, where we celebrate Black women turning adversity into authority, faith into focus, and leadership into legacy.
Join Michele and 99 other powerhouse women at the Top 100 Most Powerful Black Women Summit. Listen to their stories. Learn from their journeys. Leave with your power intact.
From Reputation Ruin to Reclamation
Michele L. Shelton had built a name for herself. After years of leadership in the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion space, she was thriving — respected, accomplished, and confident in her calling.
Until the unthinkable happened.
She was falsely accused of being an abusive leader by a staff member she had denied a promotion. It wasn’t true, but in corporate environments, narratives move faster than truth. Overnight, Michele watched ten years of earning potential slip away.
She chose to resign — voluntarily and on her own terms — even when her boss pleaded with her to stay, knowing the accusations weren’t her.
“I left because I refused to fight for a seat that God was already calling me to leave behind,” Michele reflects.
But the story didn’t end there.
A decade later, another ambitious supervisor dug up the old accusations and used them again to discredit her. Once more, Michele walked away.
This time, she didn’t retreat in defeat — she retreated for renewal.
Through prayer, reflection, therapy, and stillness, she found her next chapter. She reclaimed her voice, rebuilt her career, and began again with new clarity. “It started with my name,” she says. “That’s where I took my power back.”
Faith, Therapy, and the Power of Stillness
The season of betrayal was dark. There were days she wanted to give up. The pain of being misunderstood — and misrepresented by people who looked like her — was devastating.
But Michele’s faith was stronger than the falsehood. “My belief that God is bigger than all of that, and therefore so am I, kept me going,” she says.
She leaned on intentional reflection, prayer, forgiveness, and professional therapy to heal. Through that process, she discovered how spiritual and emotional balance fuels her ability to lead.
Now, she helps other women understand that peace isn’t passive — it’s powerful.
Her personal mantra became a framework she teaches today:
“Feel all of it. Learn from it. Grow in it.”
Her “Why” Runs Deep
After 25 years in DEI, specializing in race, class, and women’s issues, Michele is stepping into an evolved purpose — equipping women leaders to thrive from the inside out.
“Many women suffer silently in success,” she says. “They’re carrying so much. I want strong, resilient women who are always holding space for others to finally experience someone holding space for them.”
Her “why” is rooted in truth, empathy, and legacy: to make sure women in leadership don’t have to choose between success and peace.
The Mindset Shift: From Doing to Choosing
Michele’s mindset has transformed dramatically over the years. Once driven by the pressure to give everything to everyone, she now moves with intention and alignment.
“Peace is my priority,” she says. “I’ve released the weight of feeling like I must do it all. Now I choose what aligns with my purpose.”
That shift — from obligation to alignment — is what she calls living in PEACE in Power™.
Lessons for Every Woman in Leadership
If she could speak to her younger self, Michele would say:
“You’re in for a ride, Babygirl. Trust God, your instincts, your voice — and remember, you always have a choice.”
Her wisdom dismantles myths with sharp clarity:
Myth:
“It’s lonely at the top.”
Truth: “You don’t start there. Time alone is necessary. And as you evolve, your circle should too.”
Lesson:
“Your power is personal, pivotal, and purposeful.”
Personal, because it’s yours.
Pivotal, because without it, your potential will never be fully realized.
Purposeful, because it’s meant to make an impact that reaches beyond you.
Looking Ahead: The PEACE in Power™ Movement
Michele’s next chapter is bold and intentional. She’s launching the PEACE in Power™ Movement, designed to help women executives and entrepreneurs navigate leadership with clarity, confidence, and calm.
It begins with Unshakeable: Mastering PEACE in Power™, a group coaching program for women who refuse to let workplace challenges define them.
Coming next: mastermind programs, transformational retreats, and a forthcoming book and podcast in 2026.
“I want women to know they can lead from peace without losing power,” Michele says.
Her Legacy
Michele hopes to be remembered as a woman who led with authenticity and radical awareness — someone courageous enough to affirm and uplift other women navigating life’s personal, professional, and spiritual intersections.
“I want to be a reflection of truth and light,” she says. “For women who feel unseen, unheard, or under attack, I want them to know peace is possible — and powerful.”
How You Can Support Her
If you’re attending the Top 100 Most Powerful Black Women Summit, don’t miss Michele’s keynote. She’ll share practical insight, real-life lessons, and a special offer for women ready to reclaim their peace and power.
And beyond the event — extend that support to another woman. “We all know someone who’s strong but siloed,” Michele says. “Show up for her. Remind her that sometimes it feels lonely at the top, but it doesn’t have to be.”
Why We Love This Story
Michele’s story isn’t just about comeback — it’s about clarity.
She teaches that peace isn’t found after the fight; it’s forged in it.
Her resilience reminds every woman reading this that even when others try to rewrite your story, you always hold the pen.
Listen to their stories. Learn from their journeys. Leave with your power intact.
Tickets are FREE — but peace like this is priceless.
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