How Cicely Simpson made her own seat at the table using faith, knowledge and confidence | Opinion
Cicely Simpson. Rural Cannon County Born. Educated in one of the smallest school districts in Tennessee. Lipscomb University graduate. Pepperdine University graduate with a law degree. And then. A woman. African American. Against all odds? Not if you are Cicely.
Cicely was raised by her parents James and Pat Simpson. She attributes her success in life to her strong faith in God and Jesus, and her parents, and though not realizing it, her father’s Marine background that brought the ability to discipline herself. Example: He ‘made” her take a factory job one summer during college, having to get up at 4 a.m. each day, driving an hour and a half to work, driving home, and then doing it all over the next morning. That work discipline has helped her through life. Pat strongly encouraged her, and told her in many instances, “Pray about it.”
Returning to Nashville and joining a Nashville law firm, doors of opportunity began to open for her. Congressman Jim Cooper, after his first election to represent the fifth district in Congress, asked her to be a legislative assistant for his work there. He taught her to be an equal. “I’ll call you Cicely if you will call me Jim.” She also worked for Lincoln Davis. At some point, she also became a lawyer for Dunkin’ Donuts.
Some of her favorite quotes are: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair” (Shirley Chisholm, first African American woman elected to Congress); a Peloton ad, wherein an instructor says, “You didn’t wake up this morning to be mediocre.”
Chisholm’s statement has propelled Cicely to write “Pull Up Your C.H.A.I.R,” a 2022 new book printed by Forbes Books. The acronym stands for Champion Yourself, Honesty, Adaptability, Impact, and Regrets. It will not matter the color of your skin, every person who desires to do well in life should read this book. You will learn that you must take personal responsibility for your life, and not wait for some magical wand to be waved over you.
Cicely was a part of the Alsup family life. She was a part of about eight young ladies who “camped out” in our living room, staying up late, and then sleeping late. On a visit I made to D.C., I called “Cis” and made arrangements to meet her for lunch. Pat told me that I was not to pay for lunch, that Cis would.
Read her book! You’ll be blessed, encouraged, strengthened, and provided an excellent path forward.
Herb Alsup resides in Woodbury, Tennessee.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Opinion: How Cicely Simpson created her own seat at the table
