Today we celebrate Vicki Baker! YWCA Yakima is on a mission to empower women. #52women52weeks was created to celebrate and highlight the amazing women & #SHEros in the #yakimavalley. More about Vicki..

What is one word that describes you perfectly?

Tenacious!

What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

Slow down and really listen! It takes patience to listen to others, and it takes humility to admit that you don’t always have all the answers. If you can humble yourself, not care who gets credit, seek the expertise of others, be nimble and think outside the box — you can bring people together and make really BIG things happen. Dream big and don’t limit yourself!

What makes you happy?

I love my time with family and friends. If you want to make me especially happy, I’d have those folks and my rescue dogs around me, while I have my toes in the sand of the Oregon Coast. Aside from personal fun, my favorite thing is the feeling of making a difference for our community.

How do you measure success?

This is a hard question for me because I am never satisfied! It is easy to find successes with objective, measurable results, and I like to see projects through from beginning to end. But to be honest, I am most energized by tackling massive issues like improving public safety and expanding housing capacity for our valley. Those are harder projects to measure and can take years to accomplish change, so it’s important to accept tiny victories, stay energized, and keep pushing forward.

What historical event inspires you the most?

I love history, so it’s hard to choose. But if I have to pick something that comes to mind immediately, I would say the Moonshot. It was aspirational, ambitious, wildly challenging and groundbreaking at the time. That moment gave our nation confidence and sent us forward in scientific achievement at a critical moment. I also love the fall of the Berlin Wall, as it changed the world forever, without anyone firing a shot.

What is your favorite quote and why?

“If you don’t like what you are reaping, you had better change what you have been sowing.”

I believe in mindfully and constantly planting seeds for a positive future. That requires patience and long-term thinking every single day.