Marquita Little Numan
Senior Policy Director
Hometown: Little Rock, Arkansas
Briefly describe your role:
A: The Alliance for Early Success is a national nonprofit that funds and supports policy advocates in all 50 states to ensure that every child, from birth through eight, has an equal opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed. At the Alliance, I manage several national and state grants, and I also play a leadership role in the organization's strategies for maternal health, child health, and racial equity.
Q: Is what you’re doing now what you always pictured you would do?
A: It's not exactly what I pictured, but it is certainly not so far away from what I had in mind. I always imagined that I would work in the nonprofit sector with children or as a social worker. When I discovered the world of public policy, it opened new career possibilities and opportunities for me to make an impact.
Q: What do you see as the greatest challenges for women in your chosen industry? What are the greatest opportunities?
A: More recently, the face and culture of philanthropy have changed significantly, so I have the benefit of working in this industry after many trailblazing women have broken down barriers and shattered the glass ceiling. However, it is still a sector where women must navigate issues of inequity in the workplace. This challenge is especially true for underrepresented women of color in this sector. The greatest opportunities for women are using our experiences and perspective to encourage investments into issues that disproportionately impact girls and women, like maternal health, gender equity, and paid leave. This is certainly true of my work in philanthropy at organizations that fund policy and advocacy organizations.
Q: Who has inspired you in your life/career?
A: My mother is definitely at the top of that list. She has spent 20+ years working to eradicate food insecurity while raising her family and pursuing her education. She has never been defeated by the "isms" that she's encountered in her life—racism, sexism, or classism. I believe she is one of the most generous and bravest women I know. I also draw strength from the generations of women in my lineage who were innovators, entrepreneurs, and overcomers, even though most of them were living in conditions and in times that were unkind to them.
Q: What advice would you give to an aspiring professional?
A: Pursue your purpose, and then you'll find your profession. Seek to do the thing you can't live without and that you're the most passionate about, even if that means starting in the background. When you let your purpose guide you, everything else falls into place. Obtaining money, title, and prestige alone often leaves you unfulfilled. Also, mistakes are inevitable, so never be afraid to make them. So many of my mistakes felt like a crisis at the time, but I now look back and laugh at some missteps I’ve made along the way. It's essential to be kind to yourself, learn the lesson, and then move on.
Q: What’s been your secret to success?
A: I make my best effort to treat everyone I encounter with respect. I’ve had several instances in my life, especially in my youth, where others had low expectations of me—maybe because of where I grew up or due to their personal biases—and it impacted how they treated me or whether they acknowledged me at all. I believe this is why I've always been drawn to roles advocating for children and marginalized people. I've always been grateful for the people in my life who were willing to see me and invest in my growth. I try my best to do the same for others. I'm convinced these small acts of kindness and humility always come back to us tenfold. My faith is also my biggest secret to success. Nurturing my spiritual self has built my resilience and a deep knowingness that I have a meaningful role in this world.
