Welcome back to our Rosie In Action series! The women of Rosie are out in our community, making a difference in their organizations, serving on boards, living into their passions, and positively impacting the world around them. We want to share their stories with you. Monica Horton is a community leader and advocate on many levels, including a member of the Springfield City Council and NAACP. Read below for more insight about Monica, her journey, her involvement, and advice for fellow Rosies.
Who is Monica?
I am an easy-going, hyperlocal community leader addicted to community improvement. As a deep thinker and pragmatist, I tend to attract visionaries and leaders with big-picture ideas mostly because of my systematic approach to problem-solving, understanding that change and improvement take time, but it doesn’t have to feel so elusive.
I am a proud HBCU graduate of Tuskegee University, and I’ve earned 2 master’s degrees from Florida State University and Missouri State University.
I am a devoted wife and a girl mom who fiercely protects family time. And when we are not working or volunteering, we’re having a blast at the arcade playing Pac-Man, Jurassic Park, The Walking Dead, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Tell us a little bit about what you do.
Following a 5-year young-adult career in juvenile justice prevention in the State of Florida, I took a leap of faith as a small business owner of the past 13 years, where I am currently the founder and CEO of Lenica Consulting Group – a company specializing in all things strategic planning, program evaluation, and data analysis. I’ve also been a member of the Drury University adjunct faculty since 2016.
What was your journey to civic service like, and what ultimately inspired you to run for City Council?
When I moved to Springfield 11 years ago, the community was committed to reducing poverty in Springfield, and I joined the effort by volunteering with CPO’s Hope Connection and then later Prosper Springfield.
I have 9 years of civic leadership and non-profit board governance experience, which includes serving on SPS school board candidate campaigns, service as treasurer of the Greene County Senior Citizens’ Services Fund Board, serving as founding executive director of Music Therapy of the Ozarks, and founding board president of Ujima Language and Literacy; but also serving as a member of the Mayor’s Commission for Children, and a board member of Leadership Springfield from Signature Class 36.
A vacancy on city council inspired me to stand in the gap for Northwest Springfield. I am the least likely person to initially win a popularity contest, a.k.a. a political race, but I have no problem nailing a job interview, and this was the case with my appointment to city council. But more importantly, I’ve had incredible women encouraging me in every step of my career, giving me the confidence I needed to take a huge leap into political office.
What lessons have you learned, or wisdom have you gained since joining City Council?
I tend to be a decisive decision-maker, so I’ve had to learn to be more deliberative when taking my colleagues’ perspectives under consideration on more weighty matters of public policy.
I enjoy getting answers for my constituents in Zone 1 because they deserve a responsive government to their unique needs and concerns in the city.
I’m proud that this year, city council adopted the language I drafted for a new city council policy priority of Quality Housing Options to address housing quality and availability in Springfield. I’m excited for the future of our city with a strategic focus on quality placemaking, livability, bikeable/walkable amenity-rich neighborhoods, and economic opportunity.
How has your involvement with our local NAACP chapter impacted your career?
The local NAACP has impacted my quality of community engagement. I get to celebrate the successes of other emerging community leaders in non-profit and for-profit businesses. I get to participate in calls-to-action and other community-wide cultural events that improve my family’s quality of life and sense of belonging.
Why do you believe it’s important for women to get involved in leadership roles in their communities? Women bring the spark, the energy, and brilliance to all things collective impact and community leadership regardless of industry sector. When we step up, we speak up and we thrive and succeed for the long haul.
What piece of advice would you like to share for fellow Rosies thinking about joining a board, committee, or running to be an elected official?
There’s no time like the present. Don’t wait until all your ducks are in a row. Launch now. Step up now because your workplace and your community need you, and will learn to value all that you bring to the decision-making table.
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We thank Monica for allowing us to feature her story and her example of being a leader and a difference-maker in the community.
Do you have a story you’d like to share? A woman you’d like to celebrate? A recent accomplishment, board appointment, or career milestone you or someone you know has experienced? Let us know by submitting an Empowered Women Empower Women celebration!
