Though the outcome of this study benefits all women in leadership, it focuses on the testaments of female leaders who also happen to be African American and Latina. The peculiarity of our existence as leaders offers an extreme capable of informing the general. For instance, consider the descriptor "assertive." Generally, leadership requires assertiveness; however, when this quality is exhibited by women it is often labeled "domineering," or "overzealous." This is a common experience for African American women. Our assertiveness is not just domineering and overzealous, it is labeled "angry" and "aggressive." These labels do not consider our life experiences which often led us into historical, ethnical and societal exile. The testaments of the African American and Latina women in leadership interviewed for this study demonstrate how our challenges, weaving a thread of resilience through each experience and reshaping our attitude concerning fear, uniquely prepare African-American and Latina women to handle the demands of responsibility and accountability while assertively leading others.

Further, each interviewee's ability to share their intimate stories without resentment/anger/bitterness establishes a deeper awareness of what it means to lead as women in a male-dominated society. The inherent force within these African American and Latina women fuels their purposeful navigation through fear and opposition toward selflessness. In the words of the late Rev. Dr. Katie Geneva Cannon, "What does one do when told that our refusal to split, to dichotomize from God's presence in the daily fabric of our communal lives makes us a liability to civilization?" The women interviewed for this study answer by defiantly embracing their vocation to lead and confidently refusing to be silent when their voices need to be heard.

These women, chosen by God to lead, represent womanism at its finest. Because of their faith in divine providence, they are determined to destroy the wall of androcentric dominance, brick by brick. Circumstances no longer define them. Instead resiliency inflames each woman, while passion and academic prowess qualifies their call to lead.

Bolstered by the testimonies of these incredible women, I was led to develop the A.C.T. of Fear Project. This project is designed to provide safe spaces for women in leadership to explore the themes of exile, assertiveness, vocational confidence and womanism. There are several ways in which it will accomplish this goal. First, by utilizing the stories made available through this research as case studies for small groups of women in leadership to discuss and glean. Secondly, the small groups will become an impetus through which additional stories of resilience are acquired — ensuring this research remains on-going. The additional stories will be compiled in an A.C.T. of Fear Devotional Journal enabling the world-wide multiplication of safe spaces for women in leadership to discuss their shared experiences and for future leaders to glean from their shared wisdom. The long-term expectation is the eventual assembly of women from around the world for the A.C.T. of Fear Conference during which the women who started it all will have the opportunity to directly impart their theories and stories of womanist leadership.