Julie Wenah
Lawyer at Airbnb
Julie is an Airbnb lawyer working in Community Operations. Prior to moving to the Bay Area, she wore many hats in the Obama Administration from leading a manufacturing program, to working on building legal frameworks for energy agreements in Africa, and first having started in Mrs. Michelle Obama’s office in her policy shop and as an advance staffer. She is a proud born and raised Houstonian who loves her Nigerian roots. A lover of hip hop, Julie believes that sharing experiences through lyrics and prose is a true collective way to heal the world.
What’s a challenge you’ve faced, and how did you get through it?
In 2012, I had a year of great triumph and tragedy. I started working for Michelle Obama. A few months later, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately, I processed cancer like I do everything else — as a math problem. I figured if I graduated law school, took the bar, and got a job, I could pay for chemo. So, that’s what I did — I graduated, took the bar, and got a new job. On the first day of that new job, my dad died. I thought God was playing some sort of trick on me. I did everything “right.”
Because I am a lover of hip hop, the best way to describe this is by lyrics from Noname which I remixed:
“Opportunity knockin’, it’s finally time to answer, the doorbell was only broken, because Daddy was fighting cancer, and cigarettes on my mantle keep calling by first name, loving me when I’m lonely pretending they really know me.”
When you suffer a great loss, you do one of two things — you fly off the deep end and visit your vices or you get your life all the way together and seize opportunity. I had to understand that my prayers for healing were different than God’s definition of healing.
And to answer your second question…God. That’s how I got through it. He sent me a whole lot of angels in the form of strangers — some who were just passing by and some who became family — angels nonetheless.
What’s something you’ve done that you’re really proud of?
There are two things I am most proud of:
First, my mentees. They are some of the dopest, brightest, most driven and innovative people I know. I have seen some of them encounter obstacles that I could never imagine at 16 or 22 but they navigate them with such resolve, courage and fierceness. Being along for the ride and getting a chance to mutually share wisdom with them truly gives me inspiration.
Second, I am proud of having the privilege to travel to Nigeria on behalf of the Obama Administration to bridge the countries together in advancing economic impact, energy infrastructure development. I will never forget Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker using me as an example of Nigeria and U.S. strengthening economic ties. She also spoke of my father and mentioned where my roots lie in Nigeria — Rivers State Stand Up! Listen, if you knew my father here on Earth and how determined of a man he was, you would know that was all him making that happen for me from heaven. It is a moment in time that I will forever cherish.
“Listen, if you knew my father here on Earth and how determined of a man he was, you would know that was all him making that happen for me from heaven.”
What’s something that’s been on your mind this Black History Month?
Healing.
How do I heal myself?
How do I heal my loved ones?
How do I heal my community, including strangers I don’t even know?
How do I use the positions I have been placed in, the gifts God has given me, and the relationships I have formed to truly be a responsible citizen of the world?
I know this sounds very pollyanna-ish, but we need a lot of healing. Ancestral trauma is incredibly real, and I know I say that with tons of privilege knowing the exact villages where my ancestry lies. Lack of introspection and healing is really doing this country a disservice. The moment we can learn to acknowledge (not even love, like, or appreciate) but just acknowledge that no one is better than you, and you are better than no one, then we can truly move into a space of promoting belonging for everyone, everywhere.
