Centerville Councilwoman Velicia Lowe believes empowered women empower women

CENTERVILLE — Velicia Lowe has always had a heart for serving her community through the non-profit sector and now from the council chambers. 

Lowe, a Houston County native, graduated from Northside High School. She then attended Georgia Southern University. Shortly after graduating, she returned to her hometown to work and eventually attend graduate school. 

She said she has always enjoyed middle Georgia. Lowe eventually raised her daughter here and spends a lot of time with her two granddaughters and goddaughter. She shared she enjoys spending time with her family and friends as well as doing civic work in the community. 

Lowe was elected to the Centerville City Council in November and is currently the only woman on the council. She said she has been involved in civic engagement for a long time. 

This is Lowe’s first time serving as an elected official, but she has brought many of the skills she has used in community service organizations and volunteer opportunities. She said being on the council is a unique experience and an opportunity to see the great work the people of Centerville are doing. 

“We have a lot of people who have been there a while. The city administrators [and] everybody work well together. I am enjoying seeing it from this side as a member of council, but we have a great group of people that’s working every day for the city of Centerville,” she said

Lowe has been involved in the non-profit sector for over 20 years and has seen community members do great work. She shared that she has witnessed people working with vulnerable children, which shines a positive light not only on Centerville but on the community as a whole. 

Lowe names her mother as one of the most inspiring women in her life. She said she continues to encourage and motivate her to be a better person and a giver. Her mother has always challenged Lowe and her siblings to figure out how they can make an impact in the place they live, a challenge that Lowe successfully overcame. Lowe shared that she has always led by example. 

Lowe mentioned many women in her life who continue to inspire her, including her sister, sister-in-law and her daughter. She said watching her grow up into the woman she is today has been an amazing experience. 

Serving on the council and working in the non-profit sector can become very busy for Lowe. However, she aims to make time for her daughter, granddaughters and goddaughter while also taking time to breathe.

Since her daughter is older and has her own family, Lowe tries to balance her time to continue supporting her, be involved in her granddaughters’ and goddaughter’s lives, and remain mindful of the balance. She believes in the saying, “We cannot pour from an empty cup.”

“I remind myself life has a lot of things that come along with it and if I need to take a break to remind myself it’s okay to breathe, I’ll spend time,” she said. “I’ve taken back up the hobby of reading. I enjoy reading. I’m trying to make sure I spend time doing that but being intentional about the balance. When it feels like it is overwhelming, that’s my cue that I’ve gone too far without trying to take a breather.”

Womanhood has many different definitions, but Lowe describes it as being fearfully and wonderfully made. She shared that it means to be resilient as well as compassionate. 

However, at the core, she believes in being “my sister’s keeper.” 

“I do believe that every woman is born with her own unique sets of gifts and talents that belong solely to her and she can do many things with the gifts and talents that she’s been given,” she said. 

She believes womanhood and leadership give her a unique perspective. Lowe said there is a sense of empathy and understanding, and that a balance is needed. She believes in leading by example and said that leaders need to celebrate gifts and consider what others bring to the table. 

She shared experiences make women who they are, and she believes in leaning into the positive parts and being a leader. She aims to be a leader people want to walk and work alongside, and to show compassion. She shared that this is the core of servant leadership. 

“Being a woman and all the things that go on in our lives and all the things that make us who we are, I believe helps us to lead in different ways, in a compassionate way, empathetic way but still in a way that gets the job done but allows you to see people for who they are and the gifts that everyone brings to the table,” she said. 

Understanding gifts and talents is a way to support other women, Lowe mentioned. She said being supportive is essential. Lowe believes that seeing their gifts is seeing who they are at different stages of life. No matter their age, everyone has something they can bring to the table. 

“It is supporting that gift, it is never missing an opportunity to encourage and uplift another woman because you never know what someone is going through or what someone has gone through,” she said. “Supporting other women just means that reminder that, hey you can do this, you can keep going or you did an awesome job, keep doing that.”

Lowe believes in supporting women rather than in women competing with each other. She said they’re all individuals, and there’s nothing to compete against in what they bring to the table. 

“I think it’s essential to being who we are and it comes to ‘my sister’s keeper’ that we support other women,” she said. 

Lowe advises the next generation of women to give themselves grace. She reminds them that some things take time and, as they’re growing, it’s okay to change their minds and do something different. 

She encourages them to lean into what they feel is best for themselves, but, most importantly, take care of themselves. 

“Know that work, life, family; the balance is important. It’s something that’s said a lot but it is so true, know that you are enough,” she said. “You have everything that you need to do to make it to the next day, to survive, and you have everything you need within you to be an influence and to impact the next generation yourself.”

Lowe remembered a quote from a cup her aunt gave her: “Empowered women empower women.” She said she fully believes in that statement.

“Never miss the opportunity to give words of encouragement and to uplift and support how we can another woman,” she said.