Sikh American in Yuba City empowers other women to reach their full potential
YUBA CITY — This Women's History Month, we're spotlighting a Northern California woman whose contributions as a city leader have made a big impact in her community.
Preet Didbal is her name, and she's empowering other women to reach their full potential.
These days, Didbal is taking life in stride. In 2017, she broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first Sikh American woman to serve as mayor of a U.S. city.
The Yuba City native and its former mayor credits her parents for her success and for keeping her grounded.
"I owe it to my parents that I speak Punjabi," she said. "Because of them, I was able to carry that on to my child."
As a young girl growing up in one of the largest Sikh communities in the country, Didbal searched for her own identity.
"On the cultural side, I'm not Sikh enough, and on the American side, I'm not American enough so I struggled with 'Where do I fit in?' " she said.
Then, at 19 years old, Didbal became a victim of a sexual assault.
It took time to get through that dark moment in her life and she still takes each day one at a time.
"That happened to me, but I can make a choice and have control over what I can control at this point," Didbal said.
After serving 25 years in the public sector, Didbal is now empowering others through her organization Redefine and Empower.
She serves as an inspirational speaker and coach specializing in leadership development and female empowerment.
"So somehow I found the strength to still exist, so what can I do now? So that's what I tell women. Just [find] one leg to sit up, get up. That's all. It's as simple as that," Didbal said.
Didbal is also a professor and lecturer at Sacramento State and USC.