by Dr. Denise O'Neil Green | March 12, 2013 10:00 AM
March is Women’s History Month, and it is a designated time to reflect on the accomplishments of women as leaders, and how much farther we have to go. On Ryerson University’s campus we celebrated Viola Desmond Day and International Women’s Day.
Both celebrations underscored how women leaders are essential to advancing the status of women in North America. Julia Hanigsberg, Ryerson’s Vice President of Administration and Finance, spoke to the incredible accomplishments of women; but unfortunately, women, specifically Women of Color, in Canada and the United States, still lag behind according to recent reports of The Diversity Institute.
I recall when I was in elementary school that one of my favorite teachers, a white male, asked everyone to share what they wanted to be when they grow up. When it was my turn I shared that I wanted to become President of the United States. My classmates laughed and my teacher politely told me, “Now, now Denise, you know you can’t be President of the United States”. Did he say this to me to spare me? Was it because I was Black, a woman, or both? I had no role models to speak of, just an idea. However, little did I know, when I expressed that aspiration, Shirley Chisholm was making history as the first Black women to run for President of the United States. After her run in 1972, two other Black women have run Lenora Fulani in 1988 and Carol Moseley Braun in 2004. None of them received the nomination but they dared to do it their way!
Since that elementary school episode many years ago, I realize that it has influenced my leadership style and motivated me to support and encourage women to become leaders in their own right. As a senior administrator and diversity leader in post secondary education, I have three basic rules:
These are three simple rules I try to follow as a leader and CDO (Chief Diversity Officer).
What rules do you feel should be added to the list?
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