Dear Friends and Family,

This week, we marked the close of Women’s History Month, a time to honor, highlight, and elevate the voices and contributions of women – the leaders and visionaries who made history, along with the change-makers of today. Their stories illustrate how far we’ve come, yet how far we still have to go.

I urge you to continue celebrating and educating yourself about the legacy of all women, not just during the month of March, but throughout the year. The 2020 book “They Carried Us: The Social Impact of Philadelphia’s Black Women Leaders” written by Allener (Sissy) M. Baker-Rogers and Fasaha M. Traylor, includes profiles of Black women spanning hundreds of years in Philadelphia. I am honored to be among the 95 women profiled in the book, along with my friend and mentor Marian B. Tasco, retired Philadelphia Councilwoman and current member of the UAC Board.

From Alice of Dunk’s Ferry, who operated the ferry across the Delaware River in the 1700s and who is the first recorded Black child born in the city in 1694; to Dr. Emma Chappell, the first African-American woman to form a commercial bank in the United States and first female vice president of a major bank in the state of Pennsylvania; through Dr. Ala Stanford, the Black pediatric surgeon who has gained international recognition for forming the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium; “They Carried Us” profiles Black women on topics spanning activism, business and civic institutions, education, sports, and the arts.

Many of these women undoubtedly have the important distinction of serving as mentors. As we look to protect and foster the role of women in the workplace in this post-COVID environment that has disproportionately impacted women – particularly women of color – I believe mentorship will be a powerful tool to reunite us and restore important connections and opportunities.

I am grateful for the role that mentors have played in my own development, from early mentors – my mother, grandmother, aunts and neighbors – to the male, female, and individual mentors I met over the course of my career. They taught me to find my voice and know my worth. They showed me how to overcome the roadblocks and challenges I faced as an African American and as a woman.

When I became president of UAC more than two decades ago, I made it my mission to serve as a mentor to other women, helping to open doors for them to pave their own way. The work I’ve done as a mentor is one of my life’s proudest accomplishments. The individuals I’ve had the privilege to connect with and guide along a path to drive change are always at the forefront of my mind when I’m envisioning the equitable future we are working toward.

I encourage you to be a mentor to help support future generations of women aspiring to reach new heights.

 

Sharmain Matlock-Turner

President/CEO
Sharmain@uac.org