Written By: Dominique Jordan
September 8, 2020
I remember the first time I walked into the board room of the American Pharmacists Association in Washington DC. I was awestruck by the number of pictures that hung on the wall of all of the previous presidents of the association. I walked over to president number one and made my way across the four walls of the board room until I hit the end. At the time there had been about 160 presidents with only eight of them being women. As I reached the end of the line, I looked at where the future frames would be and where I would land. A bold thought for sure, but a goal that I silently made. Subsequent to my first visit, I had the opportunity to walk into that room again when I joined the board. The thought I had on my first visit came back time and time again. Today, I sit here as president-elect of the American Pharmacists Association. I will be the 166th president, the 11th woman to hold the position and, much to my surprise, my portrait will be sitting in a frame about a decade earlier than I ever imagined. My life has always been about setting what seems to be improbable goals, but that is exactly what I set out to do: to prove to myself that there is no goal I cannot reach.
My immigrant parents set the foundation for my achievements. They inspired me with their drive, their persistence and their belief that if you work hard enough, you can accomplish your dreams. I hope to honour them with my presidential year.
I have been thinking long and hard about what my platform should be. The immediate things that come to mind include the need for diversity, public health and access to quality care. I mentioned earlier that if you work hard enough you can accomplish your dreams. Unfortunately, this is not true for many. There is a little bit of luck in all of this too. If you are a woman lucky enough to be born in a country that supports human rights, gender equality, income equality, progress and safety you already have a huge advantage to start with. Otherwise, you are fighting an uphill battle just to get an opportunity to have a chance. I am grateful I had a chance and I never forget it.
I remind myself every day that where I have landed has provided me with a platform to help others. Immediately, I want to make sure I give a voice to the issues that continue to plague us. Having a daughter drives me even more. I want to make sure she is empowered to accomplish whatever she wants, just like my parents did for me. One of the key areas I focus on is investing in the next generation of women, succession planning and enabling others to have opportunities. This doesn’t just happen. It takes a concerted effort and, to be most impactful, is something that you consistently and conscientiously have to work on every day. I challenge you to do that. We all have so much to offer. We can always afford a little bit more to bring someone up with us, especially those that need a little more help.
About the author: Sandra Leal is president-elect of the American Pharmacists Association, USA.