Dr. LaRhonda S. Magras: CEO, YWCA Central Alabama

Eliminating Racism, Empowering Women YWCA

Happy Wednesday, Golden Divas!

Let’s talk about the ‘F- word!’ No not that one. ‘Feminism,’ the word and movement that didn’t go over too well with people’s personal beliefs or values a few decades ago. It was a stigma attached to a name like a plague, there was considerable dissent, and intense disagreement about the status of equality which was formidably up for debate. However, ladies, it’s 2020, and we should no longer be ashamed to fight for genuine gender equality accompanied by all of the nuances in between, intersecting with the power of dynamics of race, class, sexuality, and god knows much more.

Let’s clarify why this was an issue, feminism at its core is about equality of men and women, not “sameness.” There are so many people who will argue that women are not the same as men, so there can’t be equality. For instance, our bodies are different; we are weaker and smaller, men and women have different physical capabilities, which mean that the physical differences mean equality is not plausible. 

Okay, let’s break this down; this is critical, “same” does not mean “equal.” The issue is about equal rights and equal access to opportunities. 

“Feminist is a person who believes in the power of women just as much as they believe in the power of anyone else.” Zendaya

This leads me to share with you the great works of the YWCA, and my ‘Golden Diva’ for the month they are doing an exceptional job of eliminating racism and empowering women, with trailblazing women who are the epitome of strength, courage, and wisdom. For more than 160 years, an organization known as YWCA (World Young Women’s Christian Association) dedicated their organization to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. The YW is an inspiration and a powerful voice for the rights of women. They have been at the forefront of the most critical social movements to address civil rights, healthcare, affordable housing, violence prevention, and pay equity. So, yes, it is refreshing to be a feminist! There are 205 YWCAs across the country, with more than 2 million people served.

Eliminating Racism: YWCA is on a mission to stand against racism and stand up for diversity. Their goal is to eliminate racism by dismantling discrimination one piece at a time with small, everyday actions that can grow into social change. When a one-on-one relationship is built, respect can grow, and racism can diminish. YWCA’s commitment to racial justice and civil rights go beyond changing hearts and minds, Golden Divas they strive to transform communities, systems, and public policies.

Empowering women: The YW knows that the empowerment of women is a necessity for the very development of a society. It is one of the main procedural concerns when addressing human rights and development. The organization has helped women to gain economic empowerment to enjoy their right to control and benefit from resources, assets, income, and their own time, as well as the ability to manage risk and improve their economic status and well-being.

My golden diva for June is a woman I am so proud to know; her passion and commitment to serve and help women, children, and families is a godsend. She embodies strength, courage, and wisdom, her perseverance and unwavering willingness to help others are priceless. Our backstory begins at Percy L. Julian, where I met her in high school in the 80s, and thankfully our friendship didn’t end there. Some people will impact your life and leave an undeniable footprint in it, and she is one of them. She didn’t know it then, but I always admired her confidence as a teenager, it seems like she knew what she wanted out of life and knew what path to take to get there. Her determination and competitive spirit to take the bull by the horns was the blueprint to empower and make an imprint on others was in the making, which was qualities I’m sure that was instilled in her by her parents, no doubt, especially her mother. Golden Divas let me introduce you to my friend, whose journey is worth the read, a woman whose purpose in life is to fight the fight for other women for equality on every level. Meet Dr. LaRhonda S. Magras.

“There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish.” Michelle Obama

Meet Dr. LaRhonda S. Magras

Dr. LaRhonda S. Magras is a native of Chicago, IL, she will soon be 54 years old in November. She is married to Marvin Magras and has 3 sons: Quintin (29), Lance (25), and Khadir (20). LaRhonda is still new to Birmingham and hasn’t selected a church home yet. She is a nonprofit veteran currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Central Alabama. Magras has over 20 years of experience in the areas of human rights and anti-poverty work. As CEO, she leads a dynamic team working tirelessly every day on behalf of women, children, and families. Magras is not new to the YWCA family. Before joining YWCA Central Alabama, she served as the senior vice president of program operations with YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee. Over the years, she has made an impact in the areas of youth development, domestic violence, workforce development, community engagement, social justice, affordable housing, HIV/AIDS, and adult and early education in the public and private sector. Magras earned a bachelor’s in sociology from Chicago State University, a master’s in human services administration from Spertus College, and a doctorate in education with an emphasis in leadership and professional practice from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Do you want to feel empowered check out the beautiful sounds of India Arie song: Strength, Courage & Wisdom before you read this inspiring interview with Dr. Magras. 

IN CONVERSATION WITH DR. LARHONDA S. MAGRAS

CEO, YWCA CENTRAL ALABAMA

C50: Tell us about your 20-year journey of fighting tirelessly in anti-poverty and human rights to becoming Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Central Alabama.

LM: I began my career shortly after returning to college to complete my undergraduate degree in sociology. Before that, I had spent a decade in retail management, and although I gained valuable leadership skills, something was missing. As a new mom of two, I knew I wanted to provide a good life for my sons while helping others reach their full potential. I began teaching parenting skills classes for parents living in low-income communities at a social service organization in the western suburbs of Chicago. I fell in love with this work! I found it fulfilling to hear and see parents use the skills they learned in my class. And although the money was significantly less than my retail job, I would have done it for free.

After this initial experience, my career in the nonprofit field took off. I worked with youth to provide drug prevention and leadership skills in the Roseland community and Chicago Public Schools. My nonprofit leadership experience began after being promoted from a certified prevention specialist to supervising the program. From there my career included positions with increased leadership responsibilities in HIV/AIDS prevention/counseling & testing, community development, training homeless service providers, overseeing supportive and affordable housing, housing relocation for Chicago Housing Authority residents, homeownership programs for low-income families, domestic violence transitional housing in the U.S. Virgin Islands, workforce development, leading the Mayor of Nashville’s education initiatives, overseeing the programs of YWCA Nashville, and now leading YWCA Central Alabama.

In 23 years, my passion and commitment to serving others have never wavered. I still find it rewarding to see a mom rebuild her life after leaving an abusive relationship, seeing her watch her child learn to read, land her dream job, and move into her new place.

C50: What does YWCA’s work mean to you as an African-American female CEO?

LM: In our 117-year history, I am the 6th CEO and the second African American. The YWCA’s mission is to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. Since our inception, we have worked to help women of limited means get on their feet and move from harm to hope. We continue this legacy today, and I’m proud to represent YWCA Central Alabama, representation matters. I am paving the way for future African American female leaders so that we no longer have to say we were the first ____.

C50: As a female leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?

LM: I am very competitive and find it rewarding to reach and exceed goals. I hold myself and those I lead to a high standard. It can be challenging when others do not share your vision or passion. I had to learn strategies early in my career not to take a lack of action personally and instead work to get others to buy-in to my vision, and this meant including them in the development and shaping of the vision. The latter takes time and effort, it is easy to get angry and to make it personal, but that is not what great leaders do. Inclusion has served me well.

C50: LaRhonda, who inspired you and why?

LM: I am blessed to have been raised by a mother who showed me the value of hard work and independence. She worked every day of my life; she worked her way up in a corporate job and lived her life to the fullest. Sometimes the lines were blurred between work and family because her co-workers were also our family. My extended family included blacks, whites, Christian, Jewish, gay, straight, men, and women who all showed me, love. I had several teachers and coaches in grade school and high school who pushed me and believed I could do just about anything. These experiences gave me confidence and taught me tolerance for differences.

No one pushed or stretched me more than a supervisor right in the middle years of my career. She taught me so much about being a leader by modeling leadership and investing in my development. I learned from her that I had a very high emotional intelligence and led with empathy. I also learned from her that I had to let my direct reports fail to grow by not always stepping in to save them from their mistakes, and let me tell you, with my slight Type A personality, that was hard to do! Not allowing them to fail was not helping them grow as leaders. I think the women who worked with me in those years have become phenomenal leaders in their own right. I’m so proud of them.

C50: What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders?

LM: Listen! The ability to really listen is rare, and many people are just not good at it. Be open to the advice from others, take what you will to add to your toolbox, and toss the rest. Stop apologizing for your ideas, your honest feedback, and for being smart. Reach back and mentor others along the way. Educate yourself on the issues, trends, policies, etc., become an expert in your field. Lead with empathy and lean into vulnerability. Finally, be an authentic leader, just be yourself. Don’t compare yourself to others because you are uniquely you, and no one can take that away from you. How wonderful is that!

“The YWCA is huge when it comes to helping women and children. To see these women and their families come through our doors with no hope for the future, then to see our staff pour into them and help them get back on their feet, makes everything I do worthwhile. It makes me feel fulfilled. Doing the work I do is extremely rewarding. I believe I’m where I need to be.” Dr. Magras

C50: How do you balance work and life responsibilities with your husband and three sons?

LM: I have the most supportive men in my life. Four beautiful black men! For over twenty years, my husband has served as my cheerleader and motivator. My sons (all grown now) are so proud of their momma. My kids have hung in there with me through three degrees, experienced me working long hours while still making time for baseball games, basketball games, school plays, etc. I am proud of each of them as they work to make their mark in this world; I look forward to seeing all the places they will go.

C50: What is YOUR finish line?

LM: What finish line?? I will forever be in the service of others. I promised my husband I will slow down one day, but I think he will believe it when he sees it. Instead of a finish line, I’ll probably say, “bring on the next adventure!”

C50: What do you want for the employees of YWCA?

LM: I want the employees of the YW to enjoy coming to work. It is important for me to have a culture that supports their growth and development, and one that pushes them to new heights. I am blessed to have an incredible team of 160 hard-working, passionate, smart professionals who believe in the mission and want to do their part to help our community. We are forging ahead intending to be the premier nonprofit of choice for volunteerism, philanthropy, and employment.

“Justice is about making sure that being polite is not the same thing as being quiet. In fact, oftentimes, the most righteous thing you can do is shake the table.” Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

C50: Tell us what YWCA is doing to address racism, empower women, and support families?

LM: We advocate for the rights of women and families in a variety of ways. We provide affordable housing, domestic violence services, free and accessible childcare, and social justice programs for middle and high school students to train them on how to use their voice to change their communities—limited access to housing and childcare impacts whole families. We advocate at the local, state, and national levels under our public policy platform, which includes issues related to health & safety, empowerment & economic advancement, quality education for all, and civil & human rights. For the past few years, we have worked to put an end to the payday loan business that disproportionately impacts people of color and keeps them in a cycle of poverty. We also work on issues related to excessive court fines and fees and disrupting the school to prison pipeline.

C50: What’s one leadership lesson you’ve learned in your career?

LM: Transparency is key. People respect a transparent leader, one that talks about not only the good things that are going on but also shares the bad news openly and honestly.

BONUS QUESTION

C50: What’s Next For YWCA?

LM: Humm. What’s next for the YW? This September will mark my one-year anniversary at YWCA Central Alabama, and a lot has transpired in this first year. We have been working through our Vision 2020 plan, which includes a thorough review of our programs and operations to establish a baseline in which to develop strategies to advance our mission. With new vision and leadership, our organization is poised to make a deeper commitment to our community so that our fellow citizens can realize the dream of peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. We like to say our fight continues until the world sees people of color the way we do: Equal. Powerful. Unstoppable.

C50: There you have it ladies Club Fifty ‘Golden Diva’ Dr. LaRhonda S. Magras, she gives women and children a better chance in life through YWCA Central Alabama.

Golden Divas what are you fighting for?