Trailblazing Leadership: A Dialogue with Roz Brewer

by Fulton Watch News Feed

Neighborhood residents, faith leaders, heads of nonprofits and corporate executives gathered together at the December 15 Transform Westside Summit to hear from Roz Brewer, former chief executive officer of Walgreens Boot Alliance and former chair of the Spelman College Board of Trustees. The Summit provided a unique opportunity for the audience to engage with Roz, who shared insights into her remarkable journey and her commitment to marginalized communities and inclusive workplaces.

Attendees had the opportunity to share resources for the group’s collective efforts to improve the Westside. Rev. Dr. Neichelle R. Guidry, dean of Sisters Chapel at Spelman College, led the devotion.  John Ahmann, Westside Future Fund President and CEO, moderated the discussion.

Key Moments from the Conversation

Roz began by reflecting on her upbringing and the profound influence of her parents, George Gates and Sally Sty Gates, who migrated from the southeast to Detroit, Michigan and both worked in the auto industry. Raised in a family of five children, she emphasized the unwavering expectations her parents set for discipline and hard work. She recounted stories of her early years, highlighting the discipline instilled by her father’s encouragement to wake up early and the communal support she received from neighbors.

“My story is absolutely embraced in my parents and my upbringing. I can only tell my story if I talk about George Gates and Sally Sty Gates, my parents…Their expectations weren’t are you getting A’s or B’s they it was around discipline. We were the children that didn’t sleep past 6:30 a.m. My dad has this saying, ‘Do you know how long the white boy has been awake?’ He [believed] if you plan on getting ahead, you need to get up.”

Expressing her love for Atlanta, Roz, a Spelman College graduate, spoke about her decision to attend the college and the impact it had on her life. She credited Spelman for broadening her…

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