The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just and Equitable

GlobalMindED closes the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline through connections to role models, mentors, internships for low-income students, returning adults, First Gen to college and inclusive leaders who teach them, work with them and hire them.
Tanzanian First Gen to College to VP at IBM: Meet Shelmina Abji Who Shows Other Women Their Worth and How to Succeed

Originally from Tanzania, Shelmina went from being the first in her family to graduate college to become one of the highest ranking woman of color at IBM. She has degrees in Computer Science from University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse, and in Mathematics from Wadia College in Pune, India. She serves on the advisory board of Girl Up, a global leadership development initiative positioning girls to be leaders in the movement for gender equality. A former IBM Vice President, she received extensive leadership training at IBM, Harvard, and UCLA. Shelmina previously served on the board of TiE-Seattle, Bellevue college and Young Women Empowered. She is the author of Show Your Worth: 8 Intentional Strategies for Women to Emerge as Leaders at Work.

Shelmina, what is your personal narrative?

My purpose is to enhance racial and gender equality in leadership roles. I come from humble beginnings in Tanzania. Driven by my desire to lift my family and myself out of poverty, I decided to pursue a college degree which required me to leave home at the age of 15 since there was no education past 10th grade in my hometown of Mwanza, Tanzania.

I left my country at 18 to obtain my first degree in Mathematics from India and had to figure out a way to pay for it - I sold clothes from India, learning resilience and resourcefulness along the way. Upon graduating with a degree in Computer Science from University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, I found a job with the technology start up, ETA Systems.

There was no one in the room who looked like me at work, much less in leadership. I felt underrepresented, undereducated, and under-experienced. I undermined my capabilities and underestimated my worth. I became afraid to speak up at meetings. My career was riddled with trials and tribulations - a journey which taught me many valuable lessons.
 
What key moments in your life led you to where you are?

In reflecting upon my life, here is a list of some key moments that have shaped me and led to where I am today:
  • In third grade, I shifted my focus to get good grades to please my Mom after seeing her cry at my failing grades.
  • Leaving home at 15 to pursue higher education.
  • Coming to the US to obtain a degree in Computer Science and paying for it by working 35-40 hours a week.
  • Getting a job as a software developer at ETA Systems on a one year student work visa earning 27,000 a year which was more money than my parents could make in 10 years.
  • ETA extending my work visa and eventually sponsoring me for a green card.
  • ETA shutting down and laying me off, so I joined IBM
  • Joining the sales team at IBM. Motivated to make more money because I was pregnant and wanted a home.
  • Becoming a single mother when my children were 2 and 4.
  • Leaving IBM at the peak of my career to help others advance in their careers.
  • Writing a book to extend my sphere of impact and influence - sharing my knowledge, speaking at conferences and mentoring women.

You just released your book Show Your Worth: 8 Intentional Strategies for Women to Emerge as Leaders at Work. What inspired you to write this book?

As women sharing their struggles with me, I realized that many women globally were facing the same challenges that I had faced and overcame during my career. Smart, ambitious women want to achieve career success but don’t know how. They were struggling to scale the corporate ladder and were searching for a blueprint that will help them achieve success. Specifically, they were asking me the "how". How do I face my fear and find my voice, how do I get promoted?

No matter how different our lives are, the essence of our struggles remain the same. They are getting disheartened by the negative stereotypes, gender and racial biases and microaggressions. Many of them are opting out of the leadership pipeline.

My insights/strategies inspired hundreds of women to instead opt in to the leadership pipeline. They started advancing in their careers and getting promoted to leadership roles at their workplaces. Once I had proof that my concept was working, I decided to write the book which was released by McGraw Hill in June 2022.

What do you hope people will take away in reading this book?

I want my readers to realize that they are capable of becoming leaders and rising to the top of their workplaces by being strategic and intentional. Through lessons, exercises, stories, and insights, this book will give women the tools to recognize and show their strength, talents and leadership. Together, we can become the change we want to see in our world, we will achieve gender equality in leadership roles and representation in every room where decisions are made.

How can organizations and companies be more intentional in supporting strong women leaders in the workplace?

We often talk about the “glass ceiling” that prevents women from reaching senior leadership positions. But the reality is that women are thwarted much earlier in their attempt to climb the ladder to the top - there’s a broken rung far down the ladder that’s keeping them from taking that first step up to manager. This broken-rung inequality surfaces early in our careers and compounds at each subsequent level.

At the highest levels, less than 20 percent of leaders are women, and for women of color, like me, the numbers currently are less than 5%. This is a loss not just for women but also for corporations as it has been proven that having a diverse leadership teams equates to better business results. Measure and reward corporate success not just on revenue and profitability but also on inclusive leadership at every level. Remuneration will drive the desired behavior and outcome.
Join us for an all-star line-up of talent at the GlobalMindED/Georgia Tech Office of Minority Education (OMED) Resolve to Solve Series November 4th in Atlanta with leaders from business, higher education and media November 4th!

You can attend live or livestream this event anywhere in the country through our partner, WABE, PBS affiliate in Atlanta. The rap sensation, Killer Mike will end the program followed by a networking career reception with companies for students to explore careers, bring their resumes and prospect for internships.

 
Attendees include students, educators, business leaders, policy makers, and foundations/funders.
  • Speakers include college presidents Dr. Glenda Glover (Tennessee State), Dr. David Thomas (Morehouse), Dr. Brian Blake (GA State), business and tech leaders, and global hip-hop sensation, Michael Render (aka Killer Mike), who will share his personal vision of Love & Respect, which is also the title of his new PBS talk show.
  • Breakfast, lunch, and reception are included in the $295 registration fee. Students attend for $195.

Sign up here or through the QR code below. Complete program below
Student Delegates Attending with Faculty Will Go to Industry Marketplace Reception after Killer Mike's Closing Session!

Student delegates representing their colleges are invited to an Industry Reception with college faculty. Register in advance to attend this exceptional experience at the end of the day November 4.
Watch "No More Gates or Gatekeepers: STEM is for Everyone"
Dr. Susan Swayze, Founder & CEO, Diversity Think Tank with:
  • Dr. Arik King Founder, Future Kings
  • Dr. Echell Eady Vice President of Instruction and Accreditation, Tennessee College of Applied Technology, Murfreesboro
  • Jacqueline Smalls Vice President, Social Impact Coalitions, Discovery Education
  • Zion McNeely Electrical Engineering student, Norfolk State University
Don't Miss "Higher Education of Tomorrow: Created by our Choices and Actions Today"
Dr. Ryan Ross Associate Vice Chancellor Student Affairs, Equity & Inclusion CO Community College System with:
  • Dr. Kristen Raney Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Eastern Iowa Community Colleges
  • Dr. Shawnda Navarro Floyd Provost, Dallas College
  • Dr. Helen Castellanos Brewer Vice President for Student Services, College of the Mainland
  • Edgar Soto Vice President, Pima Community College, Desert Vista Campus
SAVE the DATE 2023: June 7 Inclusive Leader Awards Dinner
First Gen Leadership Program
June 8, 9 GlobalMindED Conference
2023 Denver, Colorado

CALL FOR PROPOSALS IS OPEN
June 2022 Conference Summary in Photos and Videos
We had an inspiring conference in June after two years of virtual gatherings due to COVID. If you missed that, you can still be a part of the experience through the photos from the 2022 GlobalMindED conference, as well as seeing the complete program for connections and inspiration.



Video remarks:
Honoring the 2022 Inclusive Leader Award Winners. Please see their stories:
GlobalMindED | 303-327-5688 | contact@globalminded.org | www.globalminded.org
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