Political Profile:

Baroness Valerie Ann Amos

Leading by Example!
By Lareena Phillips, Esq.

Valerie Ann Amos, Baroness Amos of Brondesbury, a life peer with the House of Lords in the United Kingdom and the first woman of African descent to serve in the British Cabinet, hails from Guyana, South America. I recently had the privilege of speaking one on one with Baroness Amos while she was in Capetown, South Africa on business.

I asked Baroness Amos what advice she would give young people, particularly women who know of and are inspired by her story. Baroness Amos responded: 1) “Be yourself and understand who you are”, 2) “Do not be frightened to be the first”, 3) “Have support networks in your life”, and 4) “Have fun.”

After speaking with Baroness Amos, it was clear that she has applied these principles to her life and career.

Be yourself and understand who you are
Baroness Amos was born in Guyana, South America in the county of Essequibo. At the age of 9, she and her family moved to the United Kingdom. Baroness Amos completed her primary education and secondary education in Kent, southeast England. She studied sociology at the University of Warwick and received her masters in cultural studies at the University of Birmingham. Baroness Amos did research at the University of East Anglia, in Norwich, United Kingdom, focusing on the issues black girls face upon transitioning from school to work. Having 7 honorary doctorates she has exemplified the importance of education and the many paths it can take you down.

In between her masters and her research at the University of East Anglia Baroness Amos did community education work in Birmingham. After completing her research she began her first job in London. Baroness Amos worked for London Local Authorities in Lambeth, Camden, and Hackney. In 1989, Baroness Amos became Chief Executive of the Equal Opportunities Commission, the UK’s national sex equality agency based in Manchester. The Commission challenges sex discrimination against men and women.

When asked how she became interested in doing work with equal opportunities and social justice, Baroness Amos said “I think it has always been a part of my life and part of my growing up . . . I have always been interested in issues dealing with human rights and equality and justice and I think some of that has to do with my upbringing and the values that were instilled in us(myself and siblings) through my parents . . .”.

Do not be frightened to be the first
Baroness Amos is no stranger to being the first. She began her career in firsts as the first black deputy Head Girl at Bexley Technical High School. She was first in being the youngest person to hold the position as Chief Executive of the Equal Opportunity Commission. She was the first black woman to sit in the Cabinet of the United Kingdom.

When Baroness Amos joined the House of Lords in 1997, there was not much diversity and the House consisted mostly of white men. Historically, membership in the House of Lords was based on hereditary lines. The status quo has changed in British Parliament and the House of Lords is currently 18% female.

While Baroness Amos did not necessarily consider the effect her position would have on people of African descent, she now understands “it is important that you see people doing things in these positions that look like you so you can aspire to be in those positions yourself.” Baroness Amos has made it a point to open up the British Parliament to young people from impoverished and disadvantaged backgrounds so they can understand and see that they have a right to be there. Baroness Amos hopes to ensure that people see that what she has done is “do-able” and that the work does not stop when she stops.

Have support networks in your life
Baroness Amos states that her “family and parents in particular were very important in ensuring that they instilled confidence . . . knowing who [she] is and what [she] is about, a strong sense of values”. Baroness Amos recognizes the importance of mentorship. She stated that “ . . . you need to be able to learn from others . . . .people are able to experience things and share with you those experiences . . . when you are going through a difficult time [it is important that] you have someone on your side.” She believes it is important that one realizes he/she will not always get things right and that “one of the best ways of learning is by making mistakes . . . . it is useful to have people who can help talk through those mistakes and find opportunities through those mistakes rather than focus on the negative.”

Baroness Amos’s support networks seem to have shaped her. She is passionate about education, an issue her parents were passionate about. Both of her parents were teachers. She is particularly passionate about education for women and girls, but has not left out young black men of African descent. Along with her brother Michael and sister Colleen, she has established a bursary scheme in honor of her parents who passed away this year. The scheme is called the Amos Excel Bursary and targets young men. Baroness Amos saw a need to focus on young black men since statistics show that boys of African or Caribbean origin have had a difficult time succeeding at the university level. The scholarship is designed to provide assistance to boys throughout their three or four years at university.

Baroness Amos has already made a number of significant contributions to her community and to the community at large, and continues on a daily basis to make strides. One of her many passions is the African continent. Throughout her career, Baroness Amos has worked to ensure that the African continent, which she pointedly says is a continent with so much potential, is able to realize its potential. Baroness Amos is chair of the Royal African Society which helps promote interest in Africa and tries to change people’s images of the African continent. Baroness Amos wants to ensure that the problems challenging Africa remain on the global agenda.

Baroness Amos also recognizes the importance of economic development. She is a fellow with the Centre for Corporate Reputation which is part of the Said Business School at the University of Oxford. Their work focuses on helping companies maintain their reputation in terms of global responsibility and global rights. She is working to ensure that companies carry a degree of corporate social responsibility.

Have fun
According to Baroness Amos “we can sometimes take ourself too seriously but sometimes it is important to laugh at [y]ourself.” In her free time, Baroness Amos has fun by sharing meals with family and friends. She enjoys listening to music, particularly jazz and R&B. She enjoys traveling, the theatre and working out. Holidays are important for Baroness Amos and provide her with time to read, one of her favorite activities.
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Currently, Baroness Amos is looking at ways she can contribute more through business and economic growth in developing the African continent. She is also a commissioner for the Fulbright Commission which promotes peace and education through educational exchange. In July of this year she was honored with the Ghanaian government’s Companion of the Order of the Volta award for her work in assisting Ghana’s development. Baroness Amos works to make the world a fairer and more equal place and recognizes that discrimination is an issue facing people of African descent throughout the wider Diaspora. Baroness Amos hopes that people of African descent are “seen globally as people who have made a rightful contribution to the world.” Baroness Amos is certainly leading by example.

(Lareena Phillips, Esq. is a contributor to Island Vibes Magazine and writes about politics. For comments, please feel free to contact her at lareena@islandvibesmag.com.)