In celebration of Black History Month, LYP highlights Ibukun-Oluwa Abejirinde, an inspiring black woman leader and talented LYP program alumna. Ibukun was also the recipient of the 2019 LYP Scholarship.
Ibukun is an implementation and evaluation Scientist at Women’s College Hospital and an Assistant Professor (status) at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto. Her research focuses on digital innovation in healthcare, health systems solutions, and maternal health.
Read her interview below as she shares her wisdom with us.
What’s your story as a black woman leader working in STEM?
My story is a nice weave of faith, resilience and hard work.
As a young six-year-old child, when asked what I wanted to be in the future, my instinctive response was that I want to be a millionaire. I felt that if I had a ton of money, I would be able to solve all the world’s problems. So you can imagine how disappointed I was when my Mom told me it wasn’t something you study at the University. I was later inspired to be a neurosurgeon after reading Ben Carson’s book ‘Gifted Hands’. I identified with him because he’s also black from humble beginnings, and being a doctor sounded like a great way to be of service.
I eventually went to medical school and along the way chose to go into global health research. At the time, it was a choice between pursuing a residency in obstetrics and gynecology because of my interest in women’s health, or going into global health which strongly resonated with me. I have always been someone who loves to ask questions and solve problems. I gravitated towards global health because the field is dynamic and it allows me to ask and answer questions. Although it is broad, you could carve your niche in it. I also enjoy traveling and learning from other contexts.
In retrospect, my leadership skills, and the shaping and the recognition of myself as a leader, started much younger than I remember. I have a zest for life, to get things done and move things along. I also enjoy gathering people together towards a common goal.
Throughout my education and career, I’ve had the privilege of being exposed to formal and informal training in leadership. In high school, I attended a leadership school in Jos, Nigeria which prepared me to take up a leadership position as a senior student. I also had opportunities to lead internationally, such as when I was the Vice President of External Affairs for the European Medical Students Association. That role started with me leading a local chapter before getting on the international level.
Growing up in Nigeria, it was very patriarchal and women are largely seen as second-class citizens and frequently objectified. I wasn’t so aware of being black as I was of gender differences, differences in religion, and tribal differences, as these were predominant in the context.
I ran a couple of businesses in my late teens and early 20s, mostly working with men. Unsurprisingly, outsiders did not look at me as a business person due to my gender. But being female never stopped me, even when others tried to shut me up and “put me in my place”.
The recognition of being black didn’t set in until I moved abroad to Eastern Europe. It was difficult because when people judge and put you down for having a different skin color, it’s an attempt to break you mentally and emotionally.
Like other black women, I’ve had to make extra effort to take up space, pull up my own chair, and sit at the table.
However, I’m grateful for the people who encourage me and keep me focused on seeing the value I bring. I’ve also had allies along my journey, including men, and my biggest male ally is my husband. It’s so crucial to have people in your life who believe in you even more than you believe in yourself.
What is your advice for the next generation of women, particularly those who aspire to pursue STEM careers?
My advice is that it’s okay to be scared and have doubts, but to do it anyway. It’s important to have a tribe because the journey of a career and navigating life isn’t supposed to be done alone. It’s necessary to have a small powerful circle of people who lift you, cheer you on, and correct and critique you. Imposter syndrome is something that we all deal with at different stages of our careers, but don’t let it define or stop you.
One thing that has helped me in my career was to seek mentors at each phase of my life. As you navigate different stages of your career, your mentors may change or you will have additional mentors. There are people I look up to as role models. These people have gone ahead of me to chart their own paths, and being able to study how they navigated challenges is a way for me to learn from them. There’s so much we can gain by learning from the mistakes and experiences of others in order to avoid or replicate them.
My final advice is to pass the baton on. One of the quickest ways in my opinion, to bridge the gender divide and inequalities in racialized groups is to lift others as you rise. Representation is key. A responsibility that we need to be aware of as black women in STEM or leadership positions is that younger people are looking up to us and thinking, “If she can do it, I can too.”
As a woman in a male-dominated industry, do you feel that there are core attributes that women uniquely bring in terms of their leadership and strengths?
I absolutely believe that there are unique qualities and strengths that women bring to the table. Unfortunately, my field is male-dominated, but females make up the majority; at least three-quarters of health care workers are female, but only a very small fraction of that reflects leadership at the top.
Women tend to lead with empathy and this is necessary for recognizing where your workforce is coming from, what they’re dealing with, and how systems and values need to change to accommodate and bring out the best in them. Some narratives tend to confuse empathy with being emotionally weak, but I completely disagree. You can have empathy and still be a decisive leader.
Women leaders can be more vulnerable than their male counterparts. Brené Brown has written about how vulnerability is an index of courage. I believe female leadership is responsive and inspirational. Women can get things done more efficiently with probably less chaos.
I believe female leaders can bring fresh perspectives on an institutional and organizational level. This is needed to disrupt the age-old, male-centric organizational cultures and values. Naturally, we think that the models that men have built and established are the go-to default models.
I was reading the book ‘Dear Madam President: An Open Letter to the Women Who Will Run the World’ by Jennifer Palmieri who served as communications director on Hillary Clinton’s campaign. She made a great point stating that we don’t need female leaders who are simply feminine versions of men. Rather, we want women who bring their whole selves to the table.
Over the last two years, how has your work and community been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic? And how have you been adapting to uncertainty and change during this time?
The pandemic has impacted the world both positively and negatively. First I want to focus on the positives as it’s easy to be drowned in the doom and gloom of the pandemic. I’ll say the pandemic has allowed me to contribute and engage better. Career wise, I’ve had two new roles, more recently, a leadership position as a Scientist at Women’s College. On a community level within black academic and female leaders, I am more aware of the issues that these groups are facing, as well as the ongoing challenges back home in Nigeria.
There’s also been a positive impact in terms of community building and advocacy across the United States and Canada, coming from a place of pain, loss, and anger with the Black Lives Matter movement, vaccine inequities, and inequitable access to care. There’s a movement for change, and while it’s not perfect, I feel that it has gained speed during this time. I’m most grateful for the opportunity to have had my two wonderful daughters during this pandemic, so for me, it’s been quite the experience personally and professionally.
As for the negatives, there has been a higher burden of loss and burnout on the black community. I have personally lost people during this pandemic and I know friends whose relatives have passed. We are collectively mourning. Then, there’s the responsibility of care at home managing two young ones; my husband and I are tag-teaming through it.
There has also been the risk and very real experience of professional isolation. On one hand, I am grateful for not having to commute and the ability to work from home, but on the other hand, there is the need to connect and feel like a part of a team.
In terms of adapting to uncertainty and change, each day is different from the next, and I’m figuring it out as I go along. I’m someone who loves to have a work structure and schedule. It’s been impossible to know what each day will bring with all the uncertainty, so my strategy has been to lay down all my high expectations. I take each day as it comes, try not to be frustrated when things start spiraling out of control, deal with each task that shows up, and lean into others for support.
The ability to communicate virtually has been very helpful, it makes it possible to reach out to friends and family, having them check in on me. Having a very supportive partner has also played a role in lightening the additional pressures the pandemic has sprung on us all. All these have led me to be more aware of my privilege and wonder about those who do not have the same support and access as I do. It reminds me to stay grateful because I know that many are suffering from the pains of the pandemic.
What has been one of the biggest challenges throughout your career and how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve had to deal with throughout my career is finding balance. I think I’ve finally come to accept that work-life balance is just a myth; it’s a moving target. I really love the work that I do and I work hard, but I also try not to let it define me. Finding that balance between work and life has been increasingly more difficult during the pandemic because your office is your home, so where do you draw the line?
One of my goals this year is self-care and rest and this requires being intentional. So I’m navigating hitting that target of a “balance”, juggling my day-to-day, and just being conscious of how much strain I’m putting on myself.
One of the most beautiful questions a mentor challenged me to reflect on is “Who is paying the price when I make one choice over the other?” That’s something I’ve been asking myself to guide if I say yes. If I say no to one thing, what am I gaining? What am I losing? It’s also not just about me, I have to think of those within my circle, who are going to be impacted by my decision.
Being intentional means doing my best at work, saving up energy to take care of myself, and being present when spending time with my daughters and my spouse.
How do you support and uplift other women in your communities?
I support through formal and informal mentorship. Sometimes it’s for specific short term situations such as applying to graduate school, negotiating a salary, or getting a new job. Oftentimes, especially in black communities, some of the barriers faced are financial. Where I can, I support others to get through a specific financial obstacle, which sets them up to continue their journey to success.
Another way I uplift others is by improving myself to be a better role model. I recognize the responsibility I have and that younger, black women look up to me and many other female leaders. One of the most powerful pictures that always stays at the back of my mind is the one of a young black girl looking up at a painting of Michelle Obama in a gallery.
I also give back to my tribe, which is constantly rooting for me. I make sure that I’m available to support and encourage them along their own journeys. I help people find new opportunities by either introducing them to target people who are a good fit or advertising open roles in my network.
I think part of the reason why black and female representation in STEM is low is due to weak targeted recruitment strategies. I try to do my part in bridging that gap by spreading the word about new opportunities to people from racialized communities.
Finally, I’m open and vulnerable, because that’s the only way you can learn. I try to minimize the idea that I’m perfect and have it together and instead show that you can be a leader, advance in your career, and still have challenging moments and moments of doubt.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I think I would change the question to “what advice would my younger self give to me?” Because I find that I’ve become more careful as an adult. With children, they just have no fear. If you throw them up in the air, they believe you’re going to catch them, and they are not second-guessing. As adults, we tend to overthink and overanalyze for the perfect moments. I think I’d like to hear my younger self say, “slow down and savor the process. Just take in the moment, don’t go too fast.”
I’d like to hear her tell me to bring all of myself to the table. Authenticity may not be popular, but it’s a very valuable and rare commodity.
And finally, for her to tell me not to let anyone or anything stifle my voice or drown it out. My voice is the most powerful gift I have.
Ibukun is a beautiful example of a strong, empowering woman who is creating a life of passion and fulfillment on her own terms through hard work and resilience. We can all learn a lot from her unique journey. Thank you, Ibukun, for sharing your strength and vulnerability with us.
Originally published at Live Your Potential [ Part 1 | Part 2 ]