We’re in Chicago: Amber Townsend

What is your current role? How would you describe the work that you do?

I lead the administrative unit for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. I’m tasked with developing and executing the strategic plan, including making a more DEI-focused culture, particularly looking at the future of leadership. Part of the job, and what I’ve been working on for the last two years, is developing the first strategy aimed at infusing DEI into every function of the Cancer Center. I’m helping our leadership and the entire team develop an equity lens.

We can build better teams, but everything trickles down to patient care. We’re developing relationships to share the work of the Center and find out what others are doing. I work with Northwestern Medicine and its various medical entities. I make sure we are collaborating where necessary, rather than duplicative. With so much going on, it’s nice to have it be more of a team effort among DEI leaders.

I am new to higher education, medicine, and oncology. Recently, I was voted into the National Steering Committee Leaders. As a national organization, they lead in developing DEI strategies for cancer centers across the nation. With DEI, there is no degree. There are certificates you can earn, but you don’t go to college to study it. You can study organizational change and the development field, with some of it being operations. There are some formal trainings, but for a lot of it you have to have experience and know what you’re doing. Once you know it, you can tailor it to any field. It looks different in every field and is different in each organization.

We’re about to launch several programs and leadership development opportunities, and it’s the first time the cancer center has done something like this for those underrepresented in medicine. Focusing on soft skills, both in leading a cancer center and what it means. I’m excited to have them explore their own identities as leaders from a values-based perspective. Like what they could bring to their work and leadership that is unique to them, being more self-aware of their own identities and how they show up to work, the perspective of others and building diverse and inclusive teams.

We’re also launching a DEI speaker series around the history of medicine as it pertains to the experiences of marginalized folks. Discrimination in healthcare happened not long ago and is still happening, so it is important to engage with folks that are historically marginalized and provide holistic care for them. It’s a lot of work, but I think for me, it’s easy to keep going because I’m passionate about it and the folks that are a part of this network.

There are over 100 cancer centers in this network and it is growing. What’s great is that it’s interesting to lead at a national level, I’ve never done that before, but it’s cool. I always appreciate a bird’s eye view, it’s very helpful for me to hear what’s happening in Chicago or Illinois at large, but also the issues of DEI in different areas of the country. Illinois is a blue state, but I have colleagues in red states, and their departments were defunded. We help them figure out how to pivot, how to do this work that needs to be done and is fundamental with all this political and civic unrest. It is informative to hear what colleagues are experiencing, I enjoy problem solving. It’s a lot of work, but I’m passionate about it. We’re getting ready to have a DEI summit and bring together DEI oncology leaders from across the country, to be hosted in Chicago. It will be my first time emceeing a conference. I’m excited to explore the city with peers from across the country and show them what the city is all about.

What was your Chicago Scholars experience like?

I remember starting in the program and not being sure what to think of it. It was junior year and we would get letters in the school mailbox. I went to an orientation, and they talked about CS. Mom said to finish the application. I remember Onsite and mom being there at the UIC forum. The size of the Scholar force has tripled since then. At the UIC forum, I remember seeing hundreds of students interviewing. There was a window for parents to observe. You walked away from that experience buzzing, because you’ve got nerves, then it’s interviews, then talking about what you want to do, your interests, the impact you want to have, and you get more comfortable, remember the admin officers.

I am also a Posse Alumna, so there was a lot of crossover. Between Posse and Chicago Scholars, I had over $1 million in merit aid. Before my peers were thinking about college apps, I knew where I was going and the funding at my disposal. I was so stressed to get all those apps done. It was a different office, a different team. I interned at CS previously and wrote their first ever $1 million grant. The program was such a safe space. I didn’t know a ton back then with Black and Brown students that were first gen, low income. It hit all of my intersectional identities. With identity-based factions, most of them are geared towards supporting one aspect of your identity, but very few tackle all of those vulnerable populations together. It was nice to be around students who were on the same mission, who had had setbacks, obstacles, that others didn’t hold space for. We supported and respected each other. I went to all the workshops, even though I did not understand everything going on. It was so rewarding because my mother went to college, so it wasn’t the first time our family dealt with college applications but was so different. Nice to have the help and people who could remind you about due dates or explain the Common App, or explain a best fit college. Mentors, college counselors, all of that wraparound support at every step of the application process was so crucial.

How did Chicago Scholars support you to be the person you are today?

One thing that I remember being told was, you don’t know the gifts you have. The CS team would always tell me that I was smart and gifted. They didn’t know what I would be, but they believed in me.

I came from humble means on the West Side. The people around me did not have the opportunities I had. Every couple of years, people were passing away from preventable events. Early on, I learned that different people in different parts of the city had different experiences and life outcomes. I remember taking the bus from the West to the North Side, and seeing the grass get greener and fuller. It looked more beautiful. As I got older I realized they had more resources and lived a different life. When I went to college, I was fortunate to have the best educational experience I could have had. Sociology classes and the systems at play, Anthro classes about education and opportunities globally. I learned that anti-Blackness is global and how other countries were tackling inequality.

I came out of college with a different perspective and could describe my experience better. CS was a part of that journey, and I had conversations with the staff as I got older. I did a fellowship at CS. That fellowship was impactful, and I learned things that help me with the job I do today, like theory of change, how an org is run. The fellowship was an executive fellowship to learn from an executive. I was paired with the President and Chief of Operations. It was helpful to see how she led that work, and what challenges there were, what works and doesn’t. Seeing things be built from ground up, done for first time, hopping in, being curious. I’m still curious, but in that role, it helped me. I just kept asking questions. I had a great relationship with the former CEO who took me under her wing, because she recognized that I’m an introvert, and saw me in some of my more vulnerable instances and taught how to navigate in an org and lead as a Black woman and not be afraid to challenge or question, to share a new idea, receive feedback. She really was a great example of how to lead in difficult circumstances.

What advice would you have given yourself just after being accepted into the program? What advice do you have for current Scholars?

For myself, I feel like I took every opportunity. I was nervous and excited for the chance to go to a great undergrad institution. Took full advantage of the resources at Chicago Scholars. Was very shy back then, very socially awkward. Think I would’ve said, don’t be afraid of doing new things that scare you. The old CS President Karen Foley saw that I was very shy and in the corner, engaged, but not talking. It was a family event or something, and she walks out of a room, grabs me, and tells me I’m speaking to the parents. Karen gave me a mic and pushed me into the room. I remember thinking “I could walk out there or tell them my experience,” and I was so nervous. They saw my nerves, but it was a great opportunity, my first speaking engagement. It was nice because in the moment, I made the decision to do it. I was never the person to want to be on a stage. Now, I take speaking opportunities because if the advice I have is helpful, and being on a stage is the platform, I’ll do it. So I told those families what I was up to, and wasn’t so anxious. I remember CS doing more of that and building that muscle. I took away how fulfilling and good a feeling it was to share experiences to people who didn’t know what was coming next. Helpful to quell the Scholars’ anxieties, telling them they could do it, because I had been through it and it helped.

Be as engaged as possible. The experience is what you make it and it’s what made the experiences phenomenal. I was in spaces where people cared about me. It made a difference building those relationships with CS. These folks didn’t know me, but they had a shared vision and mission. They didn’t have to know me, but they saw my potential and automatically invested in me. Not just staff, but the Board as well. The Board of Directors was incredible. There are people that don’t know you that are pushing for your success and are making sure you have everything you need to be the best version of yourself and want you to lead. They care without needing to see your face. Staff, leadership, Board, all on the same page. Going through the program and my fellowship, that was an aha moment. For those students that have multiple marginalized identities, you don’t have a safe space to be yourself, you may not feel like anyone cares. It’s harder to go and be a leader by yourself. It was nice to know that even in the moments that were challenging, the work of applying to colleges and being at college, there were people that really had my back and not just saying they did.

What does being from Chicago mean to you now?

It means being from the best city in the world. It’s so funny because, obviously I grew up here and am still here, but I went to college in Connecticut. Even now when I go speak, I visit other cities. For me I didn’t appreciate Chicago until I left and came back. Even several years out of college, I am still exploring the city. We went to the Art Institute and the Shedd as kids. Our mom wanted us to see the world from the perspective of Chicago, understand the way the world worked, and what was available. She was intentionally curious, she’s a teacher and has been teaching for 43 years now. I learned from her about really seeing people and understanding different perspectives. It means that although it’s difficult to navigate, it’s possible. I know that because I’ve been fortunate to have so many opportunities to try something new, or lead something. What’s interesting about the setup in Chicago is that you can go to one neighborhood and be immersed in a different culture. It’s a really unique aspect, it’s really cool.

What do you wish people knew about Chicago Scholars, as well as the city of Chicago?

The one thing that I wish people knew about Chicago, both for the people who live here and people from other cities around the world, is the richness of its culture. Part of the reason I’m so passionate about DEI is because I grew up with friends from all over the city, country, and world. I went to school with very different people. Some of my differently abled friends taught me what it means to not navigate a space the way you need to because no one thought about what someone in a wheelchair would need. Friends from China and Vietnam were immigrants and showed me what it meant to be an immigrant and build a life and livelihood for yourself. In all of these experiences, I was learning the barriers that they encounter and learning how they take lemons and make lemonade. Some of the things that my friends who are less privileged have overcome and come out on top from is incredible to think of. Coming out of the pandemic, the isolation of that time, we lost a lot of connection and curiosity about others. I was able to learn that in this city, and it informs the work that I do. My friends look like everything and everywhere. I engaged with diverse groups early on, with people who had tremendous wealth, and saw how they navigated life was very different from me. Made friends everywhere, but started with people and my curiosity about culture and food. I developed a level of respect for people from all walks of life and an ability to learn from them. I’m blessed to be able to hear from so many different groups of people.

What I wish people knew about Chicago Scholars is that every single Scholar in that program, for Scholars and those outside, have the potential to lead. That is actually one of the things I really appreciated about the Board and having the chance to meet with and have conversations with them. It was not just about potential, but about so many Scholars already leading that don’t know it. They may be leaders in their homes, maybe they have responsibilities at a younger age that most don’t have. Working, applying to college, and going to high school. Being part of the staff at CS, I was going through applications, hearing the Scholar voice and how they didn’t consider themselves leaders. I was reading apps, and they didn’t have any idea what they had done and how incredible they already were. Shifting the mindset around preparing folks to be leaders and knowing what these programs are talked about is crucial. And shifting from the perspective of developing them into leaders to taking current leaders and continuing to elevate their leadership skills is the next step. They are already leaders.