She never aimed to be the first. She didn’t become the first for herself, but for social justice and world change.
Baroness Valerie Amos has an incredible dedication to public-service. A passion that has driven her to make tangible impact in the world. Although she insists on being shy, Valerie has a strong sense of self and an aura that makes one feel secure and present. This is the result of an outward-looking upbringing that valued education above almost everything. Because, above all, she was encouraged to stay connected to her roots.
Coming from the small country of Guyana, Valerie immigrated to the United Kingdom at the age of nine. In Guyana, she was used to seeing black people doing all the jobs. She didn’t know things would be different in the UK. Despite being the only one, or one of few, in the room fighting systematic barriers of oppression, Valerie never stopped aiming high.
In the process, she achieved a lot of firsts. The first black woman to do almost all of the jobs she held; the first black woman to lead a university in the UK; the first black woman to be the leader of the House of Lords. Her first first was becoming the first black Deputy head girl of her school. The list goes on. For Valerie, it was never about herself. Her goals never included being the first at anything. Valerie was just being Valerie, but the girl from Guyana also had an unquenchable drive to contribute back to society.
It was always about her work, about social justice, and improving the state of the world. Through leading roles across the United Nations, the British government and multiple top universities, Valerie has created better futures for so many. Because Valerie isn’t fazed by the ceiling. Because Valerie has never been afraid to fall. Because for Valerie, failure has always been an opportunity to learn.
