By Simon Albaugh – Yemeni American News
HAMTRAMCK, Mich. – On Mar. 9, Mayor Karen Majewski of Hamtramck issued the proclamation mirroring the national women’s history month. In it, the Mayor proclaimed the essential role the women hold in the history of the city and the country, the economy, volunteering, the military and social change, among many other important contributions seen and unseen by history.
“American women have been leaders, not only in securing their own rights of suffrage and equal opportunity,” Majewski said. “But also in the abolitionist movement, the emancipation movement, the industrial labor movement, the civil rights movement, and especially the peace movement, which create a more fair and just society for all.”
Hamtramck’s position within that history is unique, with the majority of the city’s highest roles filled by strong and capable women leading the direction of the city. With COVID-19, nation-wide calls for social change and a newly elected president, history these days is written every day.
That history is driven by leaders like Mayor Majewski, City Manager Kathy Angerer, Police Chief Anne Moise, and Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed, among many, many other women in important roles across the country.
Below are the collected statements of those who’ve driven the present history of Hamtramck. At the highest levels of City Government, these women are working through the city’s most pressing challenges and changing with the rapid pace of a shifting world:
City Manager Kathy Angerer:
“Diversity in the workplace is not only a matter of men vs. women in leadership roles, it’s a matter of having a combination of both throughout the entire organization. When women become leaders, they bring skills, different perspectives, and structural and cultural differences which ultimately drive effective solutions. Women are known to collaborate, listen, and juggle multiple projects at once. Women make their jobs look effortless. I have been fortunate to work with women who are pragmatic, resilient, inspiring, and able to collaborate and maneuver complicated situations and with their team truly elevate the best solution.
“Women have had to climb the ladder and experience a variety of roles before they achieve leadership roles. Those experiences shape the individual leadership style and contribute to their overall success due to a deep understanding of their past positions and a desire to understand the needs of the people that they lead in order to bring about the best in them for the organization.”
Police Chief Anne Moise:
“I believe that a diverse workforce is very important. This includes qualified women in leadership roles. I see women leaders as having high levels of determination, attention to detail, and are good at building community relations. I started in the Hamtramck Police Department in the late 1990’s. I worked my way through the ranks of patrol to become the first woman promoted to a supervisory role in the Police Department’s near 100-year history. While I know that I worked hard to earn the promotion, it was a milestone to be celebrated. We continue to make progress in this manner as women in the Hamtramck Police Department continue to promote into leadership roles. Around the world, men still outnumber women in these roles by a great lead. But in Hamtramck, we have had great women in these offices for several years now. I believe it works very well in our community.”
Superintendent Jaleelah Ahmed:
“Every year, March is designated Women’s History Month by Presidential proclamation in order to recognize the achievements of women throughout American history. Women have played significant roles in all corners of American life, from politics and business, to arts and culture, to science and technology. We honor and remember the women who struggled and sacrificed to secure equal rights for women, and we celebrate the next generation of women who are advancing that progress through their intelligence, creativity, hard work and passion.
“I truly believe that women in leadership especially in positions where there is less representation is encouraging for more women to venture into the various professions. Representation is key, it opens doors for young girls. For example, in the field of education, it is predominantly women educators in K-12 , nationally that is about 76% however when it comes to the superintendents, men dominate leaving women at only 24%. We are blessed in the city of Hamtramck to have women leadership, this is encouraging for women and promising for the city.
“Research indicates that women leaders have outperformed males during the pandemic. Women inspired, motivated, communicated, collaborated and built relationships far more than male leaders.”
(Mayor Karen Majewski couldn’t be reached in time for this article’s publication. However, it’s no secret that since the beginning of this pandemic, the Mayor has taken a careful responsibility for the city with a weekly report, among many other responsibilities. Published through the city’s Facebook page, the report has become an essential way to understand the ways the pandemic has impacted us, while highlighting those making the biggest impact despite the pandemic.)
