Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson. well-qualified, graceful, family-oriented, and a trailblazer has made history as the first Black woman to be confirmed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Judge Jackson will also be the first justice to have experience as a public defender.

On February 25, 2022, in a tweet from the POTUS account, President Biden proudly announced his nomination for Judge Jackson to the Supreme Court.

Biden said in the tweet, “I’m proud to announce that I am nominating Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to serve on the Supreme Court,” She is one of our nation’s brightest legal minds and will be an exceptional Justice.” Her records speak for her. Judge Jackson is a DC native.

On the White House Lawn, April 8, 2022, remarks were made by President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson on the Senate’s Historic, Bipartisan Confirmation of Judge Jackson to be an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court.

Judge Jackson's closing remarks were “And it is an honor — the honor of a lifetime — for me to have this chance to join the Court, to promote the rule of law at the highest level, and to do my part to carry our shared project of democracy and equal justice under law forward, into the future.” "Thank you, again, Mr. President and members of the Senate for this incredible honor."

Read the account on the White House website, also see Judge Jackson's biography on the White House website here.

Born October 5, 1959, in Athens, Ohio

Maya Lin an undergraduate at Yale entered a competition that changed her life.

She won the competition to design her most famous work the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. Her uncommon skills and talents are nontraditional for men in her professional. She has been a trailblazer to raise the bar and boundary on a higher scale.

The Civil Rights Memorial in Montgomery, Alabama, designed by Maya Lin.

Visit these websites to learn more about Maya Lin accomplishments.

Erica is a straight "A" student in medical school at Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, PA. There are approximately 260 medical students in her group.

The administration is in awe over her straight "A" status. She is transitioning from the classroom to start hospital clinical rotations, shadowing doctors, and practicing what she has learned as a 3rd year medical student.

Erica is the recipient of an Award for Basic Science Knowledge. Students who received this award scored in the top 10% of their class in Basic Science Courses.

Erica is on track to graduate in 2024. She is one of GWWN's mentees.

On April 10, 2022, GWWN interviewed retired Major General (MG) Linda Singh. MG Singh was the top female leader in the Maryland National Guard. She shared her challenges along the journey, and lessons learned regarding leadership.

GWWN: How did your journey in the military begin?

MG Singh: It wasn’t the most traditional path people take; I didn’t know anything about the military. I was living in the Frederick City, Maryland area after leaving home at aged 15. One day while I was working at the Francis Scott Key Mall in Frederick, I ran across an Army recruiter. He asked me to take a look at the National Guard. I agreed and decided to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test, which tests you on several skills. I did exceptionally well on the exam. At age 17, my parents signed for me to go into the Guard. I headed off to basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. The military was the best thing I could have done!

GWWN: What obstacles or resistance did you face along the way?

MG Singh: As a female entering the military, being away from friends and family, living with 40 females, and having to follow regimented rules day in and day out was pretty challenging. I found my place and what I did well, what I enjoyed and what excited me. Also continuing to work in a very male-dominated field, trying to build relationships was difficult. When I worked in consulting, relationships were surface levels, females were more excluded than included.

One of the major challenges I had was getting over myself, my younger self and the attitude I carried with me. I had to get away from thinking that not everyone had an agenda, and that I was not good enough. I had to get over the attitude and learn to be professional in a world which was fairly new to me.

GWWN: How did you rise to level of Major General?

MG Singh: While going to school to get my undergraduate degree, and having several mentors and coaches, someone said I needed to become an officer. I made a decision to go to Officer Candidate School while working tons of job and being a single mom. Once I got my commission, I moved from enlisted to officer rank. I graduated from Officer Candidate School as a distinguished graduate. This got the attention of a lot of senior leaders. I continued to do well all of my career, while continuing to get the right assignments in the right places and working my way up.

GWWN: Was it easy at that point to rise in the ranks because you were a distinguished graduate? Were there people who supported you?

MG Singh: I would say, No. I still had to deal with a male-dominated environment, and even fewer females in the higher ranks. The females were more competitive and not collegial. Today females are more collegial but back then not so much.

GWWN: What skills are needed in a high-level position such as Major General?

Mg Singh: I would say no matter what position you are in, you need communication and interpersonal skills, and basic fundamentals of leadership. I think the mistake people make is leaving leadership skills with those in leadership positions. I believe we all have a role and responsibilities in being leaders from where we are.

“Leadership is not about a role or position, but behavior and a way of living”. It’s crucial. Also you have to have a core set of values and principles that you live by. Be clear on what those are and how they are going to influence the way you live and work.

GWWN: Any other advice to give or lessons learned?

MG Singh: Reaching the general officer level, most people think everything is given to you, they think people gave you this and that, and that the road was easy. What they don’t understand is, that is not everyone’s journey. People make assumptions that things have to be accomplished in a very straight line journey. That is not the case. Life is about a series of choices. I wrote, “Moments of Choice: My Path to Leadership”, to focus on the various choices you make, that cause you to go in a direction.

GWWN asked retired MG Singh what she does now that she is retired.