There is nothing more blessed in this world than the presence of a Black woman. From households to Hollywood to Capitol Hill, Black women have kept this Earth spinning on its axis, and are consistently making it better than they found it. In celebration of Women’s History Month, EBONY is highlighting significant Black women who are dominating the White House with class, style and grace. These women embody the richness found within our community and strive to advocate for the betterment of us all through their work. In the final installment of this series, we are highlighting Susan Rice, the Director of the United States Domestic Policy Council.
Ambassador Susan E .Rice has established her career on tenants of being a fierce scholar, just diplomat and an advocate for the American people. Born in Washington D.C., she received her Bachelor's degree in history from Stanford University. As a Rhodes Scholar, Rice attended Oxford University where she obtained her Master's degree and PhD in international relations.
Rice's connection to the White House is longstanding. Over the past three decades, she has served under three respective administrations. From 1993-2001, she was the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs, and Director for International Organizations and Peacekeeping at the National Security Council under the Clinton administration. At 32, Rice became the youngest person at the time to have served as a regional assistant Secretary of State.
And from 2009-2017, she served as President Obama’s U.S. Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations and National Security Advisor. She has been the Director of the United States Domestic Policy Council underBiden administration since
In addition to her work in the White House, Rice was a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. Her memoir, Tough Love: My Story of the Things Worth Fighting For was a New York Times best-seller.
As a Black woman in prestigious leadership roles, Rice has maintained a strong set of role models who have helped guide her path and stay true to her morals. "You may not be like everybody else. You may be discounted or dismissed. The most important thing that I can convey is you've got to be yourself and you can't let others define you for you," said Rice in the video below.
To learn more about the Director of the United States Domestic Policy Council Susan Rice and her work, check out the video below:
