ZiNG Caribbean – May-June 2019

40 | ZiNG CARIBBEAN http://www.liat.com | May - June 2019

LIME

CARIBBEAN

VOICES

advisor told me I should forget
about furthering my education,
but should settle for a job at a
supermarket. A few years later,
my lecturer declared that, though
he had confi dence in my ability
to be a great barrister, he was
worried I was setting off on a
path to disappointment: I was
not an Oxbridge graduate, I had
no connections, I was a black
woman. Every time I arrived at
these decision points I could hear
my parents’ voices ringing in my
ears, saying that when God gave
us a talent it was our duty to
fi nd it, hone it and use it for the
benefi t of others. If we do that,
we can by His grace change the
world for the better.
This early encouragement,
and the strength I fi nd in my faith
in God, is what propels me down
the sometimes bumpy path to
achieving what many claim is
impossible – such as becoming
the youngest and fi rst black
woman to be appointed Queen’s
Counsel, and the fi rst female
Attorney General for England,
Wales and Northern Ireland.

Q

You are a role model – do
you feel that pressure?
Having strong role models is
important for everyone. There
are special people who have been
instrumental in helping me to
build my own resilience and to
refuel my perseverance when I
am facing some of life’s toughest
challenges. And, actually, I think
we all need to strive to be good
role models, because there is
always someone looking at us or
even looking up to us.
If I am considered a role
model, I count it a great honour
and a big responsibility. I will

“Weall

needto

striveto

begood

role

models–

thereis

always

someone

lookingat

usor even

lookingup

to us”

PATRICIA’S PROFLE

 Born 19 August 1955 in Dominica  Moved to

the UK with family, growing up in east London 

Trained as a lawyer; became the youngest woman

and the fi rst black woman to be appointed a Queen’s

Counsel in 1991  Became the fi rst black woman to

be appointed Deputy High Court Judge, Recorder

and Master of Middle Temple  Joined the House of

Lords in 1997 as Baroness Scotland of Asthal  Served

as a minister in the Foreign Offi ce, Home Offi ce and

Lord Chancellor’s Department  Undertook major

reform of the criminal justice system, including

the introduction of the Domestic Violence Crime

and Victims Act  Appointed Attorney General in

2007 – the fi rst woman to hold the post  Founded

the Eliminate Domestic Violence Global Foundation

in 2011  Elected Alderman of Bishopsgate in the

City of London in 2014  Became fi rst female

Commonwealth Secretary-General in 2016

endeavour to continue to inspire

those I have the privilege to meet

or reach, to join our efforts to

improve our communities, our

countries, our Commonwealth

and our world.

We all need to reach the

point where we understand

that we are the fi nal arbiter of

our destiny. We have too many

examples in history – our Rosa

Parks, our Paralympians – that

tell us we do not have to allow

our circumstances to construct

insurmountable barriers.

Q

What are the challenges

of being a woman in your

role? There are challenges that

still face women in every position.

But there are upsides, also. I look