Two of this nation’s most iconic soap operas are ending: “All My Children” and “Days of Our Lives.” According to media reports, the studio that produces the popular daytime shows say it was time to “pull the plug, because they’ve come to the realization that women are no longer relegated to staying at home raising babies and watching soaps” and as a result, the numbers have seen a sharp decline.
Welcome to the 21st century.
Those studio execs are certainly on the late freight, which demonstrates how necessary it is to spotlight successful women, and even more so, successful black women that have indeed left home, embarked upon successful careers and have done so while not missing a beat with family affairs. One such success story is Comerica Bank executive, Caroline Chambers.
Caroline Chambers, recently promoted to VP of diversity for Comerica, has held numerous high-level positions while in the workforce. She’s sold retirement plans to local governments, earned an MPA (master of public administration) in between, held a leadership position with the Girls Scouts, managed Michigan Healthcare Corporation’s Foundation for Public Affairs, and ultimately found her way to Comerica, where she landed a role as VP of corporate contributions.
“When Michigan Healthcare Corporation went out of business … I saw a job in the paper. … Comerica was advertising for a person to start their charitable foundation. I looked at that and said, I want that job because Comerica is an established well respected brand here in Detroit … so if you grew up here you trusted and knew the Comerica brand. I’ve been here 15 years.”
Operating at such high levels automatically includes demands on one’s time that have beset so many professionals when it comes to making time for family. But, as a single mom, Ms. Chambers has defied the odds by establishing a work-life balance and meeting the challenges head on. She successfully helped raise a stepson — who’s now in law school — and is currently raising a daughter.
How does she do it?
“That’s the best job that I will ever have and its all about routines,” she said. “Early on I realized that I had to set schedules and stick to them. I have a 9-year-old daughter and I am a single parent. She and I are like partners, and now I find that she’s adept at reminding me of the routine and us getting off of it … the routine is key, and I think that’s how I keep my sanity.”
Caroline Chambers is an inspiration to women who aspire to have careers, but still relish the prospect of raising a family. She’s made great strides in her professional life, but didn’t see it as a reason to shirk her responsibility of ensuring that her daughter has all the tools she needs to be equally if not more successful.
“I have to make it happen,” she emphatically expressed. “I have all the respect in the world for mom’s who work out of their home as well, because there’s a lot of work to be done at home, so my home tends to suffer a little bit, but my child does not. It’s possible and it’s doable. I just make sure that I schedule things, and again it’s about routines and making a priority of her life as well. So before I put my work calendar together, I find out when that field trip is. I make sure I know when those parent teacher meetings are, I go to the smallest of school assemblies if I can possibly fit them in my calendar and frankly I’ve been able to make most things. You would be amazed to understand how a 15-minute appearance in the gym while your kid performs “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” for black history month — for her to see you for 15 minutes makes all the difference and is talked about for years to come.”
