Linda F.R. Omobien believes that a little bit of encouragement can go a long way.
As a longtime member of the Akron Board of Education and a mental health administrator, Omobien has witnessed how confidence can change a person.
“What I see so much of is that people are easily discouraged,” says Omobien. “You have to plant within them that they are good people. It is amazing when you can see them pat themselves on the back and see that life is worth living.”
The encouragement seed was planted early in Omobien’s life. Born and raised in a poor Mississippi neighborhood, Omobien didn’t notice she was poor because everyone there was. But she had help.
Sunday school teachers served as mentors, giving her confidence to express herself and speak publicly. When Omobien went away to school at Alcorn State University, those same people sent her $5 at a time to help her through when she needed money.
Omobien’s never forgotten any of it, dedicating herself to transforming those little nudges into one big push.
She lives by the words of Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman to serve in Congress: “Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this Earth.”
“[Chisholm] gave a great lecture on diversity at a national leadership convention,” says Omobien. “I use her tape for diversity training. She was a woman far ahead of her time.”
Listening to those who know her, the same could be said about Omobien.
“Her work has been outstanding,” says Norma Rist, chair of the board of directors for ATHENA International. “She has an incredible focus on serving her community. Women may attend meetings and some may serve on boards, but Linda makes sure she makes a difference. She just goes above and beyond.”
In 2006, Omobien became the first Akron school board member to serve as president of the Ohio School Boards Association, the statewide organization of public school boards. During her tenure, she led delegations to Columbus and Washington, D.C., to lobby for support on critical issues facing public education, including the way Ohio funds its schools.
As a member of the Joint Board of Review, she helped to oversee the Imagine Akron program, which raised $800 million to rebuild schools in the Akron School District, and pushed to include more female and minority contractors.
She has worked on educational intervention programs such as Project GRAD Akron, and she was elected president of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. Akron Alumni Chapter, which focused on mentoring girls.
Omobien is running for an at-large seat on Akron City Council in hopes of helping the mayor with setting policies and ordinances.
“People were encouraging me to run for state representative, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to the Statehouse,” explains Omobien. “I looked around locally for somewhere I could go to continue my public service.”
Omobien realizes that as a black woman, some things are not that easy to attain, but as long as she can continue with her service she will not let anything get in her way.
“I don’t get invited to as many things, but I use that as a way to invite myself to the table and get through the door. It may be through the back door, but I will not let that hold me back.”
Life Lessons
Leadership is a way for you to find the good in other people, a way to follow your passion, a way to do something good for others.
I have two older sisters and a mother and a baby sister. We never had to look outside of our home for role models. I had them right in front of me all the time.
My heart aches for those who don’t.
You always have to think about the people putting roadblocks in our way. You don’t have to curse anyone out. I just recognize it for what it is.
You feel more a part of a community when you give back. You feel good about yourself.
Love this community and love the people. It’s amazing what people can do.
The most important thing is education. I can’t think of anything more important than that.