Rosalind Brewer: A Leader Who Believes in Doing the Right Thing

March 29, 2025

An Inspiring Story for Kids and Families

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be the boss of a big company? Or how someone can go from growing up in a small neighborhood to leading thousands of people? Let us tell you the story of Rosalind Brewer—a kind, smart, and determined woman who became one of the most powerful business leaders in the world. And she did it by always believing in working hard, helping others, and standing up for what’s right.

Growing Up with Big Dreams

Rosalind Brewer, often called “Roz” by her friends and family, was born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1962. She was the youngest of five kids in her family. Her parents didn’t go to college, but they believed in education and taught their children to study hard, respect others, and never give up. Even as a little girl, Rosalind loved learning—especially science and math.

She was curious about how things worked, asked a lot of questions, and wanted to make a difference in the world. That’s what helped her decide to study chemistry when she went to college. She became a scientist and started working for big companies that made products like soft drinks and household cleaners.

But Rosalind didn’t stop there. She was really good at solving problems, working with people, and thinking about the future. That’s how she went from being a scientist in a lab to being a leader in some of the biggest companies in America!

A Powerful Woman in the Business World

Rosalind Brewer worked her way up at several well-known companies. She held top jobs at Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Starbucks, and in 2021, she became the CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance, one of the largest pharmacy companies in the world.

Being a CEO (which stands for Chief Executive Officer) means you’re the person in charge of making big decisions and helping the company do its best work. That’s a huge job—and Rosalind Brewer was only the third Black woman in history to ever become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company (that’s a list of the 500 biggest companies in the U.S.).

That’s a big deal because, for a long time, women—especially women of color—weren’t given many chances to lead big companies. Rosalind helped change that. She showed everyone that with hard work, honesty, and care for others, anyone can rise to the top.

Leading with Kindness and Courage

What makes Rosalind Brewer really special isn’t just the important titles she’s held—it’s how she leads. She believes that leaders should listen, learn, and treat people fairly.

For example, while working at Starbucks, she helped make sure that all employees got proper training about respect, inclusion, and treating customers with kindness—no matter what they look like or where they come from. When some unfair treatment happened at a store, Rosalind stood up and said, “We can do better.” And then she helped the company make real changes.

She also worked hard to support women and people of color in the workplace. She believes that everyone deserves a chance to succeed and that companies are stronger when they include people from many different backgrounds.

Helping Communities Stay Healthy

At Walgreens, Rosalind became CEO during a very important time—the COVID-19 pandemic. She helped lead the company’s work to provide vaccines and medicines to people across the country. She wanted to make sure that even people in small towns and busy cities could get the care they needed.

She also focused on something very important: health equity. That means making sure everyone, no matter where they live or how much money they have, gets a fair chance to be healthy. She helped open new health clinics, improve services, and support communities that had been left behind.

What Kids Can Learn from Rosalind Brewer

Rosalind Brewer’s story teaches us many important lessons:

• Work hard and stay curious: Rosalind loved science and learning. She asked questions, explored new ideas, and never stopped trying to improve.

• Be kind and fair: She treats people with respect and always tries to do what’s right, even when it’s not easy.

• Believe in yourself: Rosalind didn’t let other people’s doubts stop her. She believed in her ability to lead and made history by being brave and confident.

• Help others rise up: Rosalind always looks for ways to support others—especially those who might not get many chances. She believes that we rise by lifting others.

A Role Model for the Future

Rosalind Brewer’s journey shows us that success isn’t just about being smart—it’s about being caring, courageous, and committed to making a difference. Whether you want to be a doctor, an artist, a scientist, or a leader like Rosalind, you can take steps every day to be kind, learn new things, and stand up for what’s right.

So the next time you hear the name Rosalind Brewer, remember: she’s not just a CEO. She’s a real-life example of how a girl with big dreams can grow up to change the world—and help others do the same.

🌟 You can be a leader too—just like Rosalind! 🌟

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