JOHANNESBURG — Leadership is often discussed in terms of boardrooms and power plays, but at the University of Johannesburg (UJ), the conversation has shifted toward something more internal: resilience, purpose, and courage.
On March 11, 2026, the UJ Faculty of Humanities hosted a high-impact dialogue titled “Owning Your Journey,” moving past the usual rhetoric of International Women’s Day to tackle the raw realities of being a woman in leadership today.
The Psychology of Success
The event featured a powerful keynote by Dr. Kamika Lyntte Bell, an American scholar and psychologist whose research into the mental health of high-level female executives provided a sobering yet inspiring backdrop. Dr. Bell didn’t just talk about success; she spoke about the cost of leadership, addressing:
- The Weight of the Journey: Navigating unaddressed trauma while ascending the career ladder.
- Ethical Digital Leadership: Maintaining integrity in an increasingly noisy, tech-driven world.
- The Power of Radical Individuality: Her mantra, “It’s okay to be different,” served as a permission slip for students to reject societal pressures and embrace their unique identities.
Building Windows Where There Are Walls
The dialogue was characterized by “reflexivity”—the ability of students to look inward and analyze their own paths. Two standout voices from the UJ student body exemplified this spirit:
- Ofentse Moleki (MA English): Challenged her peers to stop waiting for invitations. Her message was clear: if a space for your aspirations doesn’t exist, build it yourself.
- Ronnah Mawoko (PhD Sociology): Reframed the unique hurdles faced by Black women not as limitations, but as the very source of their courage and perseverance.
A Call for Values-Driven Leadership
The session, directed by Dr. Sinethemba Sidloyi, concluded with a challenge to the next generation. Leadership is not a solo sport; it is a collective lift. Dr. Bell’s final charge to the students was to become values-driven leaders who actively uplift others as they climb.
At UJ, International Women’s Day 2026 wasn’t just a date on the calendar—it was a declaration that the future of African leadership is resilient, self-determined, and unapologetically bold.
