2021
BL A C K
Partner
LEADERS Worth Watching
TM
AWARD
Tracy Richelle High
Education: JD, Harvard Law School; BA with honors, Yale University Company Name: Sullivan & Cromwell LLP Industry: Law Company CEO: Rodge Cohen, Senior Chairman; Joe Shenker, Chairman Company Headquarters Location: New York, New York Number of Employees: Approximately 900 lawyers Words you live by: Choose joy—you determine your attitude, not others. Who is your personal hero? My parents What book are you reading? The Bible; All that she carried: The Journey of Ashley’s Sack, a Black Family Keepsake by Alicia Miles; One-legged Mongoose: Secrets, Legacies, and Coming of Age in 1950s New York by Marc J. Straus What was your first job? Grocery bagger at Safeway Favorite charity: I am on too many boards to answer this, because there is not just one! Interests: Spending time with my family, going to stand-up comedy shows, and reading Family: Husband: Roman Johnson; Son: Christian Alexander High Johnson
The Power of Hope Our society has faced a reckoning, and I am so grateful. It is incredibly inspiring to see a renewed and collective commitment to the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I am a daughter, a wife, a mother, and a lawyer. And, I am a Black woman. I have a Black husband and a six-year-old Black son. My husband and I have been talking about race with our son since he was two years old. I do not have the words to describe the depth of anguish I feel to have to be the person who introduces the concept to my son that he will face fundamental unfairness that has nothing to do with who he is, and everything to do with the color of his skin.
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As his protector, to have to bring that ugly truth into my home, particularly given his young age, is heartbreaking. As heartbreaking as it may be, it’s my duty as a Black mother to provide him with armor, so that when he encounters these issues, his spirit isn’t defeated; he may be shocked, but he will be prepared. I can’t just give him armor though, I also have to teach him resiliency, and more important, the power of hope. This is something that most Black people have had to do for generations; my parents did it for me, and their parents did it for them. For many of our Black colleagues, clients, and friends, this is a reality that we and our loved
ones live with every day. And now it seems the rest of the world is finally starting to come to grips with this truth that we have known for such a long time. Notwithstanding that it feels long overdue, I am encouraged that, collectively, we are on the path to real progress. I firmly believe that people do not fail because they aim too high and miss the target, but because they aim too low and hit it. If we want the business world to be as diverse, equitable, and inclusive as possible, we must aim for the highest heights and not back down from doing so. We owe it to those who came before us to make certain that we see forward movement at every level of our industries.
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