From a legal trailblazer to the President of the Las Vegas Raiders - Sandra Douglass Morgan inspires the next generation
Written By: Jackie Rae
I remember reading an article in Forbes magazine that blew my mind. The article cited Fortune 500 companies as the pinnacle of corporate America — revealing that of the 500 CEO positions, only four were held by Black men—0.8%. The number for Black women was 0%.
There is not a single Black woman in America who is surprised by that. Being raised in Denver, Colorado, by a very conscious Black military father, while attending a predominantly white school my entire life — he made sure I was fully prepared for the world I would have to face as an adult.
“Black people have to work twice as hard to receive half the credit,” he would say. Now we just call it the Black Tax. For my brothers, that was the end of the lesson. For me, the lessons would continue well into adulthood. Our school had a daily news show, and I applied to be one of the anchors. A position that I thought I was a shoo-in for because I worked with advisors to help create it. Instead, I was offered the floor director position.
I came home crying, completely devastated, and downright angry. It didn’t make sense. That was my first reminder of what he told me when I was young. “They (my brothers) have to work twice as hard to get half the credit,” he said. “You have to work four times as hard, be labeled as an “angry Black woman” just for having ambition, and if you stand up for yourself, you’ll be seen as hostile and combative.”
I would like to say times have changed, but they haven’t. This is why seeing Sandra Douglass Morgan, standing between Raiders Interim head coach Antonio Pierce, and Interim General Manager Champ Kelly as the President of the franchise — touched my heart in a way that is difficult to explain.
People probably thought we were related the way I presented this woman with pride to anyone who would listen. Without ever speaking a word to her, I knew she not only earned this, but her mere presence is an encouragement to Black women across the country. Surprisingly, many people did not know Morgan was named Raiders President in July of 2022. The news took social media by storm a few months ago after a picture of her with her colleagues went viral. As a football fan, I am going to say that is fair. The regular season was about to start, and fans across the league were trying to figure out why Josh McDaniels continued to find employment in the NFL.
Still, if you are going to serve as the President of the Las Vegas Raiders, you must possess the knowledge and the background to sort through a litany of problems. Her foundation is problem-solving. Morgan graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, with a degree in Political Science and holds a Juris Doctor from the William S. Boyd School of Law at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Understanding law and Political Science in Vegas — call me crazy, but in my head, I hear her screaming, “I’m ready for war!” Not to mention, she is a mother and she and her husband, Don Morgan, are raising two children in Sin City! Like I said, “WAR!”
A woman who can balance motherhood, marriage, and a career already possesses a skill set that I will always salute. Especially when you have the accolades that Morgan does. In 2012, she was named Attorney of the Year by the Las Vegas Chapter of the National Bar Association which recognized her commitment to serving the local community, especially communities of color. In 2013 she won the Ladies of Distinction Award from Olive Crest, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting abused and neglected children.
This is a beautiful trend. Not only is she a powerhouse, but she also recognizes the need for empathy and compassion in our society and is community-focused even as her star continues to rise. In 2015 she received an award from the Urban Chamber of Commerce and, she was included on the EBONY 2022 Power 100 List.
While the Covid-19 pandemic exposed the harmful effects of the lack of or even misinformation, Morgan was serving as an advisor to the State of Nevada's COVID-19 task force — and charged with finding solutions for access to personal protection equipment, virtual education options, and expanding testing capabilities.
Serving as President of the Raiders was also not the first time she broke barriers. From 2008 to 2106, she served as a Commissioner on the Nevada State Athletic Commission and was the first Black City Attorney in the State of Nevada. Embracing her life in Vegas, she has also impacted the gambling industry while serving as chairwoman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board. As the chief regulator for Nevada's dominant billion-dollar gaming industry, she spearheaded the passage and implementation of cashless wagering regulations and ensured that gaming licensees adopted policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment.
Her background alone proves that she has more than earned her role as President of the Raiders, but there is also scientific evidence to support her success. Dr. Sonal Kumar is the assistant professor of Finance at Bryant University. She conducted a study of the success of CEOs by breaking them into four groups — Caucasian males, non-white males, white females, and non-white females. The study revealed that women of color are subject to both gender and racial discrimination and yet, they emerge as the best performers. Women of color are followed by white women, then Black men, and finally white men.
The message of this study is clear — the more adversity you have to fight through, the better you are equipped to lead and inspire a team.
Salute to Sandra Douglass Morgan for not only inspiring her Las Vegas Raiders team but for inspiring Black women, both young and old, to continue the fight.