“If It Had Not Been for the Lord”: The Faith, Strategy, and Power Behind Phyllis Dickerson’s Rise

From Little Rock to the C-Suite, Phyllis Dickerson’s journey is a masterclass in obedience, excellence, and building Black legacy on purpose.

Some people climb ladders—and then there are people like Phyllis Dickerson, who move through life with a different kind of compass entirely. There’s a rhythm to the way Phyllis Dickerson speaks—part testimony, part strategy session, part front-porch wisdom passed down through generations. Ask her how she got here—working with presidents, advising power players, leading at the highest levels—and she won’t start with strategy. She’ll start with faith. “Trust God no matter what it looks like,” she says plainly. Not as a slogan, but as a lived reality. Because for Phyllis, the throughline of her life isn’t just ambition—it’s obedience.

Call & Response: A Life Led by Faith

Phyllis Dickerson’s journey moves from Little Rock to the national stage: working with three mayors, supporting President Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton—joining the orbit of Michelle Obama after a year-long season of prayer and waiting— and then Mike Bloomberg. As she moves through spaces, he still uses the lessons learned from each of them. But what stands out isn’t just where she’s been—it’s how she moves. Obedience first. Clarity later. “If it had not been for the Lord on my side…” she says, trailing into a knowing laugh. It’s both a statement and a shorthand—one that needs no further explanation in the communities she comes from.

On Books, Beginnings & Black Imagination

Before the titles and accolades, there were books. Phyllis’s earliest memory is of Janet and Mark. As a first-grade reader, she studied under the watchful eye of her godmother, an educator who believed in rigor early. “She had me on flashcards every day,” Phyllis recalls. “Read, spell, repeat.” But access didn’t always mean representation.

Growing up in the 1960s, Phyllis didn’t have a wide landscape of books written for young Black girls. Instead, her early literary love came through authors like Judy Blume—stories that resonated emotionally, even if they didn’t reflect her identity.

Reading as Recognition: Discovering Black Authors

As a young adult, Phyllis found herself drawn less to individual titles and more to authors—especially those who came from where she came from. Writers like E. Lynn Harris, a fellow Arkansan, became a point of pride. “It wasn’t just about the book,” she says. “It was about supporting somebody from Little Rock.” That shift—from reading stories to standing behind storytellers—became foundational. Book signings weren’t just events; they were community gatherings. Representation wasn’t abstract; it was embodied.

And that ethos still shapes how she engages with literature today.

The Ritual of Reading

In a world moving toward speed and convenience, Phyllis remains committed to the tactile. “I don’t like audiobooks,” she says without hesitation. “I need to turn the page. I need to feel the paper.” For her, reading is not just consumption—it’s experience.

That experience is rooted in ritual:

• Morning prayer and scripture reading before even getting out of bed

• Quiet, intentional time with text

• A physical connection to the page

Even now, she subscribes to print magazines. “I was with Susan L. Taylor the other day, and I told her—I still need my Essence magazine in paper. I need to turn the page.” It’s not nostalgia. It’s grounding.

Black Bookstores as Cultural Anchors

Ask Phyllis about bookstores, and she lights up. Her favorite: Pyramid Art, Books & Custom Framing in Little Rock—a Black-owned space that merges literature, art, and community. “It’s different,” she says. “You can walk in and build a whole basket of Black children’s books.” That abundance matters. Because too often, mainstream bookstores relegate Black stories to a single shelf contained, categorized, limited. Black bookstores expand the narrative. “They offer the same things—and sometimes more,” she says. “You just have to walk in.”

Holding Space for Black Stories

In her current leadership role, Phyllis carries that same commitment into her work.

At conferences and convenings, she creates space for authors to:

• Share their stories

• Sell their books

• Be seen as part of the broader ecosystem of leadership and innovation

Sometimes those stories take the form of books. Other times, documentaries. Oral histories. Testimonies. “It’s about telling people—it’s okay to tell your story,” she says.Because storytelling, in every form, is preservation.

The Final Word

At the intersection of leadership and literacy, Phyllis Dickerson stands firmly rooted in both. She is a woman who negotiates million-dollar decisions—and still insists on turning the page— who builds institutions—and still builds baskets of books for the next generation. Who moves through power—and never forgets where her story began. Whose most referenced book is The Bible: “It has everything you need.”

And when asked what people need to understand—about books, about community, about us—she doesn’t overcomplicate it.“If we don’t support us,” she says, “who will?”