Meet Bishop Shirley Coleman, a 2026 Chicago Defender Women of Excellence Awards and Induction honoree.
Bishop Coleman is the founder of Wholistic Alliance Corporation, and her life’s work reflects decades of faith-led leadership rooted in service, advocacy, and love for community. Whether in politics or in ministry, she has approached every role as an assignment to uplift and empower others.
In this interview, Bishop Coleman reflects on ministry, motivation, legacy, and what it truly means to do “God’s work”.
Marshelle Sanders: How does it feel to be honored as a 2026 Chicago Defender Women of Excellence recipient?
Bishop Shirley Coleman: Not all tears are sad tears. These are tears of joy. I’ve been in public service for so long, and when you’re doing God’s work, you don’t do it for accolades. You do it because it’s the right thing to do. But when accolades come, it makes it even more motivational to keep going.
M.S.: Your work has created measurable change in communities and in the lives of people you’ve touched. What specific things did you see that led you to do what you do, and how did you approach it?
B.C.: On a spiritual level, you have a gift of discernment that allows you to see and know when people are in need. Sometimes people don’t even know they need help, and you’re able to intervene on their behalf.
I thank God not only for the gift of discernment, but for the ability to bring about resources and change in people’s lives.
I remember a young man I watched grow up. This was when I was still in politics. He came into my office crying on a Friday afternoon. His addiction had taken over, and it took until 11 o’clock that night to find him a rehab bed. That was in the early 2000s.
To see him now, delivered and flourishing, is a blessing. Or when the next generation says, “You helped my mother,” or “You helped my grandmother get a porch or a new roof.” That’s what matters.
M.S.: Leadership often requires sacrifice. What are some things you had to push through that people don’t often see behind your work?
B.C.: Being in ministry has been the most defining part of my journey. I was the first ordained female minister in City Council. It wasn’t a challenge — it was a blessing.
I saw the 16th Ward as my ministry, not just my political job. That allowed me to see people in an ecumenical way. You don’t have to be a certain denomination. It’s not about theology; it’s about In other words, it’s not about who you’re praying for the fact that you’re praying exactly believe in a higher power, however you call him, and whatever you call that higher power, getting on your knees and praying.
It expanded my thinking about religion and about God’s people.
M.S.: Impact is more than intention. How do you measure success in your work, and what outcomes matter most to you?
B.C.: Being able to empower people’s thoughts, to inspire and motivate. That’s the theme of my ministry and why I formed a holistic alliance: to empower, inspire, and motivate.
When you feel good about yourself, you feel good about everything else. It starts with individual empowerment.
That’s why the men in my shelter are referred to as “Mr.” I want them to walk through those doors knowing they’re loved and not looked down upon. By the grace of God, it could be any one of us.
M.S.: What moment in your journey shaped the woman you are today, and why?
B.C.: Being the youngest of twelve children on my mother’s side and twelve on my father’s side shaped me. Growing up with nieces and nephews older than me. Having a strong mother who prayed every night, openly.
She was the church mother. On weekends, our house was full of sweet potato pies. We were poor, but we didn’t know it. We never lacked anything.
It wasn’t famous women who shaped me. It was the mamas and the mama shugs. Those were my examples.
My goal is to be that kind of example, not just to talk the talk, but to walk the walk.
M.S.: What work still feels unfinished to you, and how will this acknowledgement bring light to that work?
B.C.: When you love what you’re doing, the work never ends. Work without love is drudgery. As long as you love what you’re doing, you continue.
This acknowledgement motivates, inspires, and empowers me to keep doing God’s work.
M.S.: What advice would you give to young women striving for excellence who may be struggling with self-doubt or fear of failure?
B.C.: The struggle is real, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Doubt, disbelief, depression, oppression, those are part of this journey called life.
First, recognize that it’s okay to not be okay. When we pray, God doesn’t send answers from the sky. He uses people as His instruments. You have to recognize the instruments He places in your life, whether that’s people, situations, or blessings.
M.S.: When you’re not working, how do you relax and recharge?
B.C.: I love to swim, I haven’t gone this year, but I enjoy it.
At 70 years old, before my feet hit the floor each morning, I say, “Thank you, Lord, for another day.”
I live each day as if it were my last, and that makes me appreciate the small things.
When I think about my five grandchildren, and that their children will one day see their grandmother on the walls of City Hall, that’s history and legacy — all wrapped in love.
The Chicago Defender Women of Excellence Awards and Induction Ceremony celebrate local African American women who inspire others through visionary leadership, exceptional achievement, and meaningful community service. These honorees exemplify extraordinary stature, poise, and grace.
