Ursula Burns Speaks at YWCA Luncheon ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - The YWCA held its 3rd annual Empowering Women luncheon Tuesday with Xerox Corporation's new CEO as the keynote speaker. Ursula Burns spoke to a crowd of 1200 people at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, about her career journey at Xerox. The New York City native says each step in a person's life defines their path and how they can change for the better.

She offered advice that she learned along the way to empower people--that is, having and making choices.

"Many times choices are afforded to you...you are given choices," Burns says. "Many times, especially when you are in a struggle, you have to make your own opportunities to make choices. And I think what the Y[WCA] is about, to my mother, to every one is to not believe that the hand you are dealt is the hand that you have to play that you have some control even if it's small."

Burn says sometimes you have to reshuffle the deck to get the most out of your life.

Burns is the first woman to succeed another woman as CEO, and is the first African American woman to become president of a fortune 500 company.

Burns was appointed as the head of Xerox Corporation June of this year.
© Copyright 2009, WXXI