As double minorities, Black women are at the intersection of gender and race when it comes to forms of oppression and discrimination. This is particularly prevalent in the workplace where the pay gap between white women and women of color, including Black, Native-American and Latina women, is the fastest growing, as stated by the Economic Policy Institute. It’s also why it’s important that Black women get adequate support, some of which comes in the form of serving as an ally to Black women at work.
An ally is someone in a position of privilege who supports and acts in solidarity with members of un-represented groups. Allyship in the workplace is powerful as it helps create a company culture fostering a sense of belonging and inclusiveness. However, it is sometimes unclear how best to define allyship in practical terms and what it means when put into action. While there are numerous ways to be an ally to Black women at work, here are 10 ways to act in the way of allyship to Black women at work:
Do your research
There is a lot to understand and a lot of history around the intersectionality of race and gender, as well as that of women’s rights and civil rights. Besides, a lot of revealing information can also be obtained from companies, businesses and institutions’ management and leadership composition in terms of diversity and inclusiveness. Understanding the negative impact of the wage gap for Black women, and how racism and sexism both shortchange working black women, may also require doing some research around it to truly grasp what’s at stake.
Black women’s experience in and outside of the workplace are very unique, if only from their unique positioning at the intersection of gender, race and class. When asked about their experiences in the workplace, they reveal through this Harvard Business Review interview the negative mental effect of being judged on criteria other than their work, having to be unauthentic, or needing a sponsor in order not to be weeded out. For these reasons and so much more, learning directly from Black women’s experiences is crucial for effective allyship in the workplace.
Speaking of sponsors, Black women can greatly benefit from sponsorship in the workplace. As a matter of fact, without having sponsors who can advocate for their promotions, raises and career growth, many may find themselves pushed out or not even selected at all.
Mentoring is instrumental for career growth and development. For women and minorities, especially for Black women, mentoring can be the difference between career success and career stagnation. However, it’s already challenging for women in general, and women of color in particular, to find mentors; which is a reason why serving as a mentor as an ally can make a world of difference.
Increased diversity in organizations and institutions also means hiring more minorities, among which Black women. Advocating for more diversity allows for hiring and retention practices to be improved to include diversity criteria, and create more room for Black women to attain positions of leadership.
One of the reasons why women of color, and Black women in particular, have limited impact in their workplace, is because their voices are often muted. This is where amplifying their voices, by simply highlighting valid points made by Black women during meetings, supporting their ideas, and pointing out instances where they are ignored and muted, has the power of creating a more inclusive and diverse culture.
Speak up about injustices
Ignoring injustices is contributing to their perpetuation. Keeping silent in the face of discrimination and oppression of any kind equates to condoning the latter. The power of allyship is exactly in using privilege to create change by first acknowledging the injustices that are requiring all of us to alter the structures, organizations and mindsets around.
Join organizations and trainings promoting diversity and inclusiveness
Organizations and trainings promoting diversity and inclusiveness also offer the opportunity to have constructive conversations, ideas and thoughts about how to serve as effective allies to Black women, and under-represented groups in general, in and outside of work. Some of these organizations include company employee groups for instance.
Contribute financially to organizations committed to helping Black women progress
There are many organizations committed to providing help and assistance to Black women in certain industries and fields. For instance, the National Coalition of 100 Black women, assists Black women in the areas of health, economic empowerment and education. Another example is the Black Career Women’s Network, that is dedicated to closing the gap of support in Professional development, mentoring and leadership access for Black women. By supporting these organizations as an ally, you also contribute to change.
Contribute to changing and/or creating new policies
Last but not least, one of the most lasting impacts of allyship is to change the foundation of organizations and institutions through policy creation and change. Whether it’s at the governmental level, or at the organizational level, contributing to positive policy creation and/or change can go a long way towards opening the door to much deserved opportunities for Black women at work.
“Mom, what’s racism?” When my son asked me this loaded question, I started sweating profusely. How do you explain racism? Even more importantly (and more confusing), how do you explain racism to kids?
Racism is complex to think about and talk about. Racism is even more complex to discuss with kids. While we should have conversations with our children about the existence and disastrous effects of racism, there are also books that can help them better understand the history behind it. Here are 33 books of them, centering on race, racism and diversity, in words and concepts for kids:
Age: 4-8; This gorgeous account by Academy-award winner Lupita Nyongo of a little dark-skinned girl called Sulwe speaks to children about colorism, diversity and honoring who you are.
Age: 6-10 years; Mama Africa is the nickname of Grammy-award winning South African singer Miriam Makeba, who rose to fame during the segregationist regime of apartheid and whose story this book recounts.
Age: 4+ – This picture book provides an inspirational introduction to the story of four Black women who helped NASA launch men into space!
Age: 8-12; Through children’s stories from many African countries, this book fights to counter stereotypes and celebrate racial diversity.
Age: 5+ – This 2016 New York Times Best Illustrated Book is a poetic piece of African-American history depicting New Orlean’s Congo Square as the heart of freedom.
Age: 5+ – This powerful and moving picture book uses original plantation documents and slave auction to document the lives of slaves
Age: 6+ – This beautiful work introduces young readers to the unique work of Jean-Michel Basquiat, who knew success when young.
Age: 6+ – Kids are being taught in this book about Mandela’s life as illustrated by stunning art.
Age: 8+ – In this gorgeous work, stunning art is used to amplify the words of Dr. King for kids.
Age: 8+ – This powerful book is a thrilling account of kids investigating a racist incident.
Age: 6-9 – The lives of 10 Black women activists in the face of oppression are celebrated in this book around the battles and triumphs of the civil rights movement.
Age: 6-9; When Sylvia Mendez, an American citizen of Puerto Rican and Mexican heritage, was denied enrollment to a “whites only” school, her parents organized the Latinx community to win a lawsuit against the segregation of schools in California.
Age: 4-8; For every time when we may feel like “the other”, the only one in the room, or just “different”, this book reminds us about the power of courageous connection.
Age: 7-10; This beautiful illustrated book literally walks children through the beautiful and diverse Senegalese culture via Aminata’s morning walks to school. An ode to my native country!
Age: 5-9; Whe Viola Desmond refused to be budged from her seat in the Roseland theatre in Nova Scotia, she became a symbol of racial justice in Canada.
Age: 5-8; Healthy Black hair is beautiful, and this powerful work reminds little and big girls everywhere of this beautiful fact!
Age: 4-8; The legendary Miss Lena Horne, renowned African-American actress and civil rights activist, is celebrated in this picture book for kids.
Age: 7-11; This story of identity, resiliance, and resistance follows the life of Irene, taken away from her First Nations family, and fighting to reclaim herself.
Age: 3-7; This is the story of Florence Mills, born to slaves and destined to become a singing sensation on the Harlem stages in the 1920’s, who used her fame to promote civil rights and Black performers.
All ages; 40 history-making Black women, from poet Maya Angelou to mathematician Katherine Johnson, are highlighted in this educational compilation of stories.
Ages: 4-8; This book combines extraordinary poetry by Ntozake Shange with outstanding art from Kadir Nelson to tell the story of Correta Scott King through the vision of and civil rights freedom she shared with Martin Luther King.
Ages: 5-8; From her escape from slavery to her purpose in leading others to freedom, this poignant account introduces kids to slavery and to the glorious life of Harriet Tubman.
Ages: 4-8; When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus in Montgomery, Alabama, she made history!
Age: 5-9; Sojourner Truth spent her life spreading her message of equal rights for Black people and women, which is shared with children in a beautiful way through this book.
Age: 3-7; Written by a citizen of the Cherokee nation, this book teaches kids about modern Native American life.
Age: 9-12; Voices of Freedom introduces children to activist Fannie Lou Hammer, who was a civil rights champion from 1950’s to 1970’s.
Age: 6-11; Anna May Wong is the first Chinese American movie star in Hollywood, who used her fame to fight for racial equality in the movie industry. This book takes kids into racial justice in the film industry.
Age: 5+; In simple, sometimes silly words, this book introduces kids to the concept of racism, celebrating differences and having a conversation about race.
Age: 7-11; This fiction book tells the story of Ruths’ family trip by car in the 1950’s, and teaches children about the Jim Crow laws and how the historical Green Book helped African-American travelers remain safe.
Age: 4-12; This fun, cute and entertaining book also teaches children about the importance of diversity and differences.
Age: 3-7; Sesame Street shows kids everywhere that while we should celebrate differences, what matters is that we’re more alike than different!
Age: 1-12; From the creators of Hair Like Mine, Skin Like Mine is a powerful and fun ode to diversity for children.
Age: 5-7; A vivid account of the fight for Mexican-American justice through the eyes of young Emma Tenayuca in the early 1920’s.
What other books for children about race and diversity would you recommend?
Whenever we experience racism and bias as human beings, it leaves a painful wound on our souls. Whether it happens to us directly or happens to someone else, the wound is still sorely felt, and registered in our collective memory for the rest of our lives. As the recent events have shown us, with the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor, to cite just a few, the wound is still left widely open in today’s world. And while feelings may be raw and our hearts broken, there are ways to contribute to eliminating systemic racism and bias.
We can all do our part when it comes to eliminating racism and bias in our society. As working women and working moms, we’re often at the end of this bias. As women of color, we’re under the threat of both racism and bias, which doubles the negative repercussions.
While we owe it to ourselves to observe a pause and process the difficult emotions elicited by racism and bias of any kind, there are a few ways we can all contribute:
Understand and get well-informed:
At a visceral human level, we can sense racism. Our instincts can pick up on it, even if we may not be able to put it into words. It affects our health, to the point of creating chronic stress and underlying conditions.
However, the better informed and the more we’re able to understand the nature of racism, the better we’re able to hold each other accountable, and have the healing conversations, structures and measures needed to eradicate it.
Vote and get involved in local and national politics
Getting involved and voting locally is also key to ascertaining that decisions made are benefiting all, and that systemic racism is kept at bay.
Advocate for diversity at work
Racism and bias, both conscious and unconscious, are regular occurrences in the professional sphere as well, and this despite the confirmed relationship between diversity and profitability evidenced through the 2018 “Delivering through Diversity” McKinsey report.
Advocating for diversity at work is not just limited to pointing out bias in the workplace, but also working to establish policies, procedures and institutions protecting people of color and ensuring greater diversity and accountability.
Become an ally
An ally is a person who takes action to support an under-represented group despite not being a member of said group. Often, individuals with more access and privilege volunteer to serve as allies to help bring about the change needed to help those with less access be more successful.
There are resources available out there to help eradicate racism. However, not all these are readily communicated and available to the public at large, even with social media. It is up to each one of us to keep an eye out for these resources and share them with others as a way of spreading more positive information and funnels to provide assistance.
Racism is one of the inconvenient truths we, as humans, have a hard time discussing and communicating about. Yes, it is hard to tackle the topic, but it’s a necessity, especially in the world we live in!
Many, if not most of us, are faced with examples of racist behavior and thought on a frequent basis, sometimes daily. It is up to each and every one of us to use these not as opportunities to condemn, but as opportunities to teach, educate and learn ourselves.
Take care of your mental health
Last but not least, protecting our mental health against the mental, emotional, and spiritual damages of racism is paramount to not just preserving ourselves so we can continue this important human mission to eradicate racism. It may mean unplugging from the news and social media, loving on ourselves and others, and engaging on the challenging but healing path of forgiveness.
How can you contribute to eradicating racism right where you are, with what you have?
In this episode of The Corporate Sister podcast, I’m discussing the disproportionate impact and burden of the coronavirus pandemic on working moms.
From mental and physical to professional and economic consequences, working mothers are at the end of dire and quite serious repercussions of this pandemic. However, there are ways we can all help throughout and beyond this crisis!
Thanks for Listening!
Thanks so much for tuning in and listening to this week’s episode! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please share it by using the social media at the bottom of this post!
Also, leave me a review for the TCS podcast on Apple Podcasts !
Welcome to Let It Be Friday!, where I say hello (and TGIF), and round up the lifestyle, career and business news that inspired, excited, made me smile (or laugh out loud).
In hopeful news this week, Business Insider companies big and small are ramping up their efforts to support their employees’ childcare needs during this crisis;
The Glassdoor Blog lists 20 companies hiring for part-time work right now;
These companies are letting their employees work from home forever, and Fast Company is listing them here;
We knew it already, but Working Mother confirms working moms’ chores have doubled to over 65 hours a week during this pandemic;
Preparing for a video interview in these times of pandemic? Recruiting Blogs offers valuable advice from both candidate and recruiter’s perspective;
Working women’s value in the workplace and in society has been undervalued for the longest time. Unpaid carealone, accounts for $10.8 trillion per year, despite women not being paid for any of it. The gender wage gap, or the difference between men’s and women’s earnings, amounts to 82 cents for women of all races for every $1 earned by men of all races, according to the 2018 Census Bureau. With all this daunting under-valuation, defining and asserting one’s worth as a working woman can constitute quite the challenge…
Being valuable is one thing. Defining and asserting one’s value, especially as a working woman accustomed to being under-valued, is another. How do you define what you bring to the table of your career, business and life effectively? How do you assert your worth professionally and personally? And what does it take to not shrink in fear of judgment when doing so? These may sound like simple questions; yet for working women, they embody generations and layers of self-doubt, lack of confidence and gender inequity.
Start with YOU
It all starts with you! This is where self-awareness plays a crucial role. Being in touch with who you are, nurturing your self-esteem and self-worth is at the heart of being able to assert your value as a working woman.
This goes further than the usual weekly mani-pedi and self-care. It’s about taking the time to connect with oneself, whether through silence, meditation, therapy or another technique, to develop a stronger sense of self. The more aware you are of yourself, the easier it is to understand what you bring to the table in the different areas of your life.
What is your WHY: The Purpose Question
The biggest reward we get from our work and life in general is from the alignment of WHAT we do with WHY we do it. The more connected and aligned we are with our purpose, the stronger our impact, the more solid our value, and the more fulfilled we tend to be.
What do you want to be known for? How do you want to be seen? How is what you’re doing aligned with your purpose?
Define your value
Developing self-awareness and understanding your WHY are the stepping stones to effectively defining your value. If you don’t know what you’re bringing to the negotiation table, you may end up going for whatever is offered to you and short-selling yourself. Adding some research to this, especially when you’re negotiating a salary or business investment, goes a long way in providing you with an edge as well.
What makes you unique? Your real value is in what makes you YOU. What are you good? What have your wins been historically? What makes you indispensable?
Set firm boundaries
Boundaries create value. When you set firm boundaries on your time, money, energy, and even expertise, you’re sending the message: “I have value, and I’m not willing to squander it unnecessarily.”
This also means saying yes for the right reasons and saying no when necessary.
How do you define and assert your value as a working woman?
Working from the same home you live in can easily blur the lines between work and life, especially as a working mom. While there are many arguments in favor of working from home, moving from your home life to your work life inside the home can actually constitute more a burden than a relief. This is why it’s so crucial for working moms, especially during this coronavirus pandemic, to set boundaries when working from home.
For working moms, working from home is not just about performing professional activities from the home. The reality is that it’s about compiling the already heavy burden of unpaid care to that of professional obligations, in the same environment and within the same time and space constraints. According to a report byOxfam,women and girls’ unpaid care is worth a whopping $10.8 trillion per year, which is the equivalent of three times the benefit of the technology industry. In the United States, women spend 37% more of their time on unpaid care work than men, according to this report by the Institute for Women’s Policy research. Globally, not one country is on target to achieve gender equality, and the biggest impact is felt by women.
At a time when working from home is becoming the new normal, it also threatens to perpetuate gender inequities from the office into the home. From a non-gender perspective, its impact on mental health on individuals in general, and on working moms in particular, can also be quite detrimental. This is the reason why it is so important for working women and moms to set firm boundaries when working remotely. Here are a few tips to get started:
Have an honest conversation with yourself
Setting boundaries starts with an honest process of self-introspection. Very often, especially as working moms, it can be excruciatingly hard to decide on which boundaries to set, let alone implement them effectively. I know for me, taking some time out to clearly think about what I need most, and what boundaries I would need to put in place is a must.
What is important to you in this season? What is preventing you from devoting the time, space and energy to your priorities? What boundaries can you set in place to allow yourself to be and do more of what matters to you?
Have honest conversations with others
The second step is to have honest conversations with others. By others, I mean those who are closest to you, and exert the most influence on your schedule and life in general. These would be your family members, your colleagues and managers. Communicating your needs and clarifying expectations coming from them can go a long way towards establishing mutually agreeable boundaries.
Can you honestly set some time to communicate to your spouse and children what you need in this season? Can you also set some time to discuss your needs and expectations with your work team and managers, and also hear about theirs?
Create a communication code with kids
When working with kids, setting firm and clear boundaries can seem impossible to achieve. It’s one thing to tell the kids to keep out of your room while you’re having yet another Zoom meeting. It’s another to physically prevent them from barging into your home office asking for their butts to be wiped (this literally happened on one of my Zoom calls). This is where creating a communication code with kids comes in handy. It may be through physical or handwritten signs, or by agreeing on a given schedule. I set up a calendar with my kids and spouse so we can all know which times are “untouchable” for each one of us.
What communication code will you set up with your kids so yours and their needs can be met in a more efficient way?
Protect your time and space
As a working mom, you may feel like when it comes to your time and space, it’s all fair game (at least until everyone goes to bed and you can finally breathe and binge on your favorite shows). Yet, it doesn’t have to be this way. Protecting your time and space is not only possible but it’s necessary when working from home. It’s also not selfish, but actually one of the best gifts you can offer your family when working remotely. By protecting your time and space, you are freer, both physically and mentally, to be more present outside of work because you’re not trying to do it all at once.
This may mean setting a separated workspace for you, even if that means a small corner of your bedroom. It may also mean setting a firm yet flexible schedule that includes a healthy morning routine (including some self-care and prepping for the day), and setting a strict time to put your pencil down and transition back to home life.
Be flexible
Working moms know all too well that a plan is not a plan unless it includes some level of flexibility. Things happen, juice gets spilled, kids scrape their knees, and life hardly ever proceeds as planned, especially between our four walls at home. This also means being flexible when setting firm yet malleable boundaries. For me, it’s a matter of remembering that nothing will be perfect, and building a buffer in my schedule (especially considering my notorious tendencies for lateness).
All in all, working from home can be much more challenging than it looks. While it may offer some advantages such as instance childcare, or economic and time savings to some extent, it also presents a host of difficulties for working moms now saddled with both unpaid and paid labor. Setting firm yet flexible boundaries can help in this process.
How are you setting boundaries when working from home as a working mom?
