AN EMPOWERED COMMUNITY FOR PROFESSIONAL WOMEN OF COLOR AND THEIR ALLIES
She toils, she plans, she completes, she listens, she hugs, she cooks, she shares...yet often overlooked, overbooked, overworked, unheard, and who cares for her? If this describes you, you've arrived at the right place because it truly takes a village and this is a village to support you.
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Let me tell you my story...this is not a trauma bond but a truth share. I've endured workplace bullying (attempted erasure, smear campaigns, co-opting of projects I've created, intentional exclusion, and so much more), all of this while being one of the only women of color in senior leadership...
As the lowest paid senior leader yet highly credentialed (as compared to the my counterparts), my high achieving work contributions were also the most visible in the organization, yet with little support and an attempted smear campaign, I could feel my spirit withering as I inched closer to the point of burnout. I had asked for help before, I had voiced my concerns to the senior leadership, my decision-making peers, to no avail. This time, as a point of desperation, I approached our senior leadership team yet again with the same ask. I transparently shared that I was reaching a point of burn out given the comprehensive duties with no support. If they could approve me hiring at least one staff...just give me one, then I could make it work (these same peers all had departments of 10 to 40 employees deep. I had none). This was my call for help.
So what's the response that I got?
Despite doing incredible work with a strong reputation throughout the organization (not including the bullies who made up this senior leadership team), despite me winning national awards and recognition for the organization...you know the all too familiar story that you likely share or have heard others tell before. Well the response I got... was one of my peers, a man of color, began to berate me with "who do you think you are coming in here and asking for help"! As I sat in that room full of 7-8 peers, this man began to discredit my work while trying to diminish my worth. All the while, not 1 person intervened during his tirade which lasted for some time. I still thank God for the wherewithal to refute every lie this man told while he raged on. Interestingly, after this colleagues' blow-up, the meeting continued "as normal" and other senior leaders who requested additional staff hires were all approved without hesitation.
That work incident was absolutely mentally and spiritually draining while also deeply traumatizing. And no one cared...and this is only 1 story of many experiences...
As a professional who is also a working mom, pushed into gender norms such as being the lead child caretaker, I was at my wits end. Not living was definitely a whisper that touched my mind. The all encompassing pressure of a world in which I yelled at the top of a mountain, but no one heard me, a world in which I cried but no one cared. Alleviating myself from it all wasn't that farfetched. I just wanted to quit, but was the lead breadwinner. I wanted to take FMLA but knew it could put me at risk. Instead, I took a trip to Africa for this first time. The beautiful boat picture above is one that I took while in Zanzibar, Tanzania, and I can't wait to share more of that healing journey with you.
All of this to say, I understand my dearest sister that these struggles are painful but YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Our journey's and the details of our stories may be different, but many of us have shared experiences. The purpose of this page is to encourage you to hang on and to join me in community. Community is that place where we can build each other up and look out for each other. So I look forward to connecting with you real soon!
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