Misinformation about diversity, equity, and inclusion programs is widespread. What many don’t know is that white women have been the largest beneficiaries of diversity programs in the workplace and Black women are last in line. Research indicates that White women, Asian professionals, LGBTQ individuals, Latinas/Hispanic women, Black men, people with disabilities, and lastly, Black women at the bottom of the hierarchy.
This is not a surprise to Black people. There are a few “talks” that generations of Black parents have had with their Black children and one of those talks involves what has been coined “The Black Tax”. “The Black Tax” maintains that Black people must be twice as good and work twice as hard to get half as far as white people and or receive any recognition despite those who declare that DEI stands for “didn’t earn it”. Black women face disproportionately high workplace barriers as they are promoted at lower rates, encounter continuous microaggressions, are held to higher performance standards, and receive less support and mentorship. With the destruction of Affirmative Action and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives by the current administration, the head start of white men has widened and the already unleveled playing field has risen.
Just sixty years ago, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. That is not the distant past. I consider Gen X early seventies babies the first “free” generation, yet today I have less rights than I was born with. Black books area being banned, curricula spotlighting Black History is being prohibited, inclusive programs are being dismantled, factual websites are being erased and there is a concerted effort to rewrite the brutal history of the transatlantic slave trade, Jim Crow, and ongoing systemic racism.
Despite the multitude of barriers and consistent racial trauma Black women experience at work, black women leaders are still making history.
- In 1999, Loretta Lynch became the first Black woman to become Attorney General of the United States
- In 2009, Ursula Burns became the CEO of Xerox and the first African American woman CEO to head a Fortune 500 company.
- In 2016, Carla Haden became the first woman and first African American to be Librarian of Congress.
- In 2021, Kamala Harris became the first female vice president as well as the first African American and first Asian American vice president.
- In 2022, Quinta Brunson became the first Black woman to receive three Emmy nominations in the comedy category in one year for her sitcom Abbott Elementary.
- In 2011, Angela Alsobrooks became the youngest and first woman to be elected Prince George’s County State’s Attorney, the first Black woman county executive in the state of Maryland in 2018, and in November 2024 she was elected Maryland’s first Black U.S. senator.
And the list could go on and on because still we rise. Even if it seems counterintuitive, your best defense is to prioritize yourself in these challenging times.
I want to help you rise and elevate your professional life. I am on a quest to support all Women of Color leaders but with special emphasis on new managers who have been in their current position for less than 5 years or who are still in their first leadership role.
SOLUTION: POWER HOUR Leadership Session
POWER HOUR is a one-hour brainstorming session where we tackle your selected, most important leadership challenge. POWER HOUR is a safe space for authenticity, creativity, and strategy. You don’t have to experience bias, doubt, or toxicity alone.
The regular investment is $189.00, but due to the weight of collective uncertainty and my sisterhood mission, I am offering this service to struggling leaders for a $90 discount. February 2025 investment for your POWER HOUR Leadership Session is $99.00.
- You can’t lead well when you’re stressed and anxious.
- You can’t lead well when fear and uncertainty overtake you.
- You can’t lead well when your environment causes constant apathy or anger.
Access the support, safety, and success that you deserve and desire.
I have over two decades of diverse professional experiences including teaching, facilitating, hiring, and training, and I have built and led successful multi-generational, multi-disciplinary teams for nearly two decades. I have the skills, experience, and empathy to support you. REGISTER for your POWER HOUR Leadership Session for $99.00 by 2/28/25. Gift this to yourself this Black History Month.
Nicki Sanders, MSW, is committed to career development, professional development, and organizational development. As Founder and CEO of Nicki Sanders Leadership Consulting, her mission is simple – to eliminate toxic workplaces by developing skilled, empathetic, and goal-oriented leaders who have the vision, support, and resources to create a culture where business prospers, and employees thrive individually and collectively. Nicki has an extensive background in nonprofit management leading high-functioning, multi-disciplinary teams, volunteer recruitment and retention, and social impact programming. She is a thought leader dedicated to dismantling the outdated, narrow view of social work and an accomplished professor, coach, trainer, and group facilitator who has combined her gift for authentic relationships, Master of Social Work degree, and over 20 years of diverse work experience to create a life and career aligned with her values and purpose. She is a lover of nature, cupcakes, travel, and 80’s hip hop and R&B music.
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