Several years ago, I resigned from my job to go back to school full-time. After I graduated, it took over a year to secure another full-time position. My new job paid less and wasn’t as prominent as my previous one, but I believed in the organization’s mission, and I felt that I would be an asset. I also knew that my ability to obtain another job would be easier after securing this new role. I arrived on the first day of work only to discover that my office was in the kitchen

I recall a story about a woman, whose husband was killed mysteriously. After his death, the woman had to secure a way to care for her two sons. She also faced the threat of social services removing them from the home if her financial condition did not change. Without anywhere else to turn, the woman contacted her husband’s friend for help. Instead of giving money, he asked her to identify her possessions. She said, “The only thing I have left is some gourmet olive oil that I

One day you are “doing a great job!” The next day you’re invited to an unscheduled meeting with your manager and a surprise guest, the HR Director. Your manager says, “this was a difficult decision…and by the way, please collect your things and leave the premises immediately.” Before you can retreat to your haven everyone in the organization is aware of what occurred, and you’re left asking, “WHAT THE ___ JUST HAPPENED?” I know from personal experience that putting this, seem

I attended the Leveraging the Power of Black Women symposium sponsored by the Center for American Progress in Washington, DC. The discussion focused on how "Black women work every day on the front lines and behind the scenes as advocates, organizers, leaders, and powerful voices for progress and social justice but their work is often unsung and unrecognized, yet Black women play a critical role in the success of their families, workplaces, communities, and society overall." I