Article - “There is this concept of ‘the strong Black woman’ and a societal pressure to work harder, go to school, and take care of kids and parents and everyone all the time,” says Thomas Whitfield. “Black women have never not worked. Black women are unique in that we were brought to this country as laborers ourselves, and our role was to bear more laborers. So Black women have not only contributed to the American economy by working, but also by birthing more laborers who also worked for free, for centuries.”
“There needs to be a point of grace that allows hiring managers to think beyond what a candidate may look or even sound like,” says Talisa Lavarry, author of the new book Confessions from Your Token Black Colleague. “When it comes to minorities, our characteristics are oftentimes different from what most hiring managers typically gravitate towards. If managers are not intentionally challenging themselves to be inclusive, their subconscious idea of an ideal candidate is more than likely laced in bias. It all plays a role in the systemic racism that prevents a lot of Black women in particular from even coming close to checking all of the boxes. It’s beyond time for companies to acknowledge the unique struggles that we face and make reasonable accommodations and investments in creating welcoming, equitable and sustainable work environments that we can all thrive within.”
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