There’s No Gender Justice without Racial Justice
I would like to sincerely thank Profiles in Diversity Journal, for awarding me this prestigious honor in recognition of my service to promote gender and racial equity. I believe we all play a pivotal role in this mission.
As responsible leaders, we must recognize that there is no gender justice without racial justice. The structures of racism and sexism have persisted in America since its beginning and therefore, the solutions to eradicate them involve synergizing the two. We must adopt the fundamental understanding that achieving gender equity will require dismantling structures of racial oppression. This unfortunate reality has adversely impacted the upward mobility of women of color in the workplace by stifling their performance and, ultimately, their professional success. In recent years, our nation has seen and felt the unrest in our communities and across the country resulting from the issues of racial injustice and inequality. We must urgently recognize the impact of this unrest at an individual and collective level. We also must recognize how it disproportionately impacts women of color.
It has been proven that racial and gender bias at work is extremely harmful to the professional, social, and emotional well-being of women of color, which ultimately limits their effectiveness and productivity.
Therefore, companies must take intentional and deliberate action to overcome the negative impact of racial inequity in the workplace. Women of color have unique talents, experiences, and valuable characteristics to offer to an organization. It is right to draw on the strengths of this remarkable culture of leaders to create a diverse and inclusive environment, thus building a healthy and stronger organization.
As we continue to evolve today’s workplace as centers of excellence by offering growth opportunities for women leaders of all cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, it is necessary that we speak boldly with courage and conviction about our belief in gender equity and racial equity in the workplace. Our voices must be authentic and the results must be conclusive to demonstrate a sincere commitment to an inclusive workplace for all.
