Women of Color | Catalyst Archives https://www.catalyst.org/topics/women-of-color/ Catalyst, a global nonprofit organization, helps build workplaces that work for women with preeminent thought leadership and actionable solutions. Fri, 01 Nov 2024 15:09:52 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7 Let’s Hit the Accelerator for Latine Women in the Workplace (Webinar Recording) https://www.catalyst.org/research/webinar-recording-lets-hit-the-accelerator-for-latine-women-in-the-workplace/ Mon, 23 Sep 2024 04:14:32 +0000 https://www.catalyst.org/?post_type=research_element&p=453344 We demystified the stats and explored effective strategies to attract Latina talent, creating an inclusive environment supporting long-term success.

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In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we hosted an insightful webinar on fostering the success of Latine women in professional settings. Despite the growing Latine population and increased focus on diversity initiatives, Latinas remain significantly underrepresented at 5% of the entry-level U.S. corporate workforce, which dwindles to 1% at the C-suite. This session demystified the stats and explored effective strategies to not only attract Latina talent but also to create an inclusive environment that supports their long-term success and advancement.

  • Addressing unconscious bias and cultural barriers in the workplace that hinder the recruitment and advancement of Latine women
  • Targeted recruitment strategies to increase the pipeline of Latine women candidates
  • Creating mentorship and sponsorship programs tailored to Latine women’s experiences
  • Developing leadership programs that prepare Latine women for senior roles
  • Building a supportive company culture that values diverse perspectives and experiences

Speakers

Eddie Coronado, Upskill HR

Ana Jaramillo, DEI Engagement Specialist, Moneris

 

Janet Sandoval, Director, Global Corporate Social Responsibility, Avery Dennison

Moderator

Joylene Ceballos, Director of Engagement, Catalyst

Note: For questions, please contact catalystevents@catalyst.org.

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Pathways to Progress: Leveraging Allyship for Latine Women’s Advancement https://www.catalyst.org/event/pathways-to-progress-leveraging-allyship-for-latine-womens-advancement/ Wed, 17 Sep 2025 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.catalyst.org/?post_type=tribe_events&p=447002 Listen to DEI experts discuss how inclusive leaders can model allyship for Latine women at all levels of an organization.

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10:00AM CT | 4:00PM UTC

Among the 56% of Latine women who report feeling on guard at work, nearly half say they think about quitting “frequently” or “all the time.” This frightening data illuminates an enormous opportunity for organizations to practice active and engaged allyship to drive Latine women’s long-term success.

Allyship and inclusive leadership are critical for breaking down systemic barriers and fostering an environment where Latine women can thrive. By actively supporting and advocating for Latine women, businesses can enhance their talent pipelines, promote diversity, and create a culture of inclusion.

Join our panel of experts for Hispanic Heritage Month to discuss:

  • Best practices for enhancing psychological safety in the workplace
  • How inclusive leaders can model allyship for Latine women at all levels of an organization
  • Specific programs and initiatives to empower and advance Latine women through every stage of their careers

Note: Please log in to the website with your Catalyst Supporter organization email to access registration. If you are NOT a Catalyst Supporter, please email us to proceed with payment and registration. For questions, please contact catalystevents@catalyst.org.

Catalyst is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

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Beyond the Desk: Health and Wellness for Black Women at Work https://www.catalyst.org/event/beyond-the-desk-health-and-wellness-for-black-women-at-work/ Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:00:00 +0000 https://www.catalyst.org/?post_type=tribe_events&p=446697 Learn best practices from industry leaders for creating empowering and successful workplaces that work for Black women

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11:00AM EST | 3:00PM UTC

Black women face unique challenges in the workplace that can severely impact their health and wellness, both physical and mental. Catalyst research has found that over half of Black women report feeling “on guard” at work, which can lead to what we call the Emotional Tax. This is when feeling different from peers in the workplace because of gender, race, and/or ethnicity affects health, well-being, and the ability to thrive at work.

Prioritizing the health and wellness of Black women employees is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic business decision. Companies that actively support the well-being of their Black women employees experience higher retention rates, increased productivity, and a more inclusive work culture. By fostering an environment where Black women feel valued and supported, businesses can unlock the full potential of their talent pool and drive innovation and success. Furthermore, promoting diversity and inclusion has been shown to enhance company reputation and attract top talent across all demographics.

Join our panel of experts for Black History Month to discuss:

• How Emotional Tax shows up in the workplace, both quietly and overtly
• How leaders can leverage Catalyst’s Listen, Learn, Link up, Lead model to better support their Black women employees
• Best practices from industry leaders for creating empowering and successful workplaces that work for Black women

For questions, please contact catalystevents@catalyst.org.

Catalyst is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

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Webinar Recording: Black Women and the Glass Cliff https://www.catalyst.org/research/webinar-recording-black-women-and-the-glass-cliff-2/ Thu, 29 Aug 2024 03:20:18 +0000 https://www.catalyst.org/?post_type=research_element&p=446417 Learn about the experiences of Black women in leadership roles with the "glass cliff"

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In 2005, Michelle K. Ryan and Alexander Haslam coined the term “glass cliff” — the idea that even when women do reach the top levels of the corporate ladder, they do so during periods when the company experiences poor performance or turmoil and thus their positions are inherently risky and precarious. When women of color, especially Black women, experience the “glass cliff,” they face even more scrutiny, aggression, and lack of empathy, making it harder for them to perform at their full potential in these leadership levels, in part as a result of misogynoir (discrimination faced by Black women because of racism and sexism; the term was coined by Moya Bailey, PhD).

Watch this webinar to hear from our panel of experts who will examine:

  • The origins of the “glass cliff” and why organizations may be more likely to offer high-level positions to women in times of turmoil
  • The experiences of Black women in leadership roles with the “glass cliff”
  • Strategies that organizations can implement to support and retain Black women at every level of the company.

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Black women still face a glass cliff, but fixing workplace systems can change that https://www.catalyst.org/2024/08/15/black-women-glass-cliff-workplace-systems/ Fri, 16 Aug 2024 02:19:42 +0000 https://www.catalyst.org/?p=443280 Understand what causes the glass cliff and three ways organizations can prevent the phenomenon.

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Originally published on Triple Pundit on 29 July, 2024.

 

After the murder of George Floyd in 2020 led to calls for racial equity at work, organizations eager to demonstrate their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion hired more Black women into leadership positions. After decades of facing barriers to advancement and leadership — a concrete ceiling — it seemed like Black women were finally making progress. But many of them were set up to fail and placed in unstable positions in organizations that were floundering. These experiences are characteristic of the glass cliff, a phenomenon where women and people of color are more likely to be appointed to leadership positions during periods of organizational crisis compared to those of stability and growth.

Leading an organization through a time of crisis is a difficult job for any leader, but Black women face additional burdens navigating (in)visibility, the pressure to perform and intersectional stereotypes,

Black women in leadership roles contend with both hypervisibility and invisibility. As studies show, they are penalized more harshly for failures, and their performance is scrutinized more than others. This is especially true when Black women are the first of their race and/or gender to be in a leadership role. There is an increased pressure to perform because of how it could reflect on other people like them. At the same time, Black women leaders deal with invisibility and must work harder to be seen and taken seriously as a leader because they do not match the prototype of the white male leader. This can make it more difficult for them to gain respect, buy-in, and support from their peers and subordinates.

Additionally, because of racial and gender stereotypes such as the “strong Black woman” and phrases like “Black girl magic,” two tropes that portray Black women as uncharacteristically strong and resilient, they may be expected to take on impossible tasks without the support and resources they need to succeed. Given the additional barriers that Black women leaders face, many work twice as hard to be successful, sacrificing their mental health and experiencing increased stress and burnout.

What causes the glass cliff?

The causes of the glass cliff are complex and varied, but these are two reasons that stand out: status quo bias and stereotypes about gender and leadership.

Status quo bias. When an organization is in crisis, leaders want to signal a change from the status quo and use the appointment of a “new kind” of leader (e.g. a non-white man) as a symbolic demonstration of that change. In support of this theory, researchers conducted an experiment and found that the glass cliff effect only surfaced when a company was described as historically male-led. When the company was described as historically led by women, the glass cliff disappeared.

Stereotypes about gender and leadership. It’s been well documented that people tend to associate stereotypically masculine traits, such as assertiveness and independence, with leadership more so than stereotypically feminine traits like cooperation and caring — a phenomenon called “think manager-think male.” Interestingly, research also shows a “think crisis-think female” phenomenon where leaders with stereotypically feminine traits are seen as more suitable to lead an organization in crisis. This sets women up to be appointed to glass cliff positions.

How can organizations prevent the glass cliff?

Organizations can mitigate the glass cliff phenomenon and give Black women and employees from other marginalized groups a fair chance to succeed in leadership positions. They must be willing to do three things: make a long-term commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion through succession planning, address barriers and biases in hiring, development and promotion, and create accountability structures within the organization.

Develop inclusive succession planning. Future-thinking companies create a strategy to identify and develop high-potential talent to take on leadership positions when they become vacant. Organizations that do not have a succession plan are most at risk for perpetuating the glass cliff because they must make a quick decision to fill a role with little planning and preparation — a perfect recipe for bias.

Even when companies have succession plans, failure to incorporate diversity, equity and inclusion into the process can perpetuate barriers and inequality that keep women and people of color from advancing into leadership positions. An inclusive succession plan recognizes the need for a diverse and dynamic workforce and actively works to identify and develop high-potential talent from marginalized groups. It seeks to remove barriers to advancement and provide support through leadership development programs and access to sponsors and mentors.

Ultimately, this planning builds an intentionally diverse pipeline of talent to choose from when a leadership position becomes available, helping organizations avoid subjecting Black women to the glass cliff, make consistent progress toward their diversity, equity and inclusion goals, and create smoother transitions between leadership.

Root out bias from hiring, performance appraisals and promotion processes. Evaluation processes such as hiring, performance appraisals and promotion are susceptible to bias that can disadvantage people from marginalized backgrounds. So, it is important to create clear guidelines for how to evaluate others. The more subjectivity there is in the evaluation process, the greater chance there is of bias, so it’s key to base decisions on objective, measurable and job-relevant competencies and criteria.

For hiring, evaluators can use structured interviewing, a human resources tool where candidates are all asked the same competency-based questions and then rated using a rubric to assess their performance on each competency. Bias can also be present during the performance appraisal process. Studies show differences in the amount and quality of performance feedback that employees from marginalized groups receive. Black women in particular receive the least amount of quality feedback compared to other groups.

Equip managers with the skills they need to be objective by hosting training on how to evaluate performance and give high-quality feedback that is clear, actionable and focused on behaviors instead of personality traits. Creating bias-free evaluation processes can help organizations mitigate the glass cliff by shutting down stereotypes and bias.

Measure and track progress. As the saying goes, what gets measured gets managed. Collecting data and tracking progress is also a great way to create accountability and transparency for diversity, equity and inclusion goals, both of which are essential for success.

It’s important to assess the disparity between demographic groups across all facets of the employee life cycle so you can evaluate what is working and what is not. For example, in analyzing performance appraisal and promotion data, it is important to consider whether rates of promotion are similar across demographic groups and whether the quality and amount of feedback is similar. Take it a step further and take an intersectional approach to the data, considering whether there may be disparities across more than one axis of identity.  Measuring and tracking progress can help to proactively identify challenges that could lead to a glass cliff scenario.

The bottom line

Restricting Black women’s advancement opportunities to times of poor organizational performance is not a sustainable business or diversity, equity and inclusion strategy. Organizations play a crucial role in ensuring that Black women have access to the same opportunities for development, advancement and leadership as white men. The glass cliff is not inevitable. We can make it an outdated notion.

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Trending Topic: Black Women and the Glass Cliff https://www.catalyst.org/event/webinar-black-women-and-the-glass-cliff-2/ Thu, 15 Aug 2024 15:00:00 +0000 https://www.catalyst.org/?post_type=tribe_events&p=437396 Catalyst continues the discussion of the phenomenon of promoting Black women to leadership roles during times of turmoil.

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Are companies setting up Black women in leadership roles to fail?

 

At our live, interactive screening of our webinar Black Women and The Glass Cliff (originally hosted on 15 February), we discussed the phenomenon of promoting Black women to leadership positions during times of turmoil.

The term glass cliff (coined in 2005 by Michelle K. Ryan and Alexander Haslam) is the idea that even when women reach the top of the corporate ladder, they do so during periods when the company experiences poor performance or turmoil, and thus their positions are inherently risky. When women of color, especially Black women, experience the glass cliff they face even more scrutiny, aggression, and lack of empathy, making it harder for them to perform at their full potential as leaders.

In this session, our panel of experts examined:

  • The origins of the glass cliff
  • Why organizations may be more likely to offer high-level positions to women in times of turmoil
  • The experiences of Black women in leadership roles with the glass cliff
  • Strategies that organizations can implement to support and retain Black women at every level

This watch session included a chat moderated by Kathrina Robotham, Jenn Wells, EdD and Danielle Shelton, Director, Talent Acquisition People & Culture.

Learn more about the glass cliff and women of color on our blog.

Read more insights from the webinar here.

Speakers

 

Janice Gassam Asare, PhD., DEI Consultant and Author of Decentering Whiteness in the Workplace

Prof. Farai Simoyi, Professor & Founder, The Narativ House

Jenn Wells, EdD, Organizational Change Consultant.

Moderator

Kathrina Robotham, Director, Research, Catalyst

For questions, please contact catalystevents@catalyst.org.

Catalyst is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

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Unlock Equity for Women of Color: 5 Strategies from Google https://www.catalyst.org/2024/04/04/unlock-equity-for-women-of-color-5-strategies-from-google/ Thu, 04 Apr 2024 15:36:42 +0000 https://www.catalyst.org/?p=401488 The gender pay gap (the difference between the earnings for men and women) for women of color is a serious obstacle to racial and gender equity. In the US, Black […]

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The gender pay gap (the difference between the earnings for men and women) for women of color is a serious obstacle to racial and gender equity. In the US, Black women and Latinas face the widest wage gap, according to Pew research, earning only 70% and 65% as White men based on median hourly earnings. White and Asian women earn 83% and 93% as much as White men, respectively. 1

With pay transparency laws changing across the US and UK, pay equity is now becoming a standard practice among leading organizations. More importantly, it is a key competitive differentiator for those looking to attract and retain key talent.

What causes this gender pay gap among women of color, and how can HR leaders and DEI practitioners work together to close it?

At the 2024 Catalyst Awards, Erin Souza-Rezendes, VP, Global Communications at Catalyst sat down with Google leaders Melonie Parker, Chief Diversity Officer and Rachel Spivey, Director of Retention & Progression (Stay & Thrive) Team to talk about how Google is creating pathways to pay equity for women of color.

Here are five lessons we learned:

  1. Make compensation analysis business-critical. Equity starts at the top, and ensuring that comp analysis is fundamental to your strategic priorities gives pay transparency the gravitas it deserves.
  2. Look at fairness holistically. Companies must invest in pay transparency to better understand the pay equity gap and do it continuously. Pay transparency is also just one component. Companies must also consider the role a person plays, their location, benefits, and other factors that could impact their pay.
  3. Identify moments where inequity may be reinforced—and do something about them. Melonie’s team looks at each step of the employee’s journey to identify moments or places that might create or compound inequity. For example, at each level, Google does a salary reset so that when team members enter the organization at different levels, that inequity doesn’t compound once they are promoted. Similarly, her team schedules its compensation analysis so it aligns with annual merit and promotion increases.
  4. Help team members understand the system. Many people take it for granted that employees understand performance evaluation systems and how salary bands and role expectations are structured. HR leaders and managers need to communicate how these systems work so employees can invest in the progression path that best suits their needs and lifestyle. Google takes this a step further with their Stay & Thrive program, which provides one-on-one guidance to employees, creating a process where an employee can feel heard and supported.
  5. Don’t just guide, advocate. Having a mentor to help guide you through critical career moments is important, but people also need advocates who have access to the right rooms and conversations. At Google, the Stay & Thrive team works across the organization to advocate for the employees in the program.

Endnote:

  1. Kochhar, R. (2023, March 1). The enduring grip of the gender pay gap. Pew Research Center.

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3 Career Lessons from Melonie Parker, Chief Diversity Officer, Google https://www.catalyst.org/2024/03/21/3-career-lessons-from-melonie-parker-chief-diversity-officer-google/ Thu, 21 Mar 2024 11:00:46 +0000 https://www.catalyst.org/?p=401295 Hear Melonie Parker's insights from a storied career and a legacy of change in the world of work.

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Named one of Savoy magazine’s 2023 “Most Influential Executives in Diversity & Inclusion,” Melonie Parker, Chief Diversity Officer, Google is a force for change. Today she leads a team that creates a positive ripple effect across the organization and technology industry.

At the recent Catalyst Awards, Melonie shared her path from a small town in North Carolina to the chief DEI role at the tech giant. Hers is a legacy of activism and groundbreakers. Melonie’s parents marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and her mother was the first Black bank teller in her town. She and her brother were also the first in their family to go to college. Three lessons that apply to us all stood out.

    1. Embrace your superpower. Melonie described the phenomenon of women of color toggling between hypervisibility and invisibility. When she was younger, she tried to “shave a little piece” off herself to avoid standing out and calling attention to herself. Today, she encourages people to find their superpower and embrace the value they “add in” to their team.
    1. Make the cookies. Early in her career, Melonie focused solely on delivering on her work and didn’t see the value in social events like cookie exchanges. A manager helped her understand that these were important networking events and that can help you expand your professional relationships.
    1. We make change together. Melonie encouraged everyone to resolve to become a change agent—collectively. She closed by saying that only by working together create the Catalyst Effect and improve inclusion in our workplaces.

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Breaking Down Barriers for Women of Color https://www.catalyst.org/2024/03/20/breaking-down-barriers-for-women-of-color/ Wed, 20 Mar 2024 18:01:39 +0000 https://www.catalyst.org/?p=401313 A conversation with Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President, Ariel Investments

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Melonie Parker, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Google recently sat down with Mellody Hobson, Co-CEO and President, Ariel Investments to hear Mellody’s story of rise within the corporate ranks and her hope for the future and women of color in leadership roles. This interview was shared as part of the 2024 Catalyst Awards.

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Transcript

00:00:13,555
Mellody, it’s so great to see you again. I still think fondly of when you came to Google a few years ago at our Women of Color conference, and then most recently, your lifetime achievement award with the Executive Leadership Council.

Congratulations again.

00:00:28,028
Thank you so much. I remember going to Google for that conference and being so excited to be there. Of course, having so much admiration for the company that has been built over all these years. And the ELC, if you get a lifetime achievement award are they telling you you’re old? But that was very, very exciting to be honored amongst so many senior leaders from Corporate America
who I admire.

00:00:49,257
You know what I took away from your remarks at the Executive Leadership Council gala was really how you inspire followership. And you gave such incredible kudos to your co-founder, John, and gave an incredible walk through of your career. And I thought it would be so fitting for our conversation today. If you could talk about your role as co-CEO of Ariel Investments. You’re the chairwoman of the board for Starbucks. What have you learned along the way? Who and what has led to such tremendous success?

00:01:22,499
Sure. I’ve talked a lot about growing up. I grew up in Chicago. I’m the youngest of six kids. My mother was a single mom. My siblings were much older than me, a couple of decades older. I was not planned and they told me that all the time. I’m the only Hobson. I have a different father than my siblings. And so I was this sort of misfit kid who was growing up in a circumstance that was challenging, often. I talk about the fact that we often got evicted or our phone disconnected or lights turned off, and that gave me a lot of focus. I became very, very focused on school because I felt that that was my best way to change my circumstances. Even as a child, I really knew and understood that. And it also ultimately led me to focus on the investment business because I was desperate to understand money. I wanted to understand how money worked. It wasn’t about having a lot. It was about how do I ensure that I am secure financially for the long term?And so I found my way to Ariel Investments, which was life changing as a summer intern —

00:02:23,893
Wow.

00:02:24,352
– when I was 19 years old between my sophomore and junior year at Princeton. And literally from that moment on, I knew what I was going to do. I came back to work at Ariel after I graduated from Princeton. I am the only person in my graduating class of 1,100 people who supposedly has the same work phone number for 33 years.

00:02:43,163
Wow.

00:02:44,247
Yes, I’ve had one job. The average American has 11 jobs in their lifetime. But I knew when I got there that this would be my home for a very, very long time. And it’s exceeded all of my expectations.

00:02:57,760
No, that level of focus and commitment like it’s inspiring and it makes me think about just the challenges as a woman of color and a leader. Like what specific challenges have you seen, have you faced and what words of wisdom
would you share?

00:03:14,027
One of my friends years and years ago who was on the board of Starbucks with me named Olden Lee, who was the head of HR for all of Pepsi. I was talking to him once about the challenges that we face as people of color and as women.

And he looked at me and he said, “Mellody, how long have you been black?”

“How long have you been a woman?” It sort of you know, underscoring
the point that the challenges – it starts very early. And you decide what you want to be. And I always had this perspective. I could be a victim or I could be a victor. And I wanted to be a victor. And so even though I knew there were many times when race or gender were being my words used against me, I did not allow that to happen. Now that doesn’t mean it wasn’t hard.

That doesn’t mean that sometimes I had challenges that kept me back, but I was always trying to find another way.

My husband always says to me, he says, “You’re the kind of person,
if there’s a brick wall, you look for loose bricks.”

I’m that person. I’m looking for loose bricks.

And so there were times when those walls did exist, but I just decided to, to be and do something else.

I mean, I’ve told so many stories about, you know, people asking me to take their coats when they got to Ariel or things like that.

No, I’m happy to do it.

But they just didn’t realize I was President.

00:04:32,230
Oh, yeah.

00:04:32,981
And so, you know, I would do it,  put the coat away and then come and sit in the room and there’d be a little bit of shock and awe in those early years because I wasn’t someone that people knew.

It was unexpected.

It says a lot also about –

00:04:44,742
It does.

00:04:45,326
– people’s mental models. And one of my goals in life has always been to break their mental models. That, whatever they thought I’m supposed to be, you’re supposed to be how we’re supposed to show up, that I could break that, which then allows the opportunity for them to think about people like me and you in a very different way, open up their minds to what is possible.

00:05:04,679
And like, when I think about the stories you know, that you’re telling now and the ones I’ve heard  you share over the years, one of the things that’s striking to me is that from the time you were a little girl, you were able to recognize that school and education, like, was a path forward.

So you’ve been navigating this journey for a long time. Like it didn’t just show up when you were at Princeton or when you interned, or when you came back to Ariel Investments. This is a lifetime of navigating and hitting against those walls. And I wonder what hope do you have for the future and for other women of color in leadership roles?

00:05:45,178
They say that in America we have optimism and hope as unique American characteristics –

00:05:51,100
Yeah.

00:05:51,684
and I think they are magnified in black people. I really do. I think that our expectations are not always as big as they could be just based upon the circumstances that we’ve come from and lived in.

But we always have this hope and belief that things will be better. There are lots of surveys that show that. And I think that’s one of the things when I think about all the things I do, I have great expectations for our society, for –

00:06:16,834
I do too.

00:06:17,293
– people who will come after me.

00:06:18,336
Yes.

00:06:18,711
Now that doesn’t mean we are there –

00:06:20,213
That’s right.

00:06:20,963
and we’ve had some setbacks.

00:06:21,839
Yes, we have.

00:06:22,590
Massive setbacks.

00:06:23,591
Yes.

00:06:23,966
But I do think that to the extent that we can continue to, again, break mental models, open up opportunities for others, do our job as well to carry us forward.

I think to the extent that that happens, there will be more Melonies and Mellody’s that can move in the world.

But there are too few of us. Our numbers are too small and we need to be more properly resourced to be able to go up against, the best and the brightest. And, and I think we have all of the talents, all of the skills.

You know, one of the things I say all the time, talent and genius do not discriminate.

00:07:00,878
That’s exactly right.

00:07:02,004
They actually show up in equal proportions. When you look in any ethnic community and gender as well. And so then the question is, what keeps that talent and genius from breaking out? It’s often the opportunities that are not there.

00:07:16,686
That’s right. And the safety that people feel in those environments to navigate, to network, to strive, because often I find that women of color can toggle between hyper-visibility and being invisible. But when you feel your experiences are accepted in that environment, you navigate that path a little bit better. Mellody, can you share how do you believe leaders should help continue to create safe and equitable workplaces for women?

00:07:47,008
I think a lot of things can be done. But in short, I have this saying that math has no opinion. The math tells the story. So first of all, you have to have people represented in the numbers that we are represented in society, and that has to be a goal. It’s not a quota. It’s a target. You’re targeting representation. I love Shonda Rhimes, who says she doesn’t like the word “diversity.” You would say,
“What do you mean by that?”  And she always talks about the fact that when you walk around a metropolitan city like San Francisco, like New York, Chicago, Atlanta, etc., you see all these diverse
people in the street, every walk of life, gender, race, etc. You go up into these towers and the buildings get whiter and whiter and more male. And the higher up you go, the more male, the more white. And she’s like, “Diversity? Normal is on the street. Not normal is in the tower.” So we really need to aspire to what we see when we’re walking around every single day being represented in our environments.

The other thing that I think is very important, okay, the numbers are one thing. Asking and including people in decision making and having their point of view is what really allows, I think, companies to have superpowers, to use diversity to their advantage. What ultimately helps them better understand their customer, better understand the people who work inside of their company and therefore lower their turnover. All sorts of opportunities to scale growth in their companies through diversity or diversity can be an edge.

00:09:14,136
Yes.

00:09:14,554
And I think that when people realize they’re acting in their own best interest, I think that they get more excited about the opportunities here as opposed to seeing this as some kind of chore. But you have to actually really believe it.

00:09:27,191
That’s right. You have to see talent as an asset, not just as an expense. And so how you view talent and how you create that environment for people to feel seen and heard and recognized and rewarded need all of those ingredients.

00:09:41,789
But also understanding that talent comes from all walks of life. It can come in all shapes and sizes, all forms. And if you have an idea of talent that does not allow you to look beyond a mental model that you have. I keep using that term over and over again. You are limiting your opportunities. And so therefore you want to you want to have the opportunity to have the best and brightest and be unconstrained in what that looks like. And to the extent that environments become very homogeneous, you know you’re not doing that.

00:10:11,444
Well it becomes such a clear marker, when you look around and there’s a very homogenous organization. It means that you probably need to go walk around a little bit more and figure out what do you need to add, not what do you need to fit into your environment.

00:10:25,499
Yes.

00:10:26,459
Thank you so much for your time today and this wonderful conversation.

00:10:30,129
Thank you for having me.

The post Breaking Down Barriers for Women of Color appeared first on Catalyst.

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Webinar Recording: Driving the Catalyst Effect: Women Leaders Cultivating Workplace Equity https://www.catalyst.org/research/webinar-recording-driving-the-catalyst-effect-women-leaders-cultivating-workplace-equity/ Thu, 07 Mar 2024 21:21:20 +0000 https://www.catalyst.org/?post_type=research_element&p=397645 In celebration of the 2024 International Women’s Day, watch an inspiring webinar highlighting women who are trailblazers in driving positive transformation in their workplaces and beyond.

The post Webinar Recording: Driving the Catalyst Effect: Women Leaders Cultivating Workplace Equity appeared first on Catalyst.

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Global gender parity will likely not be attained for 131 years, according to World Economic Forum projections. From bridging the wage gap to achieving representational parity in leadership roles, progress is stalled or even reversed. However, women continue to make history, signaling hope for accelerated change ahead.  

In celebration of the 2024 International Women’s Day, watch an inspiring webinar highlighting women who are trailblazers in driving positive transformation in their workplaces and beyond. These barrier-breaking changemakers will share their personal stories of leaders who helped shape their career and values, and how they empower other women, promote inclusion, implement ethical business practices, and redefine leadership. 

During this session, our speakers: 

  • Shared their personal leadership journeys and influences. 
  • Outlined specific policies and programs they’ve created to foster positive, equitable work cultures. 
  • Highlighted important lessons on empowering others and leading change as women. 

What you will learn: 

  • Actionable solutions to cultivate equity and how you can employ them to stay committed to DEI initiatives in the face of heightened resistance. 
  • Ways to become an ally and advocate to women facing systemic discrimination.  
  • How to lead initiatives addressing implicit bias, discriminatory policies, and inequitable practices in your own workplace. 
  • Best practices and actionable strategies centered on expanding opportunity for all women. 

At the end of this webinar recording, you will be galvanized to champion inclusion for women of all backgrounds. Whether you’re an aspiring leader or current manager, this webinar recording will equip you with new ideas to create an experience of belonging, advancement for women, and workplace cultures where every voice is valued.   

Speakers

Denine Das, Vice President, Global Inclusion, Scotiabank

Kalpana Arvind, CFO Audit, Managing Director and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion, KPMG

Paula Hornbaker, Product Executive, Catalyst and P&G Secondee

Zabeen Hirji, Executive Advisor, Future of Work, Deloitte, former Chief Human Resources Officer, RBC

Moderator

Julie Nugent, Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Services & Community, Catalyst

For questions, please contact catalystevents@catalyst.org.

Read more insights:

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