Has Anything Changed for Black Women at Work?

This year many companies made public commitments to fight racism in their workplaces. But what progress have these organizations made in the six months since the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black people furthered efforts toward racial justice? And how are these high-level promises and internal actions affecting individual women’s lives and careers?

We hear from four Black women about their goals, their work experiences over the last several months, and their concerns and hopes for the future. Then, we talk with an expert in diversity, inclusion, and belonging about the progress companies are (or aren’t) making, the type of support we can give women of color, and how they’re managing the exhaustion that comes with waiting and advocating for long-overdue change.

Guest:

Stephanie Creary is an identity and diversity scholar at Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Resources:

• “How to Be a Better Ally to Your Black Colleagues,” by Stephanie Creary
• “Is Your Company Actually Fighting Racism, or Just Talking About It?” by Kira Hudson Banks and Richard Harvey
• Race at Work, from HBR Presents
• “Even at ‘Inclusive’ Companies, Women of Color Don’t Feel Supported,” by Beth A. Livingston and Tina R. Opie
• “Women of Color Get Less Support at Work. Here’s How Managers Can Change That.” by Zuhairah Washington and Laura Morgan Roberts
• “Do Your Diversity Efforts Reflect the Experiences of Women of Color?” by Ruchika Tulshyan