Lelani Clark’s Post

🛠️ It’s time to break barriers and create workplaces where Black women thrive. Understanding key concepts like intersectionality, the concrete ceiling, glass cliff, and intersectional invisibility is the first step toward dismantling the unique challenges they face. How will you, as a leader, manager, or HR professional, take action? Let’s build a more inclusive and equitable future together. 💼 #WorkplaceEquity #DEI #SupportBlackWomen #InclusiveLeadership

Powerful lessons in understanding black women’s workplace challenges.

💼 It's time to expand our vocabulary and deepen our understanding of Black women's experiences in the workplace. I'm about to school you on some important terms every leader, manager, HR, DEI, and Wellbeing pro should know: 📚 Essential Glossary: Understanding Black Women's Workplace Challenges 📖 Intersectionality Coined by Kimberlé Crenshaw, intersectionality highlights how social identities like race and gender overlap, creating intertwined systems of discrimination. For Black women, it's not just about gender OR race separately - it's both amplified together, resulting in unique, compounded forms of disadvantage that can't be fully captured by looking at either identity alone. 🔄 🧱 Concrete CeilingUnlike the glass ceiling, which women generally face, Black women encounter the concrete ceiling—an even tougher, nearly impenetrable barrier to career advancement. Breaking through requires extraordinary effort and resilience, making it a harsher reality in corporate spaces. 🚨 Glass Cliff When Black women finally ascend to leadership roles, it’s often during a crisis. They’re handed roles with high risk and low support; if things go wrong, they are blamed. This is the glass cliff, where failure is almost built into the role. 👁️ Intersectional Invisibility Black women often feel both hyper-visible(constantly under scrutiny) and invisible (their contributions overlooked). They don’t fit the stereotypical image of a “leader” or “professional,” leading to them being ignored or undermined while their every move is still intensely scrutinised. 💡 These terms represent real obstacles faced by Black women in the workplace. Now that you're familiar, how will you dismantle these barriers? It’s time to take action and create a space where Black women can thrive.

I couldn't agree less with this post on how black female leaders face unique challenges due to the intersectionality of race and gender, which affects their induction into leadership roles and subjects them to heightened scrutiny. This scrutiny often forces them to be hypervigilant and over-explain their decisions and actions, as every move they make is questioned. They are saddled with navigating systemic biases and stereotypical labeling making their journey to and within leadership roles particularly complex. #Leadership #Diversity #Inclusion #Intersectionality #BlackFemaleLeaders #EquityInLeadership

A 2022 report from Black Women Thriving (BWT) highlights that a whopping 66% of Black women report not feeling emotionally safe at work. “While I wasn’t surprised by that statistic, it was profound to hear that while Black women may feel they have colleagues they can confide in, they don’t feel those colleagues will actually stand up for them when the moment calls for it,” said Ericka Hines, a DEI advisor and strategist who founded BWT. Lean In’s report, The State of Black Women in Corporate America, released in 2020, sheds more light on the disconnect between self-proclaimed allyship and Black women’s true experience at work: “More than 80% of white women and men say they see themselves as allies to people of color at work. But less than half of Black women feel that they personally have strong allies at work — and barely a quarter think it’s mostly accurate that Black women have strong allies in their workplace.” https://lnkd.in/gHPPB9sd

The pervasive angry Black woman stereotype deeply affects the workplace experiences of Black women, who, despite comprising nearly 7% of the workforce, remain underrepresented in leadership roles. This stereotype, rooted in history and perpetuated by media, shapes perceptions both personally and in our organizations. This study sheds light on a concerning pattern: when Black women express emotions like disappointment or frustration at work, they're often unfairly linked to character flaws, unlike their peers who are assessed based on the circumstances surrounding their emotions, not their personality. I find myself ever-mindful that how I convey my ideas, how I express disagreement, or even how I display joy is measured on a different scale than others – and that there are implications for my career, my reputation, and the perception of those who look like me. But there's hope for change. Organizations can proactively address this by recognizing the issue, promoting empathy, and intentionally challenging stereotypes. Let's be attentive in every room we enter, striving to create an environment where stereotypes hold no sway. Together, we can foster a workplace and a world that celebrates diversity, inclusivity, and the richness of individual expression without bias.

How can businesses and colleagues be effective allies to Black employees year-round? Sojourner Truth asked in 1851, “Ain’t I a woman?”—a plea for Black women and all marginalized people to be seen as human. Over a century later, we’re still asking: Aren’t we all human? True equality benefits everyone. When businesses lead with genuine inclusion and respect, all employees—regardless of race—can thrive. It’s not just about the steps businesses must take; it’s about building systems that create a better future. The time for passive reflection has passed. Action is overdue. Change must start with leadership. The conversation isn’t only about how Black employees are treated anymore—it’s about facing the truth that everyone suffers when inequality prevails. Racism, sustained by systems of power built on fear and division, harms us all. The solution has been clear for centuries. The real question is: When will those in power act? #BlackHistoryMonth #LinkedInNewsUK

How Black Women go from being The Office Pet to Company Threat. The "pet to threat" phenomenon is a troubling dynamic that many Black women face in workplaces across the Western World. Initially, they might be celebrated and supported as promising newcomers—which is often referred to as the "pet" phase. During this period, they receive mentorship and positive attention, which is often driven by a combination of novelty, diversity initiatives, and the low threat they pose to the established order. Black women are frequently praised for their potential and the fresh perspectives they bring to the table, creating a seemingly supportive environment. However, as these women begin to excel, rise through the corporate or business ranks and assert themselves, transitioning from having potential to actual achievers, the perception of them shifts which is where the "threat" phase begins

Reflection: Reconsidering Allyship. Reading Ronke's comments has prompted me to reflect on my perception of Allyship. As someone who is committed to my anti-racism journey, though acknowledging that it is very much a learning journey, I find myself concerned about the evolving perception of allyship. Originally, the concept of allyship aimed to emphasize the collective responsibility in addressing racism, equity, and inclusion. It underscored that these issues are not solely the burden of marginalised communities but rather a shared concern for all, demanding active participation in fostering change. However, it seems that somewhere along the way, the essence of allyship has been distorted. I have worked with a range of fantastic organisations who show a genuine commitment to positive and authentic change, however too often, I have also seen allyship become a shield behind which individuals hide from the true depth of the problem. It's disheartening to witness people engaging in performative actions, merely to fulfil the label of an ally, without truly committing to meaningful change. Upon reflection, I wonder whether part of this issue stems from the way allyship is conferred. Can we truly consider ourselves allies to communities we don't represent? Should we grant ourselves the status of allyship if we haven't experience first-hand the challenges and struggles of those we claim to support? Perhaps, the status of allyship should be bestowed, not assumed. Moving forward, I believe it's imperative for us to re-evaluate our understanding of allyship and actively work towards genuine solidarity and support. Let's strive to listen, learn, and uplift the voices of those most affected by systemic injustices. Only through collective and authentic action can we truly drive positive change. I would welcome anyone reading this to join me in this reflection and engage in constructive dialogue on how we can redefine and reinforce the true principles of allyship. #allyship #antiracism #equality #inclusion #socialjustice #reflection.

Spot on. I wish some who get diversity training certifications would dig deeper and take a critical look at themselves and the ways in which they might negatively contribute to this, before harmful situations that could have been prevented occur. I know it can be difficult to understand when something isn’t your own lived experience, but simply being open to how you can best support your staff and team members who don’t identify as you do, shows you at least care about the very thing you were trained in. And to find someone, outside of your immediate work circle that adds to your comfort, who cares, to help hold you accountable for doing the work you spent time learning how to do should (in theory) stretch you for the better.