The Immigrant Suitcase: Overweight with Inherited Blackness and Six Ways Your Organization Can Help to Offload This

Have you ever been overweight? And no, unlike the aunties who greet you with misplaced care after having not seen you in so long, I'm not talking about your physical anatomy. I'm talking about rolling your bag through the airport, filled to the brim, straining to keep up with the weight.?

Traveling through an airport, we pass strangers without a second thought, navigating a terminal filled with micro-moments that barely register in our memories. People wheel their suitcases without a second glance, oblivious to the weight they carry.

As a Kenyan woman immigrant and foreign-born worker in the United States, I’m discombobulated by a stark reality of ‘Othered’ dualities that I embody — flying overweight, navigating the turbulence of prejudice and expectations.

I've pondered deeply about sharing this narrative, but showing up 'authentically' to work means embracing the elements of ourselves that we all don’t have the luxury to turn off or hide. Humor me, and sit through this metaphorical layover, so that your empathy can stretch out to the countless immigrants, Black women, and diverse staff members on your team who are/have been navigating similar battles.?

The Alienation of a Resident Alien?

In my maternal homeland of Kenya, the streets are filled with a haunting emptiness, where the mournful cries of broken dreams have replaced the echoes of resistance led by Gen Zers. The youth, my peers, frantically rally against the suffocating grip of corruption and economic disenfranchisement. Tear-streaked youthful faces blend with the blood-soaked streets as the weight of injustice settles upon the shoulders of ‘soft life baddies’ turned into political activists. The relentless battle for a better future transforms our homes into seething cauldrons of rage and frustration, where every corner echoes with the clashing of ideals and the pounding of clenched fists.

“But, you live in America, no?”

?The uncertainty of the political climate and the looming primary elections means that as a foreign worker in the United States, my time here is tenuous. The endless bureaucracy and legal hurdles of working towards residency status, with wait times that stretch years — decades for Indian, Chinese, and other immigrants with per-country limits and annual quotas — amplify the feeling of being an outsider, never fully belonging to either world;?

From Africanah to Americanah: Say Her Name

In America, my journey is marked by another struggle: the inheritance of a caste system fraught with structural inequities, and the weight of misogynoir , the unique blend of racism and sexism faced by Black women.

Her death is a painful reminder and trigger, highlighting that the omnipresent peril for Black women infiltrates our very homes, rendering our whispered pleas for safety tragically futile. To endure, we must contort our humanity, molding ourselves to survive in a world that consistently denies our full existence.

“But, you’re not American!”

Though I am not a descendant of chattel slavery, and thus walk a different historical and cultural path, the bullets recognize my phenotype and do not differentiate.?

My blackness, unmoored by the direct legacy of American slavery, still attracts the same ferocity and scorn — And though the lion roars ferociously as the king of the jungle, its emblematic presence on my Kenyan passport has not shielded me from staring down the barrel of a gun.

Current circumstances are a harsh reminder that the weight we carry is not always visible, much like a suitcase whose heaviness you can't gauge from sight alone. This is all while other tragedies linger in the background, compounding the sense of unease and insecurity.

Allow us to unmask the typecast label of ‘strong’, and treat us as though we are fragile because we are. Bend at the knees to embrace the fullness of our vulnerability, acknowledging that we need support to endure and thrive.

Six Ways You and Your Organization Can Support Your Team Mates

Tragedies like these often paralyze our sense of what to do or how to support. I write these as tangible suggestions, having spoken to peers and friends of similar plights. We are more than just warriors. And so, to create a more inclusive and supportive environment, organizations can take the following steps to acknowledge that their diverse staff are more than just warriors who simply have to persevere in silence:

1. Hold Space and Actively Acknowledge

??No one’s asking or expecting you to have all the answers. Sometimes, holding space and genuinely listening can be the most powerful support. Create an environment where employees feel safe to share if they choose to, but also recognize that they don't have to. Regularly check in with simple, caring questions such as "Have you eaten?" "What self-care practices are you doing?" and "Is there a way I can support you?" This helps to foster a culture of empathy and connection.

2. Provide Mental Health Resources

Offer and encourage access to mental health services that cater to the specific needs of diverse employees, recognizing the additional stressors they may face. Partner with mental health professionals specializing in racial trauma to offer culturally competent care.

For instance, organizations like Therapy for Black Girls or the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation provide tailored mental health support for Black women and other minorities.

3. Respect Personal Boundaries

??Understand that Black women do not have to show up online and be present in every situation. Respect their need for privacy and personal space, and recognize that their absence does not equate to a lack of engagement or commitment. Allow flexible participation in meetings and events, providing the option to contribute asynchronously if preferred. Give room for us to ‘clock out’ of our mammy caricature.??

4. Establish ERGs and Affinity Spaces

Encourage the establishment of employee resource groups (ERGs) and affinity spaces where diverse employees can seek support and build community within the organization. These groups should receive leadership backing and adequate resources to operate effectively. Even if you are not a member of a specific community, you can still champion the existence of these spaces.

5. Acknowledge Intersectionality

Understand that Black women face unique challenges at the intersection of race and gender, which can significantly affect their experiences and needs in the workplace. Intersectionality considers the overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage, such as race, gender, sexuality, and class. Address these challenges by including comprehensive intersectionality training in your recurrent staff training to educate all employees about the compound effects of multiple forms of discrimination. Additionally, conduct workshops that explore real-world scenarios and the unique experiences of individuals who face intersecting forms of bias. For instance, a training session could simulate the compounded stress a Black woman might face when dealing with both racial microaggressions and gender bias, highlighting the necessity for nuanced support systems.

6. Address Health Implications

Recognize that racism has direct health implications on Black women, contributing to stress, anxiety, depression, and other health issues. Research indicates that experiences of racial discrimination are associated with increased risk for chronic diseases such as hypertension, gastrointestinal disorders, and cardiovascular disease. Provide support and resources to address these challenges, such as stress management workshops, access to healthcare professionals who specifically address racial trauma, and wellness programs tailored to the needs of racially marginalized groups. With this goal in mind, making adjustments to the sick leave policy to include mental health days fosters inclusiveness among all staff, regardless of their diverse backgrounds.?

Unpacking the Suitcase

The journey is long, and the suitcase is heavy, so perhaps today, you can extend your hand out in one of the aforementioned ways or otherwise to balance the load.?

You may ask: why does this matter for my organization? Simply put, it trickles down to your bottom line and staff can’t show up as workers before they show up as themselves.?

Yet, in the midst of this, there is hope in the actions we can take together to enhance psychological safety amongst our peers.

This morning, I steeped my tea bag a little longer, letting gratitude mix with my boiling fury.?

Even in 2024, we still can't breathe…but we persist. Yet we rise [opens email inbox].

#ImmigrantStories #BlackWomen #SonyaMassey #Misogynoir #PsychologicalSafety

The opinions expressed herein are solely my own and do not reflect the views or positions of any entity or organization that I am affiliated with. Any statements or comments made are based on my personal perspective and should not be construed as representing the opinions, policies, or positions of any associated institutions.