Sharing My Voice: Reflections from A Black Woman Racial Equity and Justice Practitioner Showing Up on LinkedIn

So it is better to speak

remembering

we were never meant to survive.

Audre Lorde, Excerpt from A Litany for Survival

The professional archetype has always been strange to me.? The appearance, language, physical environment and social norms never harmonized with my body and how I authentically move in the world.??

I remember when I was interviewing for IT jobs right out of college.? I was feeling discouraged.? I felt prepared and had engaging conversations with employers.??But, I received no offers.? My boss at the time said I should wear a wig to hide my natural hair.? I was hurt by this suggestion.? I questioned my appearance.??

Was it really my hair?? Probably.? Or, it may have been something else.? I never received real, honest feedback.? This is a real on-going mind replay that many Black women have in their heads as they navigate finding a job.

LinkedIn feels like that same moment over 20 years ago.? I get on the platform and I see a digital form of the norms that don’t seem to welcome how I authentically move in the world.??

And, so what? My community and team urged me to share my thoughts and work anyway.? But, I still could not bring myself to engage.

I began to contemplate what was stopping me from sharing and showing up.? I show up on other platforms.? A couple of things came up for me.

During journal time, I responded to the following questions:

• What is stopping me from sharing my voice??
• What is blocking my throat??
• Who do I wish heard me?

Big tears began to fall.

The word “protection” came forward as a theme after all the tears and all that I wrote.

I personally know Black women fighting for racial equity and justice that are berated, ridiculed for their words describing their experiences.? And, these same Black women have received death threats.

I want to be protected.? They need to be protected.

I also longed to be heard and protected by my father.??

The healing for me is acknowledging the real fear of not being protected, ? And, sharing my voice freely in space whether others think I belong there or not.??

So, I am here sharing. This is my first step.??

What can you expect from me?

• At the end of 2022, I shared harmful practices that impede understanding, embracing and embodying racial equity.? I will share potential antidotes.
• I will share how my team and I at CommunityBuild Ventures are creating a pro-Black culture by providing an insider view of how we build community with each other.
• I will lead a monthly live series, So You Think You Know Racial Equity, to unpack 10 competencies to center racial equity.
• I will demonstrate learning in public by providing a monthly book report.

So, stay tuned.? I am here.?

Natasha is an award winning racial equity practitioner and philanthropist. She provides community and heart-centered conversations and experiential learning opportunities to help leaders and organizations understand, embrace and embody racial equity.

#proBlack #workplaceculture #success #vulnerability #openness #racialequity #racialjustice #insideCBV #DEI