Minute Media’s Post

Breaking Barriers: Empowering Black Girls to Climb the Corporate Ladder Discover how the perception of feminine blackness is being challenged as we discuss the importance of representation in the corporate world. Join us as we delve into the struggles and triumphs faced by black women and empower the next generation to shatter glass ceilings. #BreakingBarriers #EmpoweringBlackGirls #ClimbingCorporateLadder #RepresentationMatters #BlackExcellence #GlassCeilingBreakers #CorporateWorldDiversity #EmpoweredWomen #BlackGirlMagic #FutureLeaders

Check out this article written by our VP of Community Engagement, Lina Juarbe Botella 🧡

Did you know there are both racist and classist factors that contribute to the way we think about gender based violence, and why we tend to distance ourselves from other people's experience of it? In her article “Do All Lives Really Matter?”, activist and diversity expert Dihanne Rhiney notes that “[g]ender, race, and class are all indicators that influence who society views as a victim.” She’s referring to “Missing White Woman Syndrome,” characterized by Dr. Anita Thomas as “being much more frail, that sense of femininity and emotionality.” And it’s true that white women have weaponized the “White Woman” stereotype —historically at a literally lethal cost to others. As Rhiney goes on to point out, “Black women are less likely to be believed and supported. The few reports have found that Black girls are perceived to be more independent, more knowledgeable about sex, and in less need of protection”. This perception is supported in the way white women mimic Black culture when they want to sound tough, as though adopting a wildly racist and classist trope imbues some kind of street cred, i.e., power. Because, despite that perceived frailness and vulnerability inherent in White Woman Syndrome — even when it’s weaponized — literally no woman, regardless of skin color or socioeconomic background, wants to be perceived as a “victim”, as though this word is even more insulting than any of the other epithets hurled at us. Being a victim is weaponized against all of us too. Women are often accused of turning against each other and of course they do, when we’re all struggling to be heard for our very survival in a Hunger Games patriarchy where only a very few of us are “rewarded” with “protection," e.g., police, when we’re heard. But that protection is just part of the moving goalposts that serve only to subjugate and restrict behavior. Because there’s more than one common thread here, the first and most obvious being skin color, the second being cultural background, followed by socio-economic background (how often have you seen GBV stats for homeless women? for working class poor women? for women from deep rural areas like Appalachia?) But the one unifying thread is gender: women who are killed because they are women (inclusive of women who have transitioned). It’s about being heard, and about the receivers caring about what’s being said. It’s deeply tied to women’s voices, tone policing, the “angry Black woman” syndrome (which in this context is almost the direct counterpart to “missing white woman syndrome”). It’s a spectrum of dismissed voices, that can join together in chorus, or drown each other out in desperation. It’s about our cultures that tell us women’s voices — when we ask for help, when we demand to be heard — are whiney, shrill, harsh, too angry, too high, too low, too ghetto, too posh, too uncomfortable to actually listen to, because then we might just have to get up and do something.

Our latest blog is up! Walk with us as we unpack misogynoir, a coin termed in 2008 by Moya Bailey to describe the unique experiences of discrimination that black women face due to the intersection of race and sexuality. We must continue to have this discussion because nowadays misogynoir is shown often through microaggressions and subtle forms of discrimination that are harder to pinpoint, but cause harm all the same. We all say we want more fair workplaces, community gatherings, homes, etc., yet many people choose ignorance over acknowledgment, denial over safe spaces, and cliches over meaningful action. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/g-xNUeNB Blog by Sabrina Ali #misogynoir

Just the other day, I read a post from someone running a biz similar to mine, GenderBend Consulting, LLC. They mentioned how their company had taken a massive hit thanks to all the anti-trans #legislation and negativity around DEI efforts. Hearing that broke my heart because it's also a big reason why I took down my website and have mostly been working with repeat clients or word-of-mouth referrals. My business declined so sharply that I'm hesitant to even relaunch the site. It's a shame that hatred and bigotry are depriving LGBTQIA+ folx of our livelihoods. But that's the ugly truth we're dealing with. We all know Pride Month is almost here - rainbows everywhere, brands tripping over themselves to show how "inclusive" they are. But let me be clear... When you throw some Pride decorations up in June while you've stayed silent the other 11 months, you're not an ally. You're a fair-weather friend looking for a quick PR win. We're human beings, not a marketing gimmick. For many of us, especially the trans community, the past few years have been an absolute nightmare. Anti-trans legislation is spreading like wildfire, and the hatred feels more intense than ever before. I'm talking about bills that literally criminalize us for existing. We don't get to take a break from being who we are once Pride's over. We live our reality 24/7, 365. The fear of violence, the constant fight to maintain basic human rights. It's exhausting. So, if you really want to celebrate Pride, do more than just slap a rainbow on your logo. Speak up, loudly and consistently, against anti-LGBTQ+ hate and discrimination. Use your platforms, your voices, and your wallets to drown out the bigots trying to drag us back to the closet. Use your corporate clout to lobby against discriminatory laws. For many of us, existing as our authentic selves is an act of defiance and courage. The least you can do is have our backs, for real. 🌟🌟🌟NOTE: If you're a past client, I'm totally down to work together again. And if any companies or organizations want me to speak, join a panel discussion, fireside chat, or Q&A for Pride Month - just say the word. But be prepared for me to inquire about what you'll be doing the rest of the year. #PrideMonth2024 #LGBTQIA #GenderIdentity #SexualOrientation #Corporations #DEI #Allyship

I recently found a fantastic infographic that would be perfect to include in our company's DEI training. Kudos to the creators - Marissiko Wheaton-Greer, Ph.D. & Jenn Wells, EdD for this insightful work! Seeing great content go uncredited reminded me of the importance of safeguarding our creative assets. As a marketing professional, ensuring proper attribution and protecting intellectual property are crucial aspects of our work. Here are some strategies to ensure proper attribution: ➡️Effective Watermarking • Opacity and Transparency: Semi-transparent watermarks that blend seamlessly. • Layered Watermarks: Difficult to remove without affecting the visual quality. • Repeating Patterns: Tiled watermarks across the entire infographic. • Key Area Embedding: Placed over critical content areas. ➡️Additional Tips •Metadata Embedding: Include ownership information in the file metadata. •Reverse Image Search: Monitor the web for your infographics. •Consistent Branding: Make your work easily recognizable. Protecting our work ensures we get the credit we deserve. Let’s keep sharing and celebrating great content while maintaining its integrity! #DEI #mentalhealth #branding #informationsecurity

Yesterday, somebody assumed and then insisted, I must be on the same grade as them, (I am not and they are two grades above). I am really tempted to forward this infographic by way of explanation as this cycle has happened in all of the companies I have worked in. I am so familiar with it, I have effective resilience strategies for each phase and can significantly reduce my time spent in "Burn Out" and "Grin and Bear it". One of the most effective tools for my wellbeing is my network of sponsors, champions and mentors. I go to them for support, to build resilience and to navigate fast to where I can be "Optimistic Employee" as long as possible. However the biggest difference working at my current company has been the implementation of the "Advancing Justice & Equity" Plan over the last four years https://lnkd.in/eXJXJm5m. The companies commitment to my personal development through the Black LeadHERership program and the opportunity to be supported, held, comforted, challenged and inspired by our Employee Network Group "Harambee - Black, Empowered and Engaged". The network of colleagues who are committed to inclusion, diversity and equity across the business makes Jacobs a company like no other and I am proud to work with such a wide level of cognitive diversity and intention. MY advice for other women is to choose larger companies with visible commitment to inclusion. Navigate internally to other roles, notice the cycle but use your network and resilience to build your optimism and don't be disheartened. Surround yourself with the colleagues who support your optimism and maintain your levels of empathy for yourselves and for others. We are all going through "something". Empathy for yourself first then others will help you gain perspective and interrupt this cycle. I have found my NVC training helps enormously with negative self talk. Whatever is going on I am grateful every day for my privilege of being right here, right now, exactly where I am!

This is a perfect example of what is is like being a Black Women in a workplace that does not value or properly know how to develop Black talent. The low offers, as compared to our non-black coworkers, when you begin employment. The optimistic attitude when we settle in the workplace and start doing free labor under the guise of wanting to "change the company culture". The burnout you feel when it seems like all of your colleagues are being promoted while you are getting criticized for 'not having tact'. Then comes the stressful decision of should you leave and protect your mental health or should you stay and accept your fate? Well done Marissiko Wheaton-Greer, Ph.D. and Jenn Wells, EdD for summarizing the plight of Black Women. I hope this graphic can be used in training workshops or lectures in the future.

This!!! All of this. As a mental health clinician with a special affinity for DEI, this info graphic is nailing the details on this sad cycle. 

There’s no denying the fact that, no matter your racial identity, being a woman in the workplace is tough. The fact of the matter is though, being a Black woman in the workplace is even tougher. Why? Because not only are they subjected to gender-driven microaggressions, they’re also being subjected to racial ones. As all women know, the reason we call the negative gender-based actions previously mentioned ‘microaggressions’ is because they’re often small, subtle and difficult to pinpoint. The aggressiveness of these actions lies in the fact that many women feel they’d be seen as ‘overdramatic’ for flagging them, meaning the perpetrator keeps all the control and the sufferer is left to deal with the feeling of being undermined. Often delivered in a ‘well-meaning,’ not overtly aggressive way, microaggressions are their own form of gaslighting. For Black women, this experience is only more concentrated, as they suffer for both their gender and race. Have you experienced this? DM us below TikTok via #cdt416 #breakingnewstt #tokinism #workplacewellness #workplaceculture #microaggressions #workplacebullying #jalonhall #microaggressions #microaggressive #microaggressionsintheworkplace #workplacemicroaggressions