Written by Dr. Avina Ross & Danielle Nicholson
When we talk about racial disparities in education and employment, we’re not talking about abstract concepts or numbers on a spreadsheet. According to Goldman Sachs, “The data reveals that 40% of Black women in the United States have annual household incomes under $50,000, compared to 24% of U.S. adults who earn the same figure.”
We’re talking about the very real experiences of Black women who are forced to navigate spaces that were never designed for us. We’ve both been there — showing up, overly qualified, yet still struggling to be seen, heard, and valued. Despite having degrees, accolades, expertise, and experience, the challenges remain the same: prove yourself, over and over again, by working twice as hard to get half as far.
The Burden of Overqualification
It’s not uncommon for Black women to face the exhausting reality of having to overachieve just to be considered. It’s not that we enjoy collecting degrees or constantly seeking credentials; we need them to validate our presence in spaces that question our worth. Yet even after earning those accolades, we’re met with the same microaggressions and systems of oppression. We’re expected to be hyper-visible regarding scrutiny yet conveniently invisible when it’s time for promotions or fair compensation.
Despite being highly educated, we’ve been underpaid compared to our white peers with fewer qualifications. This isn’t just about the wage gap — it’s about being seen for our true value. Far too often, discussions about salary inequity are met with resistance or silence. Instead of addressing the disparity, leadership in corporate, government, education, and non-profit spaces frequently deflects, focusing on why we’re even talking about our salaries in the first place and implying we should just be grateful for what they give us in title and pay. This reinforces the systemic issues that keep Black women undervalued, underpaid, and harmed in the workplace.
Higher Education Isn’t the Equalizer It Pretends to Be
There’s a myth that education is the great equalizer, but let’s be real — higher education doesn’t level the playing field for Black women. While we’re fighting to get into these institutions, we’re also battling the invisible barriers that make it difficult to stay there. We graduate with degrees but also with mountains of debt. Meanwhile, many of our white counterparts leave school with not only the same degrees but without the financial burden that we carry for years, even decades after.
For those of us who manage to navigate higher education, it often feels like a constant test. We’re expected to assimilate into a system never meant for us, all while taking on the burden of representation. Some can’t even access higher education because the financial and systemic obstacles are too great. These disparities impact the individual and can limit the advancement of entire communities.
The Need for Systemic Change
The disparities in education and employment aren’t going to disappear on their own. What’s needed is a complete shift in how these systems operate. In education, this means rethinking the way we view mentorship, support, and the value of community knowledge. Higher education needs to move away from quantifying every achievement and start recognizing the experiences that students from marginalized backgrounds bring to the table.
In the workplace, this means reimagining leadership. It’s not enough to put a few Black women in leadership positions and call it progress. True representation means allowing us to show up fully and create spaces where our voices and perspectives are not only welcomed but needed. It means creating environments where Black women don’t have to compromise who they are to fit into roles, jobs, and workspaces.
Representation Matters — But It’s Only the Beginning
Representation is often treated as the end goal, but it’s just the starting point. When Black women are in leadership, we bring our whole selves to the work — our identities, experiences, histories, and vision for what can be. This matters not only for us but for those who come after us. It’s not enough to be the first or the only. True leadership means ensuring we’re not the last and leaving the door open for other Black women to thrive.
This is where real change happens. It’s not just about personal success but about paving the way for others. We understand the weight of being the “first” in so many spaces, but we also know it’s our responsibility to ensure that it doesn’t end with us. The work we do in leadership is about creating a legacy that allows other Black women to dream, stretch, grow, and thrive in safer and healthier ways than we could.
Moving Beyond Tokenism and Toward Real Change
Organizations must stop paying lip service to diversity and commit to real, structural change. Hiring one or two Black women won’t solve the problem if the systems in place continue to reinforce the status quo. Addressing racial disparities in education and employment means dismantling the systems that create and perpetuate those disparities in the first place. It also means creating environments for us to thrive and not just survive at work.This requires funders, organizations, and institutions to rethink how they invest in talent. Too often, the focus is on traditional credentials — degrees, experience, networks — while ignoring the lived experiences that often carry more weight in the communities we serve. Investing in people means seeing beyond what’s on paper and recognizing the value of diverse perspectives and experiences.
For real change to happen, organizations need to be willing to take risks, to trust the people who are doing the work on the ground. It means letting go of the comfort of familiar systems and practices to embrace new ways of thinking about leadership, success, and progress.
A Call to Men: A Commitment to Accountability, Equity, and True Community
At A Call to Men, the presence of women in leadership isn’t just encouraged—it’s essential. Women’s voices here don’t just add value; they shape our entire mission. According to a 2022 report conducted by Every Level Leadership, 66% of Black women respondents reported that they don’t feel emotionally safe in the workplace. Accountability means ensuring that women aren’t just part of the organization but that their voices lead, their experiences are valued, and they’re compensated fairly. This commitment runs deep, especially for our female colleagues who are survivors. We make sure they’re seen, respected, and uplifted.
Our male leaders show up as allies in every space. They pass the microphone, affirm our voices, and take on everyday tasks typically pushed onto women. They’re constantly learning, breaking from old norms, and setting a new standard for accountability and support.
For one of our colleagues, this culture was a revelation. As a Black woman, she never expected to find a workspace where she’d feel truly valued by a Black, male-identified supervisor. But here, her well-being, goals, and family are all genuinely respected. A Call to Men ditches white supremacist workplace norms in favor of true community, care, and fairness. This isn’t just a workplace; it’s a movement. A Call to Men stands for real equity, respect, and integrity—a space where everyone is celebrated, and accountability is lived out loud.
The Path Forward
Addressing racial disparities in education and employment isn’t just about acknowledgment — it requires action. The systems that have excluded Black women and other marginalized communities need to be reimagined from the ground up. Again, we need to create environments where Black women can thrive, not just survive. That starts with shifting the way we think about mentorship, representation, and investment.
We’ve always been here. Our value has always been clear. It’s time the world started recognizing that. But it’s not just about recognition — it’s about making sure the doors we open stay open and that the barriers we break down stay broken for those who come after us.
Actionable Takeaways:
- Mentorship with Shared Identities: Organizations and educational institutions must invest in mentorship programs where Black women and other marginalized individuals can be paired with mentors who share their identity. This creates an essential support system that fosters growth and prepares mentees for the challenges of navigating predominantly white spaces.
- Transparency in Pay and Value: Companies need to commit to pay transparency and equity audits. If Black women continue to be underpaid despite having equal or superior qualifications, it’s time to hold leadership accountable. Audits and open discussions about salaries can help address the racial and gender wage gap.
- Rethink Hiring Practices: It’s past time for organizations to rethink traditional hiring practices that overemphasize degrees and credentials. Instead, we must focus on lived experience, community-based knowledge, mission alignment, and leadership potential. This approach will create more opportunities for Black women and people with marginalized identities and experiences to rise.
For further reading on this issue, consider these articles:
- New Survey Data: Black Women in America Continue to Disproportionately Face Economic Hardship
- The Systemic Barriers Black Women Face in the Workforce
- Black Women Thriving Report: 2022
These resources highlight the systemic barriers Black women continue to face in education and employment, providing data and insights that add context to our experiences.