Breaking Barriers, Women’s History Month
"I am a woman / Phenomenally / Phenomenal woman / That’s me." — Maya Angelou
Happy Women's History Month, everyone! I'm feeling so grateful as we transition out of such an impactful Black History Month, filled with powerful conversations, sharing our stories, and celebrating for the first time in many years at Trinidad Carnival. And now it's already March! The celebration of Women's History Month and International Women's Day is our chance to honor the incredible achievements and contributions of women throughout history. From trailblazers who fought for equality and women's rights to pioneers in various fields such as science, politics, art, and business, women who have held down the homefront and women who have held down the workfront. Women who have been integral to building communities. Women who have broken barriers that were built specifically to exclude them. All women. Everywhere. Let's celebrate US!
We have made significant strides in the workplace over the years, but inequities still persist for women. Despite advancements in gender equity (the process we use to achieve equality), women continue to face challenges such as the gender pay gap, limited opportunities for advancement to leadership positions, and biases in hiring and promotion decisions. Additionally, women remain underrepresented in top executive roles, board positions, and especially senior management, reflecting systemic barriers that hinder both access and progress.
There are a host of reasons to have more women in leadership. Women bring unique perspectives and qualities to the table, such as empathy, collaboration, and resilience. Women bring access to new clients and new revenue streams. By recognizing and promoting women to leadership positions, we not only honor their accomplishments but also inspire future generations of women to pursue their dreams and break down barriers.
But the biggest reason? Because it's fair. It's fair to ensure that fully qualified women can succeed on an equal playing field with the men with whom they work. If we aren't willing to ensure that, then why are we even doing this work?
As we enter this Women's History Month, let's now and always support, uplift, and empower women. While acknowledging the progress made let's also recognize the work still to be done in achieving gender equality in organizations across all industries and sectors for all generations to come. Take a look at some suggestions below for your organization to get involved this month.
3 Ways to Celebrate Women's History Month
1. Organize a Women's History Month event: Host a panel discussion, guest speaker, or workshop focusing on women's empowerment, leadership, or historical achievements. This can be a great opportunity for networking and learning.
2. Follow some gender equity experts: Share them with the people in your organization. There are many out there and I want to highlight my friends Blessing Adesiyan, Katica Roy, and Shelley Zalis. Spend just twenty minutes a day reading and sharing their posts and learn a lot more about what we need to do to make gender equity a reality.
3. Volunteer or donate: Consider organizing volunteer activities or donation drives to support organizations that focus on women's issues, such as women's shelters, mentorship programs, or educational initiatives.
Do the work
This week, I commit to educating myself about gender biases and inequalities that exist in the workplace, and supporting initiatives that aim to promote gender equity, such as mentorship programs for women, gender pay analyses, and policies that promote work-life balance.
Spread the word
If you want to keep going
How to Build an Inclusive Workplace That Works for Women
The work of change starts with each of us. But how can we as women continue to design inclusive spaces centered on belonging, equity, and success? That's where this program enters.
This interactive workshop focuses on actions each of us can take individually, and as part of our law firm community, to build an equitable workplace. How can we re-examine the barriers to success for women lawyers and work to eliminate them? How can we ensure that authentic diversity - the utilization of differences for success - serves as the centerpiece of our firm? And crucially, how can we ensure we get buy-in for every part of this work from the allies who can promote real change - including each other?
Join me for this one-of-a-kind design-centered workshop. We start with bias and how bias prevents equity, inclusion, and belonging at work. Then we each identify the barriers we have experienced and witnessed in our careers. Next, we re-examine those barriers as we determine the root causes of different challenges in the legal workplace. After that, we learn how to build easy-to-adopt habits that can lead to sustainable change using solutions that you propose. Then, I'll work with you on how to obtain buy-in from your leadership based on whatever role you have in the firm. Finally, we will talk about to center your values so you can succeed with this community of law firm leaders.
Are you ready to lead change for good? Then join me in this forward-thinking conversation on how to achieve success in a transformed workplace that works for all of us.
