It’s no secret that the tech industry has a diversity problem. Dr. Dédé Tetsubayashi, a product equity, inclusion and tech ethicist, joins to discuss how the lack of representation within tech adversely impacts product equity and user experiences, and how tech companies can be more inclusive. Dr. Dédé also shares how she educates and empowers individuals, groups, and communities through incluu , a Black-woman-owned consultancy transforming organizations to be more inclusive in product design and...
Dec 21, 2021•41 min•Ep. 54
From a newly immigrated nanny to CEO, Jackie Glenn has embraced life’s challenges with boldness and humility, always being true to herself and giving back to those who come after her. It’s this commitment to helping others, which led Jackie to write her instructional biography, Lift As I Climb: An Immigrant Girl’s Journey Through Corporate America . Jackie discusses how she climbed her way up the corporate ladder and the character gems that brought her and other immigrants professional success i...
Dec 14, 2021•48 min•Ep. 53
Women of color face unique gender and racial barriers to their professional advancement and are less likely to move into leadership roles. In today’s bonus episode, we speak to the women of The FLI Collective, a lifestyle podcast that deals with the experiences of being first generation and low income in academia. We examine some of these challenges and discuss strategies for advancing women of color, including when we should pursue stretch opportunities and how we lead and bring others along wi...
Dec 09, 2021•55 min•Ep. 52
Stuck on how to turn your passion project into so much more? After more than a decade in accounting and finance at companies like Morgan Stanley, Viacom, and Johnson & Johnson, Beth Diana Smith left her six-figure salary and the corporate world to launch her own interior design firm, Beth Diana Smith Interior Design . Her style is modern and eclectic with luxurious finishes and custom furnishings. Above all, her work is client-centric as she helps each homeowner hone in on their own style an...
Dec 07, 2021•34 min•Ep. 51
With rising costs of living, steadily increasing debt, and stagnant wages, middle class Americans may find themselves living paycheck to paycheck. But is there even a Black middle class? Imari Smith, a doctoral student in Duke University’s Joint Program in Sociology and Public Policy, argues that the Black middle class is a “subaltern middle class”, just one tier of a marginalized group. The Black middle class has never reaped the benefits of their middle class status and continue to be subjecte...
Nov 30, 2021•47 min•Ep. 50
Every year women perform thousands of hours and trillions of dollars of unpaid work. You’ve likely heard of the invisible daily household work women perform, but what about unpaid community activism performed by Black and Brown women? Dr. Nina Banks, an associate professor of economics at Bucknell University, argues that this collective activism places additional burdens on women of color that often go unrecognized and uncompensated. Through recognizing how Black women challenge racial oppressio...
Nov 23, 2021•44 min•Ep. 49
Many employers require their employees to follow workplace dress codes. Employers can regulate employees’ clothing, makeup, hairstyles, nails, and more. Your employer might even be able to regulate your weight. Although the line between discriminatory and simply burdensome may seem blurry, today, Professor Stacy Hawkins, Vice Dean and Professor of Law at Rutgers Law School, joins to explain just how far a company dress code can go before crossing into unlawful discrimination. Find links and show...
Nov 16, 2021•35 min•Ep. 48
After spending over a year working from home, returning to the office and readjusting to your company dress code can be challenging. Today, Doreen Pierre, a Brooklyn based fashion writer, visual content creator, and events producer chats about how restrictive dress codes inhibit us from bringing our true Selves to work. Doreen’s work centers people of color and queer communities and has been featured in The Huffington Post, Buzzfeed, Virgin Media, DapperQ and more. Find links and show notes at h...
Nov 09, 2021•44 min•Ep. 47
Are you guilty of performative allyship? Today’s guest, Dr. Maxine Davis, a scholar, activist, and author, breaks down the pitfalls of performative allyship and how even well-meaning professionals can perpetuate oppression and social harms in the workplace. In early 2021, Dr. Davis authored an article in Nature Human Behavior, Anti-black practices take heavy toll on mental health . We chat about Dr. Davis’s own experiences with anti-black practices in the workplace and recommendations for a more...
Nov 02, 2021•49 min•Ep. 46
Far too often, we operate in workplaces where women of color leaders are lacking. However, that’s not because women of color lack leadership skills. Nor is it because of a lack of interest. Break Concrete is kicking off Season 4 with Dr. Marlette Jackson, a scholar, diversity and inclusion consultant, and co-author of the Harvard Business Review article, Does Your Definition of Leadership Exclude Women of Color? Dr. Jackson interrogates common leadership values and norms and how they exclude wom...
Oct 26, 2021•42 min•Ep. 45
Motherhood and mothering can be complicated, but Tomi Akitunde has built a much needed resource for Black moms: mater mea also known as Black Mom Google . Tomi is an award-winning journalist who founded mater mea, the #1 destination for thoughtful, high quality content that celebrates, supports, and empowers Black moms. mater mea helps Black moms get the answers to their motherhood, life, and career questions through sincere storytelling, expert advice, and community. In today's Mother's Day spe...
May 09, 2021•44 min•Ep. 44
Understanding that Black women experience higher rates of chronic stress and anxiety, Jasmine Marie, a breathwork practitioner, founded black girls breathing , a safe space for Black women to nurture their mental, emotional, and spiritual health through guided meditation, breathwork, and community. In 2020, as racial tensions mounted and many Black women struggled with higher unemployment rates, increased childcare responsibilities, feeling less supported at work, and the devastating health impa...
Mar 30, 2021•44 min•Ep. 43
It’s no secret that problems around diversity, equity, and inclusion permeate all sectors, including the nonprofit and philanthropic sectors. Whether it’s disparate funding for Black and women-led organizations, failure to promote women of color to leadership, or foundations using money as a weapon to dictate the direction of organizational efforts, Kishshana Palmer breaks it all down. Kishshana is an international speaker, trainer, and coach with nearly two decades of experience in fundraising,...
Mar 23, 2021•48 min•Ep. 42
Dressing the part is only one step in your journey toward professional success. Equally important is understanding and controlling your image, which includes your communication, your personal brand, your wardrobe style, and more. In today’s episode, Krysta McGowan, the founder and visionary behind Critique Consulting , an image consulting firm, discusses how an image consultant can positively impact your career. Through Critique Consulting, Krysta provides services such as brand development, war...
Mar 16, 2021•38 min•Ep. 41
Cries for equal treatment and representation billow across all fields, including the fashion industry, and especially in the booming modest fashion industry. Yet, although Black women have made significant contributions (in fact, some may argue that they are the backbone of modest fashion), many go unrecognized and unseen. In today’s episode, sisters Rayya and Sumayah Ansari, join to discuss how they created spaces for themselves and other Black Muslim women in fashion. Rayya is a popular modest...
Mar 11, 2021•38 min•Ep. 40
“As a Black Muslim woman, it gets very exhausting to exist in a world that projects onto you.” In this episode, Vanessa Taylor, a Philadelphia-based writer and the founder and editor-in-chief of the Drinking Gourd , a Black Muslim literary magazine, discusses the paradox of Black Muslim womanhood - being simultaneously hypervisible and invisible. Within that nuance, Black Muslim women carve out spaces where they embrace their multiple identities as Black, Muslim, and women while resisting the im...
Mar 09, 2021•30 min•Ep. 39
From as early as childhood, we have been taught to be generous with our time and energy. Any hint of selfishness is frowned upon. Even with our careers, we learn that being a team player is critical to our success. Today, Dr. Marcuetta Sims, a licensed psychologist specializing in helping Black women and people from marginalized identities heal from trauma, develop a healthier sense of Self, and enhance their overall wellness, discusses the costs of this generosity. Dr. Sims has created an onlin...
Mar 02, 2021•53 min•Ep. 38
Research suggests that Black patients experience better health outcomes when treated by Black doctors. In today’s episode, Dr. Marilyn Gaston, a physician and researcher, and Dr. Gayle Porter, a clinical psychologist, join to chat about their trailblazing careers spent working to improve the physical and emotional health of families, especially those who are poor, minority, and underserved. They also share how they successfully build trusting relationships within communities of color. Drs. Gasto...
Feb 23, 2021•58 min•Ep. 37
Recognizing that traditional workspaces cause mental, physical, and financial harm for many Queer Transgender Black and Indigenous People of Color, Bianca Shaw, a Licensed Social Worker, co-founded TRIBE Co-Create, a cooperative business focusing on connecting Black and Brown small business owners, creatives, and doers in the Bronx, New York. Bianca has dedicated her career to amplifying the voices and power of marginalized communities and through TRIBE, she has created a healing space for the c...
Feb 16, 2021•47 min•Ep. 36
If you’re a woman of color, you have more than likely experienced being the “only” in a professional setting. Perhaps, you were the only woman in a male-dominated boardroom or the only person of color on your company’s professional staff. In today's episode, Latisha Roberson, a Human Resources Executive with over 18 years of experience developing and implementing talent programs for non-profit organizations and Fortune 500 companies, chats about some of the unique challenges of being an only in ...
Feb 09, 2021•48 min•Ep. 35
We’ve all heard the expression “black don’t crack,” referring to Black women’s youthful appearance and ageless beauty. But underneath this beautiful exterior, Black women are aging much faster than their peers of other races. In today’s episode, Dr. Daphne Watkins, a Diversity and Social Transformation professor at the University of Michigan School of Social Work, chats about her experience as a young black female faculty member (who earned her PhD at age 24), and the stressors associated with h...
Feb 02, 2021•37 min•Ep. 34
Feeling stuck in your career? Unclear about next steps? It’s 2021 and it’s time to find fulfillment in the work you do. Through Her Career Doctor , Dr. Tega Edwin helps women who are unhappy at work gain clarity about who they are so they can find a fulfilling career that allows them to live on purpose, thrive in their zone of genius, and get paid their true worth. Dr. Edwin has an extensive background in counseling, ranging from school counseling, mental health counseling, to career counseling....
Jan 26, 2021•49 min•Ep. 33
Anxious about next steps in your career? Treading water financially? Can’t seem to achieve the right balance between personal and professional success? Frustrated over student loans accrued for that degree that was supposed to prepare you for life and everything else? Life can be unpredictable. Jobs can evaporate. After we’ve reached one pinnacle, there seems to be yet another challenge ahead. Break Concrete is kicking off Season 3 with the brilliant Dr. Natalia Peart, who is also the author of ...
Jan 19, 2021•44 min•Ep. 32
Do you deal with being an only in the workplace? Do you regularly confront stereotypes about your gender or race? Do you find yourself balancing a hyper-competitive or unforgiving work environment? Workplace triggers making you feel like you are not good enough or do not belong abound. In this final episode of Season 2, Dr. Adia Gooden discusses what imposter syndrome is, how it shows up and holds you back from reaching professional success, and strategies that you can use to overcome imposter s...
Oct 20, 2020•41 min•Ep. 31
Are you gatekeeping white supremacy and patriarchy without even realizing it? In this episode, Danielle Slaughter identifies three ways in which most people unintentionally serve as gatekeepers. Danielle is a doctoral student (on hiatus) in the Rhetoric and Composition program at Georgia State University, the founder of Mamademics , a blog sharing Danielle’s experiences navigating motherhood and academia, and the creator of Raising an Advocate , a social justice advocacy resource website. We dis...
Oct 13, 2020•37 min•Ep. 30
For over 20 years, Zakyah Ansari has been a champion for Black and Brown voices. As Advocacy Director with the New York State Alliance for Quality Education, the leading organization working to fight for educational equity in New York State, Zakiyah knows that organizing is a long-term game. We chat about how Zakiyah built a career in organizing, how she drives and sustains momentum, and how she has secured a seat at the table for herself and other Black and Brown parents in state politics. Find...
Oct 06, 2020•39 min•Ep. 29
Work is what you do to survive. It can’t be what you do to sustain or connect with your intimate partner. As a professional woman, you may constantly be chasing the elusive balance between work, home, and intimacy. In today’s Bonus Episode, Dr. Erica Holmes, a licensed clinical psychologist, educator, community consultant, and author of Dating With Purpose: A Single Woman’s Guide to Escaping No Man’s Land , talks in detail about how we can gain insights into our dating behaviors and practices to...
Oct 01, 2020•50 min•Ep. 28
Imagine going to the hair salon and not having to endure painfully long waits. Imagine traveling anywhere in the world and finding a skilled stylist knowledgeable about your hair type and texture leaving you with beautiful healthy hair. Jihan Thompson left a successful career as a magazine writer and editor to found Swivel Beauty with her co-founder, Jennifer Lambert, to do just that. Swivel Beauty is a mobile app that enables women of color to discover and book the best stylist and salon for th...
Sep 29, 2020•39 min•Ep. 27
Emily K. Graham is a millennial on the rise. She is the first Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer at FleishmanHillard, a public relations company. Previously, Emily served as FleishmanHillard's youngest Senior Vice President and Partner. By age 32, Emily had already charted a trailblazing career, leading communications efforts for companies such as Morgan Stanley, Deloitte, and Merrill Lynch. We discuss Emily's rapid rise in corporate, how she continues to #breakconcrete as a young Black woman...
Sep 22, 2020•38 min•Ep. 26
Let's talk about the additional work and labor that goes into mothering Black children. In today's episode, I am joined by several brilliant professional Black women who are also mothers. They share their experiences navigating race and gender for themselves and their children and how they raise their children to show up, take up space in the world, and #breakconcrete. Find links and show notes at https://breakconcrete.com/bc025 Topics Covered: How to talk to your children about racial justice E...
Sep 15, 2020•58 min•Ep. 25
