Episode 06: Carrying the Torch | Self-Care and Careers
“Black women have always been expected to work and have had the highest labor force
participation among all women for years.”
-Jocelyn Frye, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress
I want to start out by giving my Mom a shout out. At the time this episode is published on June 25 2020, my Mom will be a few days away from being officially retired!
Can I take a moment to talk about my Mom for a minute? Some of my earliest memories of her are of her dressed up in her military uniform and headed to work. She was a nurse in the Air Force at the time, so she would be in her white nurse uniform or, on special occasions, in her dress uniform. I remember how she styled her hair and makeup, as well as, how she wore her jewelry. It was so subtle, classy, stylish, and, of course, within regulation. I loved her sassy bob hairstyle, berry colored lipstick, and chic stud earrings. I loved seeing her all dressed up, making her own money, and doing her thing in her career. When I was a little girl I pictured myself doing exactly the same, because most, if not all, of the Black women in my life, like my mom, worked full time outside of the home. And this wasn’t a coincidence...Black women have always been expected to work and, according to data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, Black women have had the highest labor force participation among all women for years (Frye, 2019). For me growing up I assumed that I’d be doing the same, because it just was what it was.
Our mothers certainly paved the way for us within the workforce, and they found ways to care for themselves and everyone else in the process. How do we, as millennial black women, carry the torch? How do we preserve our health and wellness while navigating our career journeys in a way that honors the generations before us while holding true to our values?
In this episode we’ll:
Define occupational wellness.
Learn five tips to help us practice self-care at work.
References:
Banks, N. (2019, February 19). Black women’s labor market history reveals deep-seated race and gender discrimination [web log]. https://www.epi.org/blog/black-womens-labor-market-history-reveals-deep-seated-race-and-gender-discrimination/
Bryant-Davis, T. (2019, September 15). The Homecoming Podcast Ep 11 Dealing with Toxic Workplaces. Retrieved from https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-11-dealing-with-toxic-workplaces/id1471604689?i=1000449881791
Burlew, R. (2019). Wellness For Black Women: The Six Essential Tools Every Black Woman Needs In Her Life. Retrieved from http://randiburlew.com/5-reasons-why-wellness-is-especially-important-for-black-women/
Frye, J. (2019). (rep.). Center for American Progress Racism and Sexism Combine to Shortchange Working Black Women. Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/news/2019/08/22/473775/racism-sexism-combine-shortchange-working-black-women/
Glynn, S. J. (2019). (rep.). Center for American Progress Breadwinning Mothers Continue To Be the U.S. Norm. Retrieved from https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/women/reports/2019/05/10/469739/breadwinning-mothers-continue-u-s-norm/
Graham, C. (2020, June 3). Hypervisible, Invisible: How to Navigate White Workplaces as a Black Woman [Web log post]. Retrieved June 20, 2020, from https://www.careercontessa.com/advice/black-woman-white-workplace/
Holmes, T. E. (2020). The "B" Word. Essence, (Jan/Feb 2020), 83-84.
Hoytt, E. H., & Beard, H. (2012). Health first!: the black womans wellness guide. New York: Smiley Books.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Creating A Healthier Life: A Step-By-Step Guide To Wellness. Retrieved from https://store.samhsa.gov/product/Creating-a-Healthier-Life-/SMA16-4958
Other Resources
Photo Credit: Christina @ wocintechchat.com
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