If I were a “white” male or female with just one of the three professional accomplishments I currently have, what you’re about to read would be moot because I would already have been given all the external trappings I could ever need based on “potential.”
But, because I’m a Black woman and would not ever change that fact as its always been a gift, the following is the burden this society forces us to shoulder because of the real four horsemen of the apocalypse: colonialism, imperialism, patriarchy and capitalism.
Being an (1) attorney with significant years of professional experience and exceptional results in (2) human resources before (3) practicing employment & labor law with extraordinary results at a large law firm where she was a one of a kind lotus blossom who happens to be a Black woman
…is to have folks who could have chosen to do all three (possibly, I think it debatable but I digress…)but are only doing one of the three respectively acting like the fact that I’ve been succeeding at all three for the last DECADE is NBD (“no big deal”).
Because they think they “could” do what I already am — with flying colors mind you — if only they “wanted to” plus there was that one time that somebody told them they were good at HR/Equity, Psychology, Housing Law, etc.
They think they get to ignore then speak over me, and at me, simply because my human truths gleaned from my lived and professional regenerative experience disrupts their otherwise limited perspective on the overall human experience in the US and globally. Meanwhile, they the same ones still trying to “teach/achieve” resilience while refusing to even try to “imagine” how I survived 10yrs of childhood homelessness in the Nation’s Capital to become a first generation professional and Labor & Employment attorney much less asking that simple question of the survivor.
Just call me MC Hammer cuz y’all “can’t touch this!”
For June’s edition of An Educated Worker, subscribe here on LinkedIn; I’m reminding y’all of this fact:
I am SHE, the educated worker whom you are graced to learn from; this wisdom I share generously did not come cheaply or theoretically.
I am available to and have successfully delivered tremendous mission aligned results in the following types of roles:
- In-House Counsel in multiple jurisdictions including California
- Chief Human Resources Officer
- Chief Operations Officer
- Outside Employment & Labor Counsel
And, I’m DELIGHTED to announce my return to my beloved DC ereeah (👀IYKYK 😹😹) August 2024!!! Y’all just don’t know how thrilled I am, and the fact that I get to drive cross country with a sister of my heart — I’m walking on sunshine whoa whoa whoa and it feels so good!
Do recall that Black women make up less than 3% of all attorneys in the whole of the United States.
I sometimes wonder what proportion of that figure comprises us descendants of the enslaved on this stolen soil but let’s put a pin 📍in that…
Black women also, as you may know, make only $0.65 USD to every $1.00 USD of non-Hispanic “white” men. Data shows that Black women successfully doing any change management work like removing barriers to access in Corporate USA workplaces are especially vulnerable to loss of our livelihoods via the glass cliff at every level particularly “blue collar” workers.
Recall it is the descendants of the enslaved on this stolen soil that were lynched regardless of gender or childhood — femininity and innocence socially constructed as absent to that specific racialized population as a whole.
It’s as if every since we freed ourselves this nation of capitalists decided we were no longer “allowed” to exist without some form of violence at every stage as citizens since we weren’t “grateful” for our captivity on this stolen land and thus stay in our “place.”
Whether the attack comes physically, emotionally, spiritually or literally, is up to the capitalist government’s interest in “protection” at that moment and the whim of its gatekeepers: poor people racialized as white and their global majority familiars.
Angry and/or apathetic vampire 🤡🤡- it’s a spectrum as all human behavior is, btw — too cowardly or lazy to actively make peace in community with other human beings.
Remember our pin 📍she said this: “without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.”
Thus, cowards apply pressure to or willfully ignore already existing societal fault lines and passively (if we’re lucky🤦🏾♀️!) watch the outcome of their lack of action then refuse to offer care or even acknowledgment of harm in the aftermath.
Don’t be like them, they👆🏾suck: literally and figuratively. Be better, I believe in you! Let’s work for peace together in community! ✊🏾
And…If you don’t know by now 🎶🎶🎶…I’m requesting you give what energy you may contribute from your overflow to make this monthly newsletter a reciprocal exchange.
What Keisha N. Jackson, Esquire wants:
- Contact me for an interview then Hire me into the remote opportunity in Washington, DC as an Employment Attorney for the mission focused organization for which you are a decision maker!
- Introductions to decision makers capable of offering me a remote role in Washington, DC or the surrounding DMV area.
- Show your support by resharing this article, with proper credit given to my intellectual property, at a minimum.
We shine together y’all or ultimately not at all that’s how community works. Looking forward to hearing from you!
My DMs/email are open and confidential to all viable opportunities!
Kindly yours, always.
Keisha: An Educated Worker educating you.