Being Black in Corporate America: An Intersectional Exploration

Key findings include:

• Black professionals are more likely than White professionals to be ambitious, yet nearly on in five feel someone of their race/ethnicity would never achieve a top job at their companies
• Black professionals see barriers to advancement that are largely invisible to White professionals
• Few have access to senior roles
• They are more likely than any other group to encounter racial prejudice at work and experience certain microaggressions at higher rates than all other professionals
• Intersectional differences arise within all the identities explored in the full report (First to attend college; Gender; Generation; HBCU attendance; Heritage; Job level; Region; Sexual orientation)
• Less than half of all professionals think their companies have effective D&I efforts
• White women are not seen as advocating for others
• Unique sets of D&I staples improve outcome for Black men and Black women:
  • For Black women: Clear expectations for inclusive behavior; A positive reputation around diversity and inclusion; Clear communication of how promotions work; The CEO/President is committed to diversity and inclusion; Accountability for harassment, regardless of an employee's seniority or performance
  • For Black men: Provide funding to attend external conferences for people of color; In-person bias awareness training; Moderated forums for conversations about race; Senior leaders who are people of color

According to the study, microaggressions can consist of:

Microinsults: 

• Colleagues have touched my hair without my permission
• I have been told I'm 'not like others' of my race/ethnicity
• I have repeatedly been told that I'm 'articulate'
• Others have regularly taken credit for my ideas in meetings
• I have been excluded from meetings relevant to my job
• Others have mischaracterized me as 'angry'
• I have been excluded or passed over for growth opportunities
• My manager has met one on one with others on my team, but not with me

Microinvalidations:

• Colleagues have asserted that they are 'color blind' (e.g. 'I don't see race')
• I have to explain what it's like to live as a peron of my race/ethnicity
• I have been mistaken for someone else of the same racial background
• Colleagues have told me they have friends of my race/ethnicity
• Colleagues have asserted they're not racist

Microassaults:

• Colleagues have used racially insensitive language around me

The full key findings report can be downloaded here.