Black, Valued and Respected
Whilst I am relieved at hearing the news of Joe Biden being voted in as the 46th President Elect for the United States of America, my attention turns to his Vice President Kamala Harris.
Not only is Kamala making history as the First Female to hold this ‘Office’, she is also making history as being the First Black Woman to hold this ‘Office’.
Black being defined as a person whose Ethnic Origin is either African, Caribbean including Mixed Heritage.
For centuries, the Global Black Community have lived with the hope of living in a more inclusive world. This has been echoed in the words of the Late Reverend Martin Luther King Jr “I have a dream that my four children would one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character”.
The Global Black Community have lived with the hope of having access to the same opportunities as those that do not look like us, in order to fulfil our dreams, goals, ambitions.
The Global Black Community have lived with the hope of being able to see ourselves being positively represented in every respected Industry, Office and Sector, in order to leave a footprint and legacy of possibilities to our children and the generations to come.
Now with Kamala being the ‘First’, will she be the ‘Last’?
Barack Obama was the ‘First’ Black President of the United States, making Michelle Obama the ‘First’ Black First Lady of the United States.
Will they be the ‘Last’?
In the UK, ITV’s Loose Women were praised by viewers as having a panel made up of all Black presenters for the First time ever. The panellists were Charlene White, Judi Love, Brenda Edwards and Kelle Bryan.
Will they be the ‘First’ and ‘Last’ Black Women to host an all-Black panel on Loose Women or on any other TV Show?
Is it possible for these ‘Firsts’ to continue as consistent opportunities for the Black Community?
I say ‘consistent’, because whilst there has been an array of ‘Firsts’ within the Black Community in the past, it seems as though the opportunities are open for a period of time, to fulfil a tokenistic quota. There, our contributions are not regarded as valuable or even respected, with the gates of opportunity then being closed to those who aspire to follow in our footsteps.
As I write, I’m reminded of the film ‘Hidden Figures’, a true story of 3 Black Women (African Americans) who worked at NASA and served as the brains behind Astronaut John Glenn’s launch into Space.
Katherine Jonson played by Taraji P. Henson, Dorothy Vaughan played by Octavia Spencer and Mary Jackson played by Janelle Monae, all answered the call for the opportunity to serve at NASA; but whilst there their contributions were initially not valued or respected and seen as a threat to their superiors and colleagues who did not look like them.
Ever determined and tenacious, all of these women showed up to work with integrity and grace, completing every task above and beyond the call of duty, until they were valued and respected, making an indelible mark on NASA’s history.
Judged by the Colour of our Skin or Valued and Respected
It is clear that these 3 Ladies were initially judged by the colour of their skin and not by the content of their character, skills and abilities.
They were employed by NASA, their contributions seen and heard, yet dismissed and overlooked, not valued or respected…until enough was enough!
2020 has seen numerous opportunities open up for the Black Community, as Leaders in Government, Corporations and Businesses across all Industries and Sectors seek to break down the barriers of systemic racism and rebuild towards inclusivity on every level and pay grade.
Will these opportunities be the ‘First’ and the ‘Last’ of their kind?
Will those who gain these opportunities be judged by the colour of their skin and not by the content of their character, skills and abilities?
Will the contributions of those who gain these opportunities, be valued and respected or will their contributions be dismissed and overlooked with their ideas being paraded as belonging to the one who provided the opportunity?
Will these gates of opportunity ‘consistently’ remain open for those who look like us and aspire to follow in our footsteps?
Only time will tell…
About Me:
My name is Judith AM Denton and I am the CEO and Founder of a Social Enterprise called The Transformed You, a powerful Speaker and an authentic Author.
Also an Influencer, I am a member of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenhams’ Fostering Panel, providing independent oversight of the Recruitment, Assessment and Review of Foster Carers and making recommendations on their suitability to Foster, along with being an Ambassador within The National Youth Ambassadors Advisory Group for the National Independent Reviewing Officer Managers Partnership, raising awareness and challenging stigma in order to make life in Care better for everyone.
I’m also a member of the Young Women’s Justice Project Strategic Advisory Group. brought together by Agenda, the alliance for women and girls at risk in partnership with Standing Committee for Youth Justice, to improve policy and practice for young adult women (aged 17 – 25) who come into contact with the Criminal Justice System.
From my experience of becoming an Entrepreneur, I believe that there are people who have the desire to become an Entrepreneur, but are unsure as to ‘why’ or ‘how’.
To help them on this road of self-discovery, I openly share detailed information, with valuable lessons learnt from my journey, on how to step out of your comfort zone and become a ‘purpose driven’ Entrepreneur, realizing your potential and passionately achieving your goals and this I do through my Monthly Blogs and Inspiring Guides which you can SUBSCRIBE to receive here.
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