Engage Her: Activating Women and MultiCultural Communities

Calling all women who want to be leaders of the future. The landscape of our country is changing dramatically and in states like California the combined populations of multicultural communities (formerly known as “minorities”) have now become the dominant majority. When you add in the fact that there are more women than men in our country, then multicultural women have now become the majority of our population. The burning question we must ask ourselves: Where are the multicultural women leaders in our country? In the three major institutions that run our country, the Media, Government and Corporations there are very few women executives and decision makers that control key decisions in our country. The Census Bureau has been projecting that across our nation by 2052 or sooner, the rest of the country will look like California. That means 1 out of 3 people will be Latinos, 1 out of 6 Asian and 1 out of 6 will be of African American descent. That doesn’t include all the citizens who are “blended” or of multi-racial cultures and ethnicities. When you add these people together, the numbers are far larger and will change the landscape much more rapidly.

With the change in our population, the impact and social needs of our communities and nation will change dramatically. The impact on our educational system, jobs, healthcare system, social justice issues, immigration will need to reflect the needs of these communities. We will need new and improved services to address this changing population. Critical issues such as obesity, language, cultural challenges, higher education, immigration all represent issues that significantly impact our entire nation. We need leaders who come from these communities, understand their needs and will be able to advocate and put programs and build products and services to address their needs. We cannot sit back and wait for this dramatic change to happen. We have to encourage our communities to step up and become the leaders that they need to develop into to help lead the charge for change in our country. We need to widen the “pipeline” of leadership candidates and educate, motivate and help show young people different ways that they can become our next generation of leaders.

There are role models out there today in many different industries. Unfortunately mainstream media, corporations and government do not highlight, profile and promote these leaders. Multicultural people need to see people who look like ourselves, understand our issues and learn how to speak up, assert ourselves and become the new leaders. At Engage Her we’re dedicated to developing leadership programs, profiling leaders and identifying and supporting the next generation of multicultural leaders. We hope you will join our community, contribute to our content, attend leadership conferences, workshops and help become the change we all seek for our country. Stay tuned for more leadership articles and programs.

Elena Kagan has become our new Supreme Court Justice. Women justices now comprise one third of our nation’s highest court. She is also the first justice in 40 years to be sworn in who has never been a judge. She is a great example of how people and women in particular can aspire and reach the highest echelons of their careers based on their merits, work production and strong leadership. She joins the court as they face critical social justice issues such as Immigration, Health Care reform and Same sex marriages. It is a great accomplishment and will provide another great role model for multicultural women and communities.

In yesterday’s mid term elections, women ran for major high profile positions and in many cases won. Women like Blance Lincoln in Arkansas, Meg Whitman in California and others across the country. There were winners in the Democratic, Republican and independents that demonstrated women coming out and getting success in high profile campaigns. While there is a strong anti-incumbent feeling among voters, there were incumbents and newcomers alike that won a spot moving forward. Voters will be watching these women carefully to see what issues they represent and solutions they suggest other than just being “anti-establishment” alternatives. Our economy is faced with many challenges including high unemployment, rising costs, and job creation issues. It will be important to see if these women can gain the trust of voters and come up with real solutions and resolve to put our country and states back on track.

Today is International Women’s Day which celebrates the rights and successes of all women across the globe. It is a day of celebration, reflection and recognition of the great strides women have made in our society but also a time to determine the huge amount of work that remains. While there are more women across the planet that now are receiving an education, participating in government and running their own businesses, we are far from achieving equality in many of those institutions. We need more role models, encourage more women and young girls to seek leadership positions and train the next generation of women to take on decision making and leadership roles. In countries like the United States where the majority of the population are women, we are far from being equally represented in the key institutions i.e. media, corporation and governments that run our society.

As President Barack Obama stated in his recent proclamation of Women’s HIstory Month “As we move forward, we must correct persisting inequalities. Women comprise over 50 percent of our population but hold fewer than 17 percent of our congressional seats. More than half our college students are female, yet when they graduate, their male classmates still receive higher pay on average for the same work. Women also hold disproportionately fewer science and engineering jobs. That is why my Administration launched our Educate to Innovate campaign, which will inspire young people from all backgrounds to drive America to the forefront of science, technology, engineering, and math. By increasing women’s participation in these fields, we will foster a new generation of innovators to follow in the footsteps of the three American women selected as 2009 Nobel Laureates.”

So let us celebrate International Women’s Day but let us keep an eye on the future and the hard work that remains ahead of us to achieving true equality for all women and men.

On my last blog, I introduced a common behavioral change practiced by people who are not completely integrated into a group. In socio-linguistic terms, it is referred to as “code switching.”  A strategic social move, it is practiced by almost anyone who is treated as having lesser rank in society. Just think of how you talk or behave if you are the only woman in a group of men, or a young adult in a group of elders, or a person of color in a work team of Caucasians or Anglos, and the list goes on.

This week, I watched a TV program in which a Caucasian young woman was relating to a middle-aged female professional just how tough it is to show herself as strong and self-reliant in today’s society.  Almost in tears, she referred to the negative reaction she often gets and how she is painfully learning to “tone it down”.  A sad, but real and extremely common dynamic. Of course, it is unfortunate that it happens, regardless of who needs to endure these types of scenes.  However, I thought to myself, “if she were to be poor, or a ‘woman of color’ the reaction would be even heavier!” I believe this lesson is particularly tough for those of us who have been taught that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity, and more so, if we come from a somewhat privileged background ourselves.  Take my case, for example.  Raised in a middle class family with really high educational privileges, it has taken me years to realize that my values of equality and expectations to be treated as such would never equate the impact that code switching would.  In fact, going about the world as if such negative reaction was not real could easily make it worse.  Of course, we need not loose our identity when we intentionally behave like what the mainstream society expects of us.  Yet, it is complicated to learn what that looks like, as no one is telling you “how to act or speak White” (as teenagers often refer to it).  I mostly have learned a few things by trial and error, and believe me, have much more to learn! 

In my experience, many African Americans are geniuses in code switching.  The fact that not so long ago they could be lynched for “looking a White person the ‘wrong’ way” (and according to the White’s interpretation of their behavior) may have a lot to do with it.  I always say that if President Obama talked and behaved like Jesse Jackson (regardless of what he said), he would not have made it to the White House.  The fact that his first culture happens to be White is not a coincidence and a great advantage to him.  In fact, he is not code switching!

But, how does code switching look?  Through my almost 20 years living in the USA, I have learned that my passionate and exuberant conversational style is only somewhat accepted when talking about nice and joyful events—and not always.  When talking about complicated or unfair matters, it is best to tone down, slow done, talk less and for shorter periods of time, and be very careful with superlatives—as the tendency in Anglo culture is to take things literally.  More over, it is best to first very softly try with a complicated matter and watch the response of the group.  If ignored or unheard, as it often happens, I may later on try again with other language and/or angle.  If it is ignored or unheard again, I just drop the topic altogether—as the chances of being further excluded are pretty high.  Since making a positive difference is my only agenda—I am utterly aware that there is no point in being outspoken if not heard, or outright discriminated against.  Needless to say, it does not mean that in the process I give up or transform the essence of who I am.  I was glad to listen to the female middle-aged professional suggesting something along these lines to the young woman realizing this unfortunate dynamic. And, again, they were both US nationals and Anglo women!

Food for thought: Regardless of your cultural heritage, reflect on how you may change your behavior, especially the way you talk (tone of voice, topics to cover, timing, pauses, etc.) when you interact with people who are somehow different from you.  How did you learn how to do that?  Does it always work? If you are Anglo, ask your friends of color if they “talk in a different language” when they talk or behave with Caucasians.  If you approach the conversation within a curious and non-blaming attitude, I bet you’ll learn about many things you were unaware of!  As mentioned, my only hope is that it will make a positive difference in your life.

Suggested bibliography: “Black and White. Styles in Conflict”, 1981, by Thomas Kochman. University of Chicago Press.  Amazingly contemporary, despite it being written almost 30 years ago.

First Lady Michelle Obama has kicked off an important project on mentoring young girls and women. As proof of her belief and support in the need for mentoring at all levels, she is going around the country with key women members of President Obama’s cabinet, leadership group and secretaries to discuss and promote the importance of mentorship. It’s truly significant when the First Lady puts her on personal stamp and support on an issue that she has said has been critical to her own and to President Obama’s success. We will continue to follow and post about her new program and how we can all promote mentorship, leadership and extend it to all ages and communities. Brava First Lady Michelle Obama!