Fix Your Script
In 2016 I had a brilliant, young, first-generation college graduate Latina reporting to me. In her 360-peer feedback, I read, “So-And-So Miss Latina should consider toning down her style of dress, so that people can focus on the smart things she says, not the way she looks.”
Back then, because I could, I ignored it. Today, I wish I had asked that colleague why dressing white equals professional in her mind.
It took me a while to sort out how I could begin reparations for the years and years I smiled and was mannerly while this bullshit went down.
In 2018, inspired by brave people at Girlsday, a community of advertising professionals who identify female, I concepted and launched Nail Your Interview, a mentoring practice for young people, mostly planners, mostly POC, coming up in advertising.
Lauded Strategist Mark Pollard and I chatted about this mentoring practice in this podcast. Please listen. Please steal everything that is useful to you. Please tell me what you think.
White managers and leaders, let’s continue this conversation about how we can champion equity and inclusion in the workplace. I know that I have a lot to learn.
