Chapter 15: Unpacking the Influence of Leadership Tax on Black Women

Hope. Fear. Triumph. Concern. Pride. Throughout my life, the everyday achievements of Black women continuously spark a range of emotions. From our advocacy of fair and just living and working conditions to the startup of local businesses or the joy-filled pivot into a new career, Black women’s bridge-building leadership is expansive. In these realizations, I see glimpses of familiar moments of Black womanhood. Then my mind begins to race. The weight associated with leadership, of being first or creating room alongside and for others, is often underpinned by a hidden tax. This tax demands an even higher cost for people pushed to the margins of society, particularly for Black women.