Dear Madam Vice President Elect Kamala Harris.
By: Samantha Pratt, 2019 Camelback Fellow & Founder of KlickEngage
As a Black female founder, I have spent so much energy “thinking critically” about what it means to be a woman in business, how to navigate racial bias in fundraising, and how to overcome various mindsets instilled in me by virtue of just being Black and being a woman. All of the workshops and conferences that I have attended over the years have exhausted these topics and I have recently found myself thinking about why we spend so much time educating BIPOC female founders about how to navigate through our identities and don’t spend more time looking at examples of the paths successful women have taken. The unfortunate reality is that there are still so few BIPOC women that we can look to for inspiration. Don’t get me wrong, we are killing the game, but there still needs to be more women of color in the mainstream with power, drive, and ambition.
Enter: Kamala Devi Harris. We are about to watch you be sworn into office as the first ever female and BIPOC Vice President. Up until now, most of my Black female idols have been fictional (I changed my major in college after Scandal’s Olivia Pope reminded me that a Black woman could be a bomb leader). You are about to embark on a journey of critical importance. You will be both idolized and idealized at the same time, an immense honor, and a whole lot of pressure. As you step forward onto this new path, I hope that you will remember these tips for emotional and mental self-care:
Call on your Squad.
Sometimes, being the first at something makes you feel isolated. You will become so engrossed in your role and in your work that you will feel alone. As a solo entrepreneur, I felt this loneliness deeply every day in my first few years. There’s no one to share in the difficulties nor anyone by your side for big wins. The loneliness can break you down if you don’t find your squad. In my world, it looks like Slack channels and accelerators with fierce women. In your world, it might be a congress group text with Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Rashida Talib, Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar, Cori Bush, Michele Rayner-Goolsby, Kim Jackson, Mauree Turner, or Veronica Escobar. Obviously, you can find another support network, but they would be my pick!
Own Your Power.
Twelve years ago, we watched as the first Black President of the United States took the oath of office. Though I was overjoyed at the prospect of Obama leading our country, my eyes were on Michelle. She was going to be the first Black First Lady, and, as a Black woman, the significance of that historical moment was not lost on me. Michelle was a symbol of change and promise. However, Michelle’s role and position also reminded me that Black women are often forced to wield their power in the shadows of a man. The marginalization of our power is not an accident. It is an intentional construct of the patriarchy and it bleeds into every sector of our society in small and large ways. Own your power. It is yours to hold publicly and loudly.
Stunt. You are not an imposter.
Just dropping this point here to echo the above statement about your power. IT. IS. YOURS. You earned it. Keep asking for your space to speak. Know that you deserve everything you earned and you do not need anyone’s permission to change this country. Do not limit yourself or make yourself smaller; your critics will spend enough time trying to do that for you. Look in the mirror every morning and tell yourself you are a badass...because it’s true.
Stay Black.
If you have EVER tried to tell a Black auntie what she has to do, you have likely been met with the phrase, “All I have to do is stay Black and die.” The idea here is that nothing is predetermined and no one can tell you who or how to be. Yes, you are Black and Indian. Yes, you are a woman. Yes, you are the Vice President. But first and foremost, you are YOU and that is all you have to be.
Learn more here about Samantha Pratt and KlickEngage
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