When Leadership Becomes a Threat – Navigating Resistance as a Woman of Color
For years, I walked into leadership rooms and found that I was often the only woman of color at the table. I was excited to lead, to bring solutions, and to drive change. But I didn’t realize that being in the room didn’t mean being supported.
At every turn, I had to prove myself twice as much and work twice as hard, and still—repeatedly—I found myself pushed out of leadership roles. Not because of performance. Not because I wasn’t qualified. But because the systems in place weren’t built to support the kind of leadership I brought.
The Challenge of Leading While Female, Black, and Ambitious
My most recent experience in a leadership role in a nonprofit solidified this reality. Within a few weeks, I led strategic changes that improved communication, infrastructure, and vendor partnerships. The results were undeniable. Yet, rather than being recognized, I was met with resistance—for moving “too fast,” for holding people accountable, and for challenging outdated systems that had long gone unquestioned.
Leadership isn’t just about delivering results and navigating resistance, biases, and unspoken power dynamics. And for women of color, that resistance often comes even when you are excelling.
Why Does This Keep Happening?
For many women in leadership—especially Black women—the patterns are eerily similar:
You are hired to bring transformation but are seen as disruptive when implementing change.
You are told you are too assertive, while men leading with the same approach are considered decisive.
You exceed performance expectations but are not seen as “a fit” for the culture.
In my case, I knew that my leadership was making a difference. But I also knew I had a target on my back when I stepped into the role. I had negotiated a higher salary than my predecessor, set clear goals, and started executing them quickly. This, however, challenged the status quo—and when people in power feel threatened, they push back.
Eventually, despite my impact, I was pushed out.
The Emotional Toll of Constantly Proving Yourself
Being in leadership is hard. But being in leadership while constantly being questioned, second-guessed, and having to defend your expertise? That’s exhausting.
It’s exhausting to walk into a room knowing you must work twice as hard to be taken seriously.
It’s exhausting to overperform to meet the basic level of respect others are given freely.
It’s exhausting to be dismissed, overlooked, or labeled "too much" for doing your job well.
Yet, despite all of this, we keep showing up because we know that our presence in these spaces matters.
Turning Pain Into Purpose: The Birth of Project Rise
After experiencing these challenges repeatedly, I had a choice: Stay silent and move on or create something that would make a difference.
That’s why I created Project Rise with Dr. Helen Inc.
To give women the mentorship and leadership tools I never had.
To help them navigate the unspoken rules of leadership.
To build a community where women can rise together.
Because leadership shouldn’t be about survival—it should be about success.
What Needs to Change?
We cannot afford to keep losing talented women in leadership because of poorly designed systems. Organizations must: ✔ Acknowledge that bias exists and actively work to dismantle it. ✔ Support women in leadership, not just recruit them. ✔ Foster cultures where diverse leadership styles are valued and not considered a threat.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
I want to hear if you’ve ever been the only one at the table and felt like you had to fight to stay in leadership.
Drop a comment. Share your experience. Let’s talk about how we can change this.
Because we deserve to lead and we deserve to thrive.
