What Do I Say? The Courage to Speak as a Black Woman in Leadership

Admin
6 days ago
2 min read

When Silence Feels Safer

There were times I swallowed words I should have said. Not because I didn’t know what to say, but because I feared how it would be received. The tightrope between professionalism and authenticity can feel especially thin for Black women in leadership.

We know that tone will be analyzed, confidence mistaken for arrogance, passion misread as aggression. So, silence becomes survival. But silence also becomes suffocating.

I’ve learned that my voice is not a threat; it’s an offering. And every time I withhold it, I reinforce the systems that try to silence it.

The Weight of Representation

Leadership as a Black woman often means being “the only one” in the room. It means carrying the unspoken responsibility of not just representing yourself, but an entire community. That weight can feel impossible, but it can also be sacred.

Representation is both privilege and pressure. But the more I speak, the more I realize that courage multiplies. When one of us uses her voice, others begin to find theirs too.

Learning to Speak with Clarity and Care

Finding my voice didn’t happen overnight, it happened in moments of truth. Moments when I had to decide whether to be comfortable or honest. Moments when I realized that courage doesn’t mean loudness; it means conviction.

Now, I speak with intention. I pause before I respond, not to censor myself, but to make sure my words align with my values. I’ve learned that calm and clarity are the sharpest tools in advocacy.

A Word for Leaders

Your voice matters. Even when it shakes. Especially when it shakes.

When you use your voice with purpose, you not only disrupt systems; you redefine them. Leadership without voice is performance. Leadership with voice is power.

Reflection Prompt

Where have I been quiet when my wisdom was needed most?

Affirmation

“My voice is power. My truth is necessary. My presence is enough.”

Call to Action

Ready to go deeper? My book Another Face of Trauma: Removing the Mask of Overachieving is available now. Order your copy at www.drcapricawells.com.