Kimberly Robinson Williams, MBA

I am grateful to have been asked to contribute to this important discussion, and thank you to Katica Roy and MSNBC for highlighting the impact job losses have on Black women. When Black women are excluded from the workplace, decision-making tables lose insight, innovation, and resilience. That’s not just our loss, it’s everyone’s 🤷🏾‍♀️ Over 300,000 Black women have lost their jobs in the US since Trump’s return. Heartbreaking but not shocking. History shows us in both the US and the UK: when the economy dips, Black women are the first to feel it and the last to recover. Let’s be clear, this is not about capability, talent, or ambition. Black women bring immense value, perspective, and leadership to the workplace. These losses are about systems and biases that continue to push us out. The real tragedy is that when Black women are excluded, organisations and economies miss out on the very leadership and innovation needed to thrive in uncertain times. To all the Black women impacted in the US and here in the UK — your value is not diminished by this moment 👸🏾👸🏾 To leaders — protect your pipelines, invest in sponsorship, and recognise that the cost of losing Black women is far greater than any single job cut 💪🏾🙌🏾 Representation isn’t symbolic. It’s the difference between organisations that stagnate and those that thrive. POCIT 68/90

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John Valverde has been one of my greatest teachers, coach, and mentor. Beyond grateful for his leadership, vision, and commitment to his life’s mission: “opening doors to opportunity for those who need it”. Such a powerful article, I encourage you to take a few minutes to read it, and reflect on the practical insights he has to offer.

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I’m honored to introduce Voices of Belonging, a year-long roundtable series hosted by the International Coaching Federation DEIB Department. This series brings together coaches, leaders, and subject matter experts for candid, grounded conversations about how awareness, culture, and connection shape the coaching profession. No performative talk. No buzzword soup. Real dialogue. Real application. In the first three episodes, we’ll explore topics including: •Allyship that actually changes behavior with Jeremy May, MAOL, ACC, and Latish Reed, Ph.D. • Ethics and professional responsibility with Kristin Kelly • Networking to leverage opportunities with Dr. Darrell Norman Burrell Sign up today! https://lnkd.in/gViTpBcv The goal is simple and ambitious: • Deepen reflective practice • Foster genuine belonging across ICF’s diverse global community • Help coaches translate insight into meaningful action Belonging isn’t a slogan. It’s a practice. This roundtable exists to make that practice visible, rigorous, and actionable. If you care about the integrity, evolution, and future of coaching, this series is for you. Come join us starting in February. The conversations are just getting started. Sign up today! https://lnkd.in/gViTpBcv

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The Homeless Assistance Fund, Inc. (HAFI) is proud to support the work of Xiente with a low-interest loan for their Mi Casa Project, which supports families living in poverty to achieve economic mobility through a two-generation comprehensive support strategy. HAFI also supports the development of deeply affordable housing in Philadelphia through low-interest loans to Pathways Housing Wellness Corporation and the Women's Community Revitalization Project. HAFI has also invested in PhilaImpact Fund, a collaboration between Reinvestment Fund and Philadelphia Foundation. We are looking forward to the learning, networking and dialogue at Total Impact Summit 2025 in mid-May.

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Analytical acumen and a strong knowledge of corporate governance are among tools that can help Black women executives shift to board corporate director positions.

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“When Black women lead, institutions shift — the blueprint of leadership expands.” — Dr. Janaye Executes In the article below I discuss leadership and transformation by emphasizing structural dynamics. The most poignant: misogynoir a concept which adds a valuable lens for how Black women uniquely operate and lead within and transform institutions. Take a look: https://lnkd.in/eq7kvG4H

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Promotion isn’t just about performance — it’s political. In our recent Network for Black Women Leaders Elevate Session, executive coach Sandra Pollock OBE broke down the hidden rules behind visibility, power, and career progression for Black women. ✨ Key lessons: • Build a leadership brand that opens doors. • Self-advocate with purpose, not apology. • Understand the power dynamics in your workplace. • Choose yourself. Don’t wait to be chosen. 📖 Read the full blog, featuring the five strategic pathways to promotion: https://lnkd.in/eQeABGJY #NBWL #BlackWomenLeaders #CareerProgression

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Writing this book, I interviewed Black leaders who have mastered the art of navigating race in professional spaces. Their insights are both powerful and necessary. By examining the obstacles they face and the strategies they employ, we can gain a deeper understanding of the structures that shape Black professionals' work experiences. This understanding challenges us to reevaluate our workplaces and the day-to-day climate. It prompts us to ask: Do our policies truly support inclusion? By recognising the unseen hurdles black professionals navigate, we can look for other areas where systems may be failing individuals and take actionable steps to embed inclusive practices that ensure every employee has the opportunity to thrive. #Leadership #OrganisationalChange

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The stakes are higher than ever, AND there is strength and hope in numbers. Powerful recommendations from Kelly Frances Bates and Fiona Kanagasingam on how justice-focused nonprofits can "resist and persist in organized power". Here's the abridged version: 1) Don’t go it alone. 2) Build the organizational infrastructure to fight back. 3) Think of new ways to fund. (And please funders, resist the instinct to ask grantees to scrub language, hide their values, or water down their missions.) 4) Don’t close your doors too fast - consider partnerships or mergers. 5) Stay grounded and focused. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

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🌟 Community Connections Episode Alert # 38: Tayanah Scott, Community Engagement and Program Manager and Dymiere Finch, Executive Director of the African American Male Wellness Agency🌟 🔔 How NCUS Philly Is Empowering Black Families Through Wellness, Workforce & Fatherhood Support 🔔 🎥 In this episode, Katrina Pratt Roebuck, CEO of Uplifme, sits down with Tayanah Scott and Dymiere Finch from the Philadelphia office of the National Center for Urban Solutions to explore how their programs are transforming lives in underserved communities across Philadelphia. From helping non-custodial fathers find sustainable employment to launching holistic mental health and wellness programs for Black men—and now expanding support to women through the Uplift Her initiative—NCUS Philly is building stronger, healthier families and communities. 🛠️ What You’ll Learn in This Episode: - How NCUS helps non-custodial fathers avoid incarceration through job placement & support - The importance of focusing on women through the new Uplift Her Program - The impact of Black Men’s Wellness Day and Real Men Real Talk on community mental health - Family-focused programs like Sports with Dads and Cooking with Dads - The launch of Uplift Her, a women’s wellness initiative tackling maternal health, mental health & breast cancer awareness - How YOU can access free services, volunteer, or support NCUS Philly 🔗 Access Services or Get Involved: 🌐 Website: https://www.aawellness.org → Select Philadelphia 📸 Instagram: @amwaphilly 💸 Donate or Volunteer: https://lnkd.in/epvKxw43 Watch the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/ebFntp8f 🙌 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share to support the incredible work being done by AAMWA and Uplifme to uplift families and empower communities. New videos and community interviews every week! 📌 Hashtags: Rev. Dr. Lorina Marshall-Blake #BlackFamiliesMatter #WorkforceDevelopment #FatherhoodSupport #MentalHealthMatters #UpliftHer #CommunityWellness #FreeResourcesPhilly #NCUSPhilly #NonprofitSupport #Uplifme #katrinaprattroebuck

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The Sista Nonprofit Network—a program of Tokiwa T Smith Consulting —is an online community for Black women working in nonprofit and philanthropy. As part of our commitment to supporting the growth of Black women in these sectors, we host quarterly professional development workshops designed to provide tools and strategies for skill-building and career advancement. This quarter's professional development workshop is focusing on two critical pillars of organizational infrastructure: nonprofit accounting and strategic planning. Join us on Thursday, May 22, from 1:00–2:00 PM EST for “Accounting for Your Goals” led by Chyla Graham, CPA , President of CNRG Accounting Advisory LLC In this interactive session, you’ll explore how well your accounting practices align with your organization’s goals. With your mission at the center, we’ll discuss common financial roadblocks and how to overcome them. You’ll walk away with actionable insights to ensure your finances support—not hinder—your impact. This session is especially valuable for Black women leading or working at small to mid-sized nonprofit or philanthropic organizations. However those working at larger organizations could benefit from attending the workshop. Register via the link below: https://lnkd.in/gxf9N7Rd Joy B. Webb, MBA, CAP® Abigail Reese-Kelley Simone Ragland, LMSW Nikole Collins-Puri Rosalind Fleming Stephanie Espy Zoë B. Ebonie Johnson Cooper Lauren Carson Debra Nealy Dia P. Ciara C. Charaun Cash, MPA

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I’ll never forget holding space for Black women leaders at Sisters in Commercial Real Estate (SICRE) this month. Kimberley Jackson-Hagwood CPM Natalie Tyler-Martin, MBA, RPA Shaina Talbert Tia Scott Candace Hight My session, Presence Is the Hack™: A Leadership Reset for Black Women Navigating Rooms That Weren’t Built for Us, was deeply personal. For two decades, I’ve lived that story — carrying the weight of being “the only,” navigating unspoken expectations, and finding ways to lead in spaces that weren’t designed with us in mind. What made this moment powerful was not just sharing my journey, but transforming that pain into practice — reclaiming presence, clarity, and power alongside women who understand it in their bones. Because when we root ourselves in presence, we don’t just survive those rooms. We shift them. 💬 To my sisters navigating rooms not built for you — what’s one strategy, ritual, or reminder that helps you stay grounded in your brilliance? #BlackWomenLeaders #PresenceIsTheHack #LeadershipReset #WomenOfColorInLeadership #ClarityAndCapacity #MindfulLeadership #LeadWithImpact #BlackExcellence #ConsciousLeadership

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Stop calling Black women resilient. Resilience means bouncing back. Returning to the status quo. But that’s not what Black women have been doing. We’ve been innovating. We’ve been building frameworks for leadership that organizations are only now realizing they need: Relationship-first leadership that drives results Adaptive authenticity that bridges cultures and improves collaboration Sustainable excellence that prevents burnout while delivering performance These aren’t survival strategies. They’re innovation methodologies that produce measurable business outcomes. The truth is, Black women leaders have been operating as living laboratories of leadership innovation for centuries. What looks like “resilience” is actually revolutionary excellence. The question is whether organizations will finally recognize it, implement it, and benefit from it. 📖 Read the full post: Stop Calling Black Women Resilient: The Innovation Framework That's Revolutionizing Leadership https://lnkd.in/g9qxhSkY

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Food & Black History: The Stories Behind the Plate Food is a living narrative of Black history—how people survived forced displacement, retained cultural practices, and transformed limited ingredients into enduring culinary traditions. What we now call “soul food” reflects resilience, adaptation, and cultural synthesis. ⸻ 1. Soul Food: More Than a Label The term soul food became popular in the mid‑20th century as part of Black cultural pride, but the cuisine itself emerged much earlier in the rural American South. Its roots lie in the home cooking of African Americans who wove together African, Indigenous, and European food traditions using what was available to them. ⸻ 2. Greens (Collard, Mustard, Turnip) Dark leafy greens like collards and mustard have deep roots in West African agriculture and were grown in the South by enslaved people. These greens became staple foods because they were nutritious, hardy, and adaptable. Cooking them slowly with smoked meats enhanced flavor and added sustenance. ⸻ 3. Cornbread Corn was a foundational ingredient across the Americas long before the Civil War. Enslaved cooks used cornmeal to make cornbread, hoecakes, and other breads, transforming a cheap staple into versatile and beloved dishes. ⸻ 4. Black‑Eyed Peas & Hoppin’ John Black‑eyed peas are indigenous to West Africa and were carried to the U.S. through the transatlantic slave trade. Their continued use in dishes like Hoppin’ John—a rice and pea dish linked to West African traditions—symbolizes continuity with ancestral foodways and is still eaten for luck and prosperity in some Black families, especially on New Year’s Day. ⸻ 5. Okra & Gumbo Okra, a vegetable with origins in Africa, became a central ingredient in Southern and Creole cuisine. It was used as a thickening agent in stews and soups and is believed to be one of the key African contributions to dishes like gumbo—a culinary blend of African, Indigenous, French, and Spanish influences that took shape in Louisiana. ⸻ 6. Rice Rice was not only a dietary staple; enslaved Africans brought sophisticated rice‑cultivation knowledge with them. In the coastal “Lowcountry” regions of South Carolina and Georgia, Black farmers cultivated rice that became foundational to the regional cuisine, later featuring in dishes like Hoppin’ John. ⸻ 7. Fried Chicken & Chitlins Fried chicken and chitlins (pig intestines) both emerged from resourceful cooking practices. Enslaved cooks often received less desirable cuts of meat or had limited rations, leading them to master techniques that made these ingredients delicious and culturally significant. Today they are cherished parts of soul food tradition. ⸻ 8. Sweet Potatoes & Yams Sweet potatoes—often interchangeably called yams in the U.S.—trace back to African crops and became central to Southern cooking. They were adaptable, nutritious, and incorporated into dishes ranging from casseroles to pies, reflecting both sustenance and celebration. Our Legacy ❤️

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“By July 2025, more than 300,000 Black women had exited the workforce, and that number scaled to 600,000 in November. Vulnerable to attacks against DEI and overrepresented in federal roles, Black college-educated women have been hit harder by layoffs than any other demographic. Black women have traditionally excelled in federal employment because of governmental protections against biased hiring and the attraction of what was once seen as steady, stable long-term employment with reliable health and retirement benefits. This may no longer be the case.” https://lnkd.in/diAr-s4b

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Do you know any brilliant Black women in transition who want to have greater freedom and impact? Please forward, tag or share this with them... This summer, I’m working on a project that’s part research, part soul work—and I’d love your help. I’m looking to engage 100 Black women (35-55) who are: → Navigating what’s next in life, work, or creativity → Feeling stuck or uncertain, even though they know they’re brilliant → Holding bold dreams—a book, a business, a creative idea—but haven’t quite moved on them yet → Want more purpose and freedom - to travel and live on their own terms This is a listening project. I want to understand the fears, struggles, and roadblocks Black women face on the road to freedom, authenticity and impact. Why? Because I want to design something specifically to support us. Join the waitlist for a conversation: We’ll spend 30-45 minutes together: 💬 15–20 minutes answering a few questions about your journey 🛠️ In exchange for your time, I’ll offer a 20-25 minute free coaching, feedback, or strategy session. I am someone who’s built a six-figure business, travels the world and has led several creative projects. You can ask me anything, get coached or receive a breakthrough. This is a conversation. A space to be seen, supported, and affirmed. 🌿 If this resonates with you—or someone you know—please tag them, forward this message, or share. The link to schedule is here: -One-on-one interviews are here: https://lnkd.in/eFNRQam6 You can also join the one-on-one waitlist + share your story here: https://lnkd.in/em3K92Ww. -Sign up for my FREE summer workshop series for Black women in transition: https://lnkd.in/eaAN9XSM I’d be so grateful. Check out my work here - www.ebonywalden.com #BlackWomenInTransition #BeyondBorders #PurposeAndPower #LifeDesign #HealingAndAction #StoryAndStrategy

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