Why we need more BIPOC Leaders

Take a look at recent stats:

• Black folks represent 14% of the US population, but only 7% of the workforce and only 4% of executive positions; [1]
• People who are Latinx represent 19% of the overall population and 4% of executive positions; [2]
• East Asians represent 21% of the US population and only 6% of senior leadership; [3]
• Indigenous people in Canada represent 6 percent of the population but only 0.8 percent of board positions; [i]
• When we look at race and gender together, the number of racialized women in senior leadership drops down to half of the estimated numbers above. [4]

Racialized leaders don’t just create greater proportional representation of the broader society our institutions serve, but also bring additional skills and worldviews which strengthen organizational impact and resilence. Yet rather than being invited in, this demographic of leaders too often encounter the opposite: variations of being underestimated, condescended to, or simply overlooked. Hearing the stories of BIPOC leaders over the last twenty years lit my fire to write this book– we need BIPOC folks in the workplace to keep going, keep speaking up, and keep working to change the very conditions holding us back in the first place, because our voices are needed at this moment more than ever.

Book Description

In these politically fraught times, organizations need strong leadership to help navigate uncertainty and complexity. A crucial yet overlooked group are leaders who are also racial minorities, often moving into positions of influence with little support or acknowledgement.  Fire and Silence offers a roadmap to leadership using compassion instead of trauma, authority without victimhood, and strength inclusive of vulnerability, in ways that are fair to all. 

From the trenches of social activism to coaching board room executives, Annahid Dashtgard offers proven strategies and real-world stories alongside practical tips and tools to support the growing number of BIPOC leaders achieve the impact and recognition they so richly deserve — without having to sacrifice who they are in the process.

“I don’t talk about leadership neutrally. This book is an invitation to be part of changing the ubiquitous conditions holding back BIPOC folks and other minoritized groups in the workplace. The leadership pathway, frameworks, and skills I offer here are in service of changing the discriminatory systems we find ourselves in, challenging the corrupt uses of power, and ultimately cultivating more interconnectedness and belonging in our workplaces and society. I want you to feel as though you matter and belong, and I hope you create more of that for others. That’s the wish at the heart of this book.” ~ Fire and Silence: A Roadmap for BIPOC Leaders

What Others Have to Say:

“This would be an important book at any time, but in the present context of heightened divisions, anger and hate, it is an excellent and timely resource for leaders as they navigate troubled waters.” ~The Honourable Ratna Omidvar, OC, O.Ont.

“This book is a must read for leaders navigating today’s workplace full of rapid shifts, uncertainty, and polarization. Both a practical guide and a personal call to action, Annahid’s words are uniquely positioned to help BIPOC leaders navigate with authority and compassion.” ~Deepa Purushothaman, Author of The First, The Few, The Only.

What Next:

• Register for our next free Anima Cafe: October 22 – How BIPOC Leaders can Navigate Lateral Violence in the Workplace
• Order your copy now – Canada (Dundurn Press, Indigo, Amazon)
• Order your copy now – US and International (Barnes and Noble, Amazon)
  

Sources:

[1] McKinsey & Company. Race in the Workplace: The Black Experience in the US Private Sector. 21 Feb. 2021, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/race-in-the-workplace-the-black-experience-in-the-us-private-sector.

[2] HACR. 2016 CORPORATE INCLUSION INDEX. May 2016, hacr.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2016-HACR-CII-1.pdf.

[3] Goon, Caroline, et al. “Examining the Asian American Leadership Gap and Inclusion Issues with Federal Employee Data: Recommendations for Inclusive Workforce Analytic Practices.” Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics, vol. 7, no. 958750, Sept. 2022, https://doi.org/10.3389/frma.2022.958750.

[4] The Diversity Institute. “Skills for Inclusive Workplaces and the Advancement of Indigenous Peoples”. May 2024, www.torontomu.ca/content/dam/diversity/reports/DI-FS%20CCAB%20Indigenous%20Leadership%20and%20Skills%20-%20May2024_FINAL.pdf.

[5] McKinsey & Company. Women in the Workplace. 5 Oct. 2023, www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace.

Annahid Dashtgard

CEO and Co-Founder, Anima Leadership

As a seasoned change-maker and non-fiction author, Annahid gets juiced by figuring out what makes people and systems tick, and how to move them from survive to thrive. Over the last two decades she has worked with hundreds of organizations and leaders to create more just and equitable futures. She’s a first generation immigrant woman of colour who uses her voice to illuminate our common journey to belonging. Her new book Fire and Silence: A Roadmap for BIPOC Leaders is available for pre-order now. Alongside her bestselling books —Bones of Belonging: Finding Wholeness in a White World (2023) and Breaking the Ocean: A Memoir of Race, Rebellion and Reconciliation (2019)— she has written for numerous other publications and sits on the boards of both the Writer’s Trust and the Writer’s Union of Canada. 

Annahid has a Masters in Adult Education and has trained in various psychological modalities (Process work, Somatic Experiencing trauma training, mindfulness and Chinese medicine) to understand the root of systems change in human consciousness. Besides consulting, educating, coaching and writing on JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion) issues for over two decades across both public and private sectors, she has carefully cultivated her love of reading, usually on the couch with a glass of wine in hand trying to tune out the voices of her little ones. Check out her wiki page or website for more.