Tsedale M. Melaku – författare

Now available in paperback with a new foreword from Victor RayYou Don't Look Like a Lawyer: Black Women and Systemic Gendered Racism highlights how race and gender create barriers to recruitment, professional development, and advancement to partnership for black women in elite corporate law firms. Utilizing narratives of black female lawyers, this book offers a blend of accessible theory to benefit any reader willing to learn about the underlying challenges that lead to their high attrition rates. Drawing from narratives of black female lawyers, their experiences center around gendered racism and are embedded within institutional practices at the hands of predominantly white men. In particular, the book covers topics such as appearance, white narratives of affirmative action, differences and similarities with white women and black men, exclusion from social and professional networking opportunities and lack of mentors, sponsors and substantive training. This book highlights the often-hidden mechanisms elite law firms utilize to perpetuate and maintain a dominant white male system. Weaving the narratives with a critical race analysis and accessible writing, the reader is exposed to this exclusive elite environment, demonstrating the rawness and reality of black women’s experiences in white spaces. Finally, we get to hear the voices of black female lawyers as they tell their stories and perspectives on working in a highly competitive, racialized and gendered environment, and the impact it has on their advancement and beyond.

Organizations and institutions use diversity and inclusion mantras to signal opportunity and access for all. However, the real-world results are often underwhelming, and people are demanding that organizations recognize the value that diversity brings to a workplace and be held accountable to the diversity and inclusion mission statements on their websites. The Rowman & Littlefield Handbook on Workplace Diversity and Stratification provides a comprehensive yet concise overview of important issues, themes, and research regarding workplace diversity and stratification. The book analyzes present day and future implications of diversity in the workplace and offers concrete ways of developing policies and practices that will make diversity an intrinsic part of any organizational culture. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the book covers topics including racism, sexism, socio-economic status, LGBTQ+ workers, education, intersectionality, neurodiversity, religion, and allyship. Practical, contemporary, and relevant, this is an excellent resource for anyone interested in understanding what workplace diversity and stratification mean for everyday people, institutions, and society as a whole.