As a woman of color, you’ve likely been taught, directly or through unspoken rules, to work twice as hard for half the recognition. You’ve learned to smile through microaggressions, shrink to keep the peace, and accept less while giving more.
But I’m here to tell you: you are not here to settle. You are here to stand.
Knowing your worth isn’t arrogance. It’s ancestral. It’s sacred. It’s resistance.
A Womanist Lens: Why This Matters
Womanist thought, rooted in the experiences of Black women and women of color, reminds us that our bodies, labor, and leadership have long been undervalued in systems not built for us. But womanism also offers us something revolutionary: a deep spiritual insistence on wholeness, dignity, and truth.
As Alice Walker wrote, a womanist is “committed to the survival and wholeness of an entire people.” And that includes your survival, financial, emotional, and spiritual.
Saying no, asking for more, and choosing peace over performance are not betrayals of your job, your family, or your faith. They are acts of liberation.
On Salary: Stop Negotiating With Shame
When you walk into a salary negotiation, you’re not just advocating for yourself. You’re breaking cycles.
Too often, women of color are told to “be grateful” for whatever we’re given, especially if it’s “more than our mothers had.” But gratitude should never be used as a gag.
Know your value:
- Research your market rate.
- Know your non-negotiables.
- Practice saying, “I’m excited about the role, and I’d like to discuss compensation based on my experience and the value I bring.”
Let your ask reflect your worth, not your fear.
And remember: negotiating doesn’t make you difficult. It makes you discerning.
On Boundaries: No Is a Holy Word
Boundaries are not walls to keep people out. They are bridges to keep you whole.
Whether it’s being expected to “go above and beyond” without recognition or being labeled “too much” when you speak up, we have to stop normalizing self-erasure.
Saying:
- “I need time to think about that.”
- “My plate is full right now.”
- “That language doesn’t feel respectful to me.”
…is not rude. It’s righteous.
Womanist theology affirms our right to name what we need, protect our peace, and call our power back home.
Closing Word: You Are the Standard
You don’t need to wait for someone else to see your worth. You are the evidence. Every time you advocate for your pay, your rest, your boundaries, you remind the world that you are not disposable.
You are divine.
You are enough.
You are worthy of more than survival—you are worthy of joy, of ease, of abundance.
So walk into the next room, the next email, the next hard conversation like your grandmother’s prayers and your future self are standing right beside you.
Because they are.
Reflection Questions:
- Where have I accepted less than I deserved out of fear or habit?
- What boundary do I need to honor more fiercely?
- What would it look like to show up as someone who knows her worth?
For Colored Girls Who Lead 
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