The excitement in the air at the 2024 Democratic National Convention was palpable—a sense of history in the making that left the audience on the edge of their seats, cheering, crying, and standing in awe. When Michelle Obama took the stage, her voice strong and filled with the wisdom of her journey, she spoke not just to the audience in the room, but to every Black woman who has ever had to fight twice as hard to be seen. And then, the crescendo—the keynote from Kamala Harris, who promised soon to become America’s first Black, Asian, and female president. Her words cut through the noise, delivering a message that was both a rallying cry and a call for reflection: ” With this election, our nation has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past. A chance to chart a New Way Forward.”
For Black professionals, and Black women in particular, this truth has been a complicated one, long buried under the weight of respectability politics. But in this new era, the veneer is cracking, revealing a path forward that demands we abandon the safety of conformity for the power of authenticity. The stakes have never been higher, and the choice has never been clearer: we’re not going back.
The High Cost of Respectability
Respectability politics—rooted in the belief that if Black people behave in a manner acceptable to the dominant culture, they will be treated with respect—has been a survival mechanism for generations. But this approach comes at a cost. A growing, critical body of research highlights the heavy toll that code-switching and assimilation take on the mental and physical health of Black professionals.
Santiago, Nwokoma, and Crentsil (2021) delve into the exhausting implications of code-switching for African American professionals. Their research outlines how navigating white-dominated spaces often requires Black employees to suppress their cultural identities, which can lead to a sense of alienation and emotional exhaustion. The mask of respectability becomes a prison, restricting the ability to express one’s true self in environments where authenticity could—and should—flourish.
The psychological toll extends beyond emotional fatigue. A recent study published in JAMA Network Open (Elbasheir et al., 2024) examines the intersection of racial discrimination, neural connectivity, and epigenetic aging among Black women. The findings are alarming: the constant stress of discrimination and the pressure to conform to White norms can accelerate biological aging. The implications are clear—respectability politics isn’t just stifling; it’s killing us.
Authenticity as Liberation
Kamala Harris’s ascent to the presidency isn’t just symbolic; it’s a signal that the time for half-
measures is over. The energy of her campaign, bolstered by the voices of millions who refused to be silenced, reflects a seismic shift in how Black people, especially Black women, navigate power and identity in America.
As Johnson, Mattan, Flores, Lauharatanahirun, and Falk (2022) discuss in their work on linguistic racism, the consequences of code-switching and the pressure to assimilate extend far beyond the workplace. They ripple through our personal lives, our mental health, and our communities. Yet, as we’ve seen through Harris’s unapologetic embrace of her multi-faceted identity, authenticity isn’t just a personal stance—it’s a revolutionary act. By rejecting respectability and embracing authenticity, we reclaim our narrative. We refuse to let others dictate the terms of our success or define the limits of our potential. Authenticity means
bringing our full selves to every table, every conversation, and every decision. It means recognizing that our unique perspectives aren’t liabilities to be managed but assets to be celebrated.
A Call to Action
The 2024 DNC wasn’t just a political event; it was a watershed moment, a clarion call to every Black professional who has ever felt the pressure to conform. In the words of Michelle Obama, “If we see a mountain in front of us, we don’t expect there to be an escalator waiting to take us to the top. No, we put our heads down. We get to work. In America, we do something.”
As we move forward, let us commit to shedding the shackles of respectability politics. Let us foster environments where authenticity isn’t just accepted but expected. This shift isn’t just about individual liberation; it’s about collective empowerment. It’s about creating a future where our children don’t have to choose between their heritage and their success, where they can thrive in a world that values them for who they are, not for how well they can fit into a mold that was never meant for them.
We’re not going back. The future is ours to define, and it starts with the courage to be authentically, unapologetically, ourselves.
References
Elbasheir, A., Katrinli, S., Kearney, B. E., Lanius, R. A., Harnett, N. G., Carter, S. E., … & Fani, N. (2024). Racial Discrimination, Neural Connectivity, and Epigenetic Aging Among Black
Women. JAMA Network Open, 7(6), e2416588-e2416588.
Johnson, D. G., Mattan, B. D., Flores, N., Lauharatanahirun, N., & Falk, E. B. (2022). Social-cognitive and affective antecedents of code switching and the consequences of linguistic racism for Black people and people of color. Affective science, 3(1), 5-13.
Santiago, R., Nwokoma, N., & Crentsil, J. (2021). Investigating the implications of code-switching and assimilating at work for African American professionals. Journal of Business Diversity, 21(4).