By Janelle M. Lewis, Attorney & Business Strategist
I usually write about emerging areas of law, startups, entrepreneurship and different approaches to business strategy by incorporating business law. Today, I am choosing to write from the “heart.”
I just finished watching President Obama’s 2023 Emmy Nominated Documentary entitled, “Working: What We Do All Day.” I ultimate decided that, with the exceptions of some stressed truths that lack of access leads to lack of opportunity, the documentary ultimately rests on elite ideals that promulgate the racial stereotypes of plagues industries in the American economy. I could do a point-by-point analysis of why I feel this way, but instead, I will discuss it in the generally context of the documentary limited series and how it impacted me as a Black professional woman in America whose status is achieved through education without having a network. I believe he missed the marked and instead did a significant job fostering the stereotypes and gross generalizations of black women working in America.
I believe he missed the marked and instead did a significant job fostering the stereotypes and gross generalizations of black women working in America.
President Obama’s documentary left me frustrated because it continued to perpetrate the stereotypes that tie racial and gender factors to specific professional industries. To be specific, in the episodes entitled, “Service Jobs” and “TheMiddle” the approximate breakdown of the race of workers interviewed by industry (approximately): was Black women – hospitality, home health care; Men (specifically white men) and non-Black woman – tech, knowledge-based industries. When he speaks to ultimate choices, its discussed in the realm of industries with stereotypical representation.
There was an opportunity for President Obama to have taken a different direction on this issue and examine less known but more prevalent cases of Black Professional woman, Carmen, introduced in “Service Jobs” one who has a degree in dentistry but could not go back to work after her surgery – where were the other doors when that door closed? I ask this question especially as I watch the episodes “Middle” and “Knowledge workers” where there is the constant reminder of the many choices non-whites non-females was a steady thread through the stories. How about further exploring “Carmen” in “Service Jobs” who wants to make it as a Professional Makeup Artist? The obstacles she faces and how she can overcome them in a society dictated by racial and gender bias. Other aspects of the documentary that were not to my liking was the palpable idea that Black women should be grateful for whatever they have or are given and their dominant professional industries. It also was not lost on me when the only time Black women were featured in the limited series was when they represented the Hospitality and the Home Health Care industries, and most cases, they did not hold managerial, supervisory or C-Suite roles.
What is the point of continuing to repeat the certain stories that fit a predictable racial context – what about the stories of those Black professional women working to build careers in white-male dominated industries? Those whose status is derived from their education and not their network. Those who may not even have a network. What about those stories and more importantly, their (our( struggles. What happens to our professional goals and desires when we are blocked from doing what we are trained to do because our skills and abilities are preemptively undermined? Why is it that I could get a job working in lower-skilled level job in hospitality or home healthcare for elderly and/or disabled without experience, but I have to have more than qualifications for white collar job than my similarly situated peers whoo are mainly non-black and male? What happens to the constant and continuous disparate treatment these Black professional women must face as they navigate their desired fields? How does this impact their mental health, confidence and ultimate ability to provide the value they are capable of producing? What happened to these questions Mr. President?
The obstacles faced by Black professional women who achieved their status through education and most likely do not have access to necessary professional networks is an important aspect on a documentary about Working in America. The average Black professional women who has achieved her status through education, often lack access to necessary networks, resulting in mounting student debt, diminished opportunities, lack of mentorship, and stereotypical views that undermine their professional ability. President Obama had the opportunity to discuss this in this limited series documentary, but instead, choose to ignore this topic. To me it seems elitist in some respects, but mainly I remain disappointment that myself and people like me continue to suffer without much opportunity to benefit from the evolving present day economy – even though we have so much value.
