Sep 22, 2020
“By January 2021, where do you want to be?” was the guiding question during last week’s “Goal Setting for Women of Color in the Nonprofit Sector” training hosted by the Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNPE). Nearly 15 women of color developed their professional goals for 2020, identifying strategies to achieve their leadership and personal development goals.
Facilitated by Annie Sánchez, CEO of Mariposa Strategies, the training helped attendees gain a deeper understanding of their strongest attributes and how they are being applied in their careers.
“I hope you walk away with a deeper understanding of what your strengths are and how they’re being nurtured in your professional life and personally,” Sanchez said.
Sanchez, a clarity coach whose mission is to decrease overwhelm in the lives of women and people of color, specifically designed her coaching approach to help women and people of color achieve their professional and personal goals.
Women of color particularly face challenges advancing professionally in the nonprofit sector. According to the recent findings of the Race to Lead: Women of Color in the Nonprofit Sector survey, women of color reported being passed up for new job promotions for colleagues with comparable or lower credentials. Additionally, women of color with the highest levels of education are also most likely to be in administrative roles and the least likely to hold senior leadership positions, being paid significantly less compared to men of color and white men, according to the survey results.
The survey of more than 4,000 nonprofit staff also found significant percentages of each group of women of color noted that both race and gender had a negative impact on their career advancement.
To combat these findings, the CNPE workshop focused on developing the skills and goals of the attendees to better equip them for biases they may encounter within the sector.
Workshop participants defined their goals for the next 3-6 months and created a road map to help achieve them. And while highlighting goals may not prevent adverse experiences of women of color in the nonprofit sector, it establishes a foundation to prepare for leadership positions.
“What do you really want to be and how are [you] going to get there?” Sanchez asked.
The answer is essential to redefining the landscape of women of color in the nonprofit sector.