The Importance of Negotiation for BIPOC Women and Femmes
March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor women's remarkable achievements and ongoing struggles across generations. As a leadership and negotiation coach, it also serves as a reminder of the systemic injustices that persist for all women, especially for Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC).
The gender pay gap remains a pressing global issue. This year’s Equal Pay Day for women in the U.S. falls on March 12th, symbolically marking how far into 2024 women have to work to catch up to what white, non-Hispanic men earned in 2023.
Per Equal Pay Today’s research, the Equal Pay Days for Native women, Black women, Latinas, and Asian Pacific Islander women, as well as other historically marginalized communities continue to be devastatingly delayed.
Women’s Equal Pay Day: March 12th (a two-day improvement from last year)
AANHPI Equal Pay Days: April 3/August 28th
LGBTQIA+ Equal Pay Awareness Day: June 3rd
Black Women’s Equal Pay Day: July 9th
Mom’s Equal Pay Day: August 7th
Latina Equal Pay Day: October 3rd
Native Women’s Equal Pay Day: November 21st
It’s unacceptable that BIPOC women need to work an additional year to achieve equal pay.
This injustice compounds over time and can result in up to $1 million of lost wages, limited opportunities for upward mobility, and diminished financial security over a 40+ year career.
With Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives under threat, I firmly believe negotiation is a powerful tool and skill for BIPOC women and femmes to fight the unjust intersectional pay gap we all are navigating. By confidently advocating for equitable pay and professional advancement, we can begin to close these unconscionable disparities.
Here are three steps you can take today:
1) Knowing and Internalizing the Value of Your Unique Expertise
Stand firm in the inherent value of your expertise and experience. Remember: no one has what you have. Own your brilliance and all that you bring to the table fully.
Research industry standards and the value of your unique background, skills, experience level, and perspective. Don’t ever guess what your pay should be. You can utilize resources like Payscale, Glassdoor, LinkedIn Salary, and your professional network for your market research.
Grounding in clear and real data provides concrete support for the salary or rates you will ask for.
If you need a template, you can sign up to download Real You Leadership’s Quick & Dirty Market Research guide here.
2) Cultivating the Unshakeable Confidence to Self-advocate
Feeling empowered is key in any negotiation, yet maintaining confidence can be challenging, especially in environments where BIPOC individuals feel marginalized or undervalued. Prioritize self-care, self-affirmations, and self-compassion as you dare to move outside of your comfort zone.
Remember that progress and growth in self-advocacy skills are always available to you. Practice assertive communication techniques in low-stakes conversations to build confidence and experience. For example, one client practiced advocating for a bad haircut to get fixed, when normally they would have stayed quiet. Another client advocated setting firm boundaries with a peer’s communication style to improve.
Surround yourself with a supportive community of peers, mentors, coaches, and allies who uplift and validate your lived experiences. You can also consider asking for the support of friends or mentors for role-playing exercises to grow your advocacy muscles further.
3) Using Your Voice to Advocate for Equal Pay
Negotiation isn’t just about securing personal gains; it’s also about advocating for systemic change. Use your voice and the platforms available to you to amplify the conversation around pay equity and inclusion. Champion pay transparency policies, DEI initiatives, and anti-discrimination measures in and out of your organization.
As a leader, you have power in your sphere of influence, whether you see it or not, and by advocating for equity for ourselves and each other, we pave the way for future generations of BIPOC women and femmes to thrive without the barriers we face today.
The path to equal pay globally is long and challenging, but small collective actions add up and help dismantle systemic barriers. Let it start with you by negotiating and confidently advocating for yourself, which helps pave the way for other BIPOC women and femmes to challenge the status quo and self-advocate, too.
Leadership & Negotiation Coach for Women of Color in Technology|Founder|Workshop Facilitator, Speaker & Trainer
Nadia’s career and leadership expertise has been featured in CNBC, HuffPost, FastCompany, New York Times Kids, Teen Vogue, and The Muse.
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