The first, the few, the only How women of color can redefine power in corporate America

Purushothaman, an Indian American woman who spent 21 years successfully climbing the corporate ladder at Deloitte, presents a thorough analysis of the struggles faced by women of color in the workplace. She acknowledges in the introduction that this is an inherently fraught topic, but she addresses it with sensitivity and nuance. She asserts that WOC must advocate for themselves, both individually and as a group. It is essential for the reader to internalize this message in order to fully absorb the guidance in the three sections that follow. The sections are titled "Find Your Power," "Feel Your Power," and "Forge Our Power." The third section is the most effective, as it presents practical advice for WOC who may be struggling to leverage their value within the strict confines of corporate employment. Because of the book's narrow focus on traditional forms of employment, its audience will be somewhat limited to those working in a corporate office environment. Overall, the book is well written and would be a solid addition to any career collection in an academic or public library.

Being the first woman of color with a particular title marks a milestone for organizations, but it can be lonely and dispiriting on a personal level according to this empowering debut. Purushothaman, who researches structural racism at Harvard, outlines her experience as one of few women of color in "white places and spaces" and explains how climbing the corporate ladder left her with "scars" to the point that she quit her job at consulting firm Deloitte to focus on researching racism. Here, she delivers a program for "reimagining workspaces to have greater access and parity" that guides women of color (and "co-conspirators") through understanding corporate culture--notably the dubious notion that just "being yourself" can solve structural issues--and questioning the indoctrination that makes them believe such ideas. She offers reflection questions ("What does it mean for WOC to have power?") and lays out tips and tools for seeking happiness, managing stress, and coping with trauma (such as listening to one's body and finding community). It's a fresh, worthy addition to the growing body of work on diversity in the workplace. (Mar.)