A Thesis Submitted to The

Getting Back Up Again: A critical-interpretive exploration of African American women C-suite executives coping with microaggressions in the workplace A thesis submitted to the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in the Department of Communication of the College of Arts and Sciences by Rockia Harris B.A. University of Kentucky May 2017 Committee Chair: Ronald Jackson II, Ph.D. i Abstract This study explores the coping mechanisms developed by African American women who hold or have held C-suite executive positions when facing microaggressions in the workplace. In an attempt to understand the barriers these women encounter based upon their racial and gender identitiy, I utilize the Microaggression and Resiliency Theory as the conceptual framework. The significance of this study narrows in on a demographic of women who lack in numbers, translating to a lack of voices and experiences being shared when faced with discrimination and how they are able to ‘get back up’ once they are knocked down. Using this critical interpretative approach, the findings show that African American women C-suite executives are experiencing microaggressions, specifically indirect manifestations verbally and nonverbally. The findings also provide insight on how other women in these powerful positions can develop the needed skills and habits, to be able to push through with their resiliency. ii iii Acknowledgements “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept”. -Angela Davis Teddy, Aunt Monty, Inez & Uncle Sean this is for you… I would like to first say thank you to all of those who ever encouraged me through a phone call/text, social media, prayer and so on during this process, as these last 2 years have been the most stressful time period of my life. This chapter of living in Cincinnati allowed me to experience new things like living on my own, to facing demons I’ve long ignored, such as my mental health. Through discovery of my dyslexia and grasping this new concept of Communication, I’ve grown into a better woman and better yet, an improved scholar. To my motivation, my mom and brother, thank you for believing in me even when I couldn’t find the willpower to believe in myself. To my aunts and cousins, you always cheered me on no matter what and seeing the smile on your face, makes me feel even more complete. To my sister and best friend, Sydne’, thank you for always helping me be better when it comes to my faith and loving me for 10 years….my truest friend. To my Flossy Posse, Travel Crew and Amigos, I love you so much. Thank you for listening to my vents and always helping when I’m being indecisive. To 25DS, my prophytes, neophytes, distant sands, & Sorors in general that I have met on this journey, you’ve shown me what this sisterhood can truly do in a time of need. AOML. Lastly, to Dr. Jackson, Ashley, Dominique, Staci, and my BGPSA family, thank you for protecting my Blackness and Womanhood at all cost. Academia doesn’t understand our struggles unless it’s written as a publication but living the experience is so different. Thank you for reiterating that I am needed in this space. Thank you all for being my needed support system. iv Table of Contents Abstract ii Acknowledgements iv Table of Contents v Chapter 1 (Introduction) 1 Chapter 2 (Literature Review) 11 Discrimination Against African Americans & Women 11 Racial & Gendered Microaggressions 16 Workplace Discrimination 19 Racial Battle Fatigue in the Workplace 22 Chapter 3 (Methods) 31 Chapter 4 (Data Analysis) 42 Category One: Microinsults 43 Category Two: Microinvalidations 58 Category Three: Resilience 64 Chapter 5 (Conclusion) 74 References 94 Appendix A (IRB Protocol) 106 Appendix B (Participants Recruitment Email) 116 Appendix C (Semi Structured Interview Schedule) 117 Appendix D (Adult Consent Form) 118 Appendix E (Transcribed Interviews) 119 v CHAPTER 1 – Introduction Discrimination is pervasive, and the workplace is no exception. In 2017, 84,253 cases were filed with federal agency nationwide (EEOC, 2018) on charges of workplace discrimination, including harassment. These negative interactions are not only costly financially, but they also lead to significant deterioration in the climate, vision, and cohesiveness of the organization (Elizabeth-Hirsh, 2009). Often times discrimination begins with microaggressions, or small slights, that when left unchecked expand into more severe acts of maladaptive behavior. Microaggressions are the brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial, gender, sexual-orientation, and religious slights and insults to the target person or group (Sue, 2010). They leave institutions with climate issues that must be managed, usually through diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies and initiatives; yet what is not always understood and may get overlooked is how the individual who is being aggressed processes these attacks (Sue et al., 2009). Currently, there are several cases in media showcasing women speaking out about their experiences in the workplaces. Earlier in 2018, two African American women filed racial discriminations against Fox News because of the company’s comptroller who allegedly made, “numerous racially charged comments, including suggestions that Black men were women beaters and Black people wanted to physically harm White people” (Chokshi, 2017). Despite the attempt of keeping equity and inclusion in the forefront of these company facades, microaggressions persist across industries within the United States. The present study is principally concerned with microaggressions targeting a specific group – 1 African American women in executive positions. African American employees filed 25,482 cases of racial discrimination and 19,605 have been filed by women in the workforce (EEOC, 2014). African American women are faced with racial and gendered microaggressions, intersected by two or more identities. Turner & Myers (2000) explain that African American women’s intersectional identities compound the impact that race and gender discrimination might have singularly. According to the American Association of University Women, African American women with the same educational credentials as others can expect to be met with less pay and less opportunity. 2 This persisting reality of wage discrimination also leads to occupational disparities for African American women who often find themselves in lower rung positions exists alongside the devastating injustice of daily racial and gender microaggressions in the workplace. Scholars have built upon others research to discover the effects microaggressions can have on all people (Donovan et. al, 2012; Nadal et al., 2014; Hughey, 2017; Sue, 2010) and it is important to reiterate that the consistency of being attacked because of something one cannot control (i.e. race or gender) is likely to trigger mental, physical, and emotional stressors. Any one microaggression alone may be minimally impactful, but when they occur continuously throughout a lifespan, their cumulative nature can have major detrimental consequences (Holmes & Holmes, 1970; Holmes & Rahe, 1967; Meyer, 1995, 2003; Utsey, Giesbrecht, Hook & Standard, 2008; Utsey & Ponterotto, 1999). This study will explore the impact microaggressions have on African American women executives, with the specific focus on the unconscious manifestations (microinsults and microinvalidations) they experience in the workplace. Why African American Women in Executive Positions? Being a woman in a male dominant field is a challenge but adding race to the mix creates an even wider gap in success. The Center for American Progress (Warner & Corley, 2017) stated that Women of color represent only 3.9 percent of executive- or senior-level officials and managers and 0.4 percent of CEOs in those companies in 2015. These numbers alone show the lack of representation within the workforce, translating to the lack of voices that can be heard when expressing women of color’s experiences. Society presents us with women like Ursula Burns who, in 2009 as CEO of Xerox, became the first African American 3 woman to lead a fortune 500 company for the first time in history. Additionally, over four hundred African American women are running for federal, state, and local office positions this year, including Representative Maxine Waters or Georgia Gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. These are the few trailblazers we are exposed to who are breaking barriers, but still faced different disparities and unequal treatment in the workplace. Men invoke stereotypes that allocate women as unsuitable for desired jobs and are threaten by the competition of limited position (Falkenburg, 1990). After creating tension, it can manifest into possible abuse of power, discrimination, harassment and even being hostile in this typical male dominant environment. The dynamic of office politics is shifted once women or people of color are in the ‘power seat’. Catalyst (2013, p. 14) is a nonprofit that helps organizations remove barriers in the workplace and argues that many African American women report that their authority is often questioned and challenges with those they interact with both in and out of the workplace. Lack of respect goes into undermining an individual’s authority and role, and often these women are distrusted, or their credibility is

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