Podcast Episode Overview

Episode Title: Leadership is Failing Black Women—Reclaiming Power in Toxic Workspaces

Episode Summary:
Tonight, we’re getting real about leadership when it fails us, when it turns toxic, and when it costs Black women more than the paycheck could ever cover. Corporate America wasn’t built for us—and the numbers don’t lie. Over 350,000 Black women have been pushed out of corporate spaces in just the last year. But here’s the truth: we are not powerless. We are not disposable. And we’re not waiting for permission to lead, to thrive, and to take up space.

In this episode, we’re breaking it down with bold questions, unapologetic truths, and powerful strategies:

• Defining Toxic Leadership: What it looks like, the red flags, and how it specifically undermines Black women.
• The Corporate Exodus: Why so many Black women are walking away—and what it’s really costing us.
• Reclaiming Power: Tools, strategies, and non-negotiables for survival and advancement in spaces not designed for us.
• Leadership Lies vs. Truths: Separating the myths of “good leadership” from the reality of what it takes to truly support marginalized employees.
• Boundaries & Navigation: How to assert yourself, protect your peace, and still get the respect you’ve earned.
• Healing & Community: Turning pain into power through networks, mentorship, and collective resilience.

We’ll close with solutions and inspiration—including actionable steps to reclaim your career, build influence, and avoid burnout, plus a personal “power move” that will shift the way you think about leading from within.

This is not about surviving toxic leadership.
It’s about dismantling it—and building spaces where Black women don’t just take up space, we own it.

Welcome to another episode of Unbossed, But Bothered where we don’t just bring our chair, we bring our voice, our truth, and our full selves. Today’s conversation, Not Your Token, Not Your Trend, is both timely and necessary. In the last 90 days alone, over 300,000 Black women have exited corporate spaces or been laid off, with unemployment climbing to 6.2%. We are witnessing a pivotal moment where our visibility is sometimes celebrated, yet our value is still too often reduced to a box checked or a quota filled.

But Black women are not a trend. We are the backbone, the innovators, the educators, the leaders and in today’s changing world, including the rise of AI and a shifting economy, our future demands intentional strategy, not symbolic gestures. Joining us is a woman who embodies that truth, Atasha James, founder of Legends Charter School in Washington, D.C., whose work in education and leadership speaks volumes about what it means to lead without compromise. This is more than a conversation, it's a call to action

This conversation made one thing crystal clear we are not here to be someone’s token, and we are not here to be part of a passing trend. We are here to lead, to build, and to transform every space we enter. The statistics may be sobering for hundreds of thousands of Black women leaving corporate spaces, unemployment on the rise but those numbers do not define our worth, our brilliance, or our power.

As we navigate a changing workforce, shifting cultural tides, and the rise of AI, our charge is to make sure Black women are not just present in the future but shaping it. So, let this episode be more than words you heard today. Let it be the spark that drives you to advocate, to innovate, to educate, and to stand unapologetically in your purpose. Because our value is not up for negotiation, and our time is now

Bothered, Not Broken with Recruiter Cousin Chenae Eckerd
In this powerful episode, we’re joined by the dynamic Chenae Eckerd, a seasoned recruiter and advocate for balance in the workplace. Together, we unpack why rest is revolutionary—especially for Black women navigating spaces that demand more than they return. Chenae reminds us that while we may be bothered by inequity, bias, and burnout, we are not broken. This conversation is a rallying cry to reclaim our time, honor our boundaries, and build careers that align with our wellness.

Tune in to feel seen, heard, and fortified. 💼🖤 #RestIsRevolutionary #BotheredNotBroken #FortitudeCollective