Reclaiming Your Light: Black Women’s Worth Beyond the Workforce Purge
“Your value is inherent, not hired.”
“I feel like I’ve lost my identity.”
“I’ve begun to question my self-worth.”
“This has taken a devastating emotional toll.”
“I feel isolated and alone.”
These are the raw, honest words shared by Black women I’ve encountered in my coaching sessions and roundtable conversations. These women are among the hundreds of thousands impacted by the waves of layoffs that defined 2025.
By mid-2025, an estimated 300,000 Black women had either lost their jobs or exited the American labor force. According to the Economic Policy Institute, Black women’s employment rates fell by 1.4 percentage points to 55.7% in 2025—one of the sharpest single-year declines in a quarter-century. Between massive cuts in the government sector and the systemic DEI rollbacks, Black women have found themselves disproportionately targeted and left out in the cold. This trend has bled into 2026, with unemployment for Black women rising from 6.4% in January to 7.1% in February, according to the National Women’s Law Center.
Whether you are a member of this "300,000 club" or you are simply witnessing the "purge" of Black women from the workforce, you likely feel the weight of this collective pain.
For those who remain in the workforce, the burden is no lighter. Many are navigating hostile environments, absorbing the workloads of laid-off peers, and facing the burnout that comes with a lack of mentorship and the constant nagging fear of loss of job security.
The Weight of the "Work Twice as Hard" Narrative
The unfortunate truth is that this feels hauntingly familiar. For decades, we were raised with the mantra that we had to work ten times harder just to get our foot in the door. We were promised that if we secured our education, worked tirelessly, and remained "socially responsible," we too could claim the American Dream.
So, we did exactly that.
Today, Black women are the most educated demographic in the country. We are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S., seeing a 13% increase in ownership according to 2026 data from Wells Fargo Ventureneer. We drive a massive percentage of consumer spending, despite still being paid 36% less than white men and 12% less than white women.
Yet, despite these strides, we still find ourselves at the bottom of the societal totem pole, under attack and undervalued. This has forced many of us into a state of "constant survival mode"—an endless loop of fight-or-flight that creates internal turmoil, high stress, and burnout, eventually manifesting in our physical health.
Collectively, we are tired. I know I’m tired of being "strong." I deeply yearn for the "soft life" that often feels like it's just out of reach. You might relate.
Turning Our Superpowers Inward
While we may be tired of being strong, we are undeniably resilient. Now is the time to take our skills, our "superpowers," and our love, and turn them inward. We give so much to so many; it is time to replenish our own dry cups.
As I navigate these waters myself, I want to share how I’m refreshing and "re-programming my hard drive." For a while, I tried to unplug with the occasional massage or extra sleep. Those are wonderful, but they aren't enough to overhaul a system that has been wired for survival. As the saying goes, we are the change we want to see. The only thing you can truly change is yourself, and that shift can have a domino effect on the world around you.
Remember Who You Are
Your value is not defined by your career, your job title, your bank account, your proximity to power, or your relationship status. Society wants you to believe these things determine your worth, so that when they are taken away, you are left feeling hollow.
Remember: Your value is inherent, not hired. You are worthy. You were created for a purpose, and no person can take away what is God-given. Here are a few practices I use to stay grounded in my identity:
Speak to Yourself with Love: Negative self-talk gets loud when your worth is challenged. Replace those lies with truth. A mentor once told me to name my inner critic and call her out. To be frank, I call mine a "B*tch"—because that’s how she acts. I tell her to shut up and move out of the way.
Practice Radical Gratitude: Sometimes the best way to grieve what you’ve lost is to acknowledge what remains. I keep a daily gratitude journal. Even on the darkest days, training your brain to find the "good" attracts more goodness. My husband and I even practice this with our daughter, sharing one thing we’re thankful for each night.
Do What Brings You Joy: Engaging in things you excel at—no matter how small—boosts confidence and releases much-needed dopamine. Whether it’s hiking, dancing, or arranging a fresh bouquet of flowers, do the things that make you feel alive.
Show Yourself Grace: We extend compassion to everyone else, yet we deny it to ourselves. Give yourself permission to be human.
Connect with Your Tribe: It’s tempting to hibernate when you're hurting, but we are designed for community. Connection is the antidote to the lie that you are alone.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, but it’s a start. Remember, sis you are a baddie. Don't let a corporate cycle tell you otherwise. If you weren't "Her," they wouldn't be trying so hard to dim your light.
We are in this together. If you need a partner on this career wellness journey, I invite you to learn more about Shepackslight coaching services. This business is my love letter to Black women, born from the knowledge of just how powerful our light truly is.
#Packlight
Candii