Melissa Rakers’ Post

Wondering about who to nominate? Learn more about two past UMKC Women's Council board members who were given this honor in 2023 in this blog I put together. Through this piece, I enjoyed learning about how far we have come and the women who led us here: https://lnkd.in/g6KQieYk #womensupportingwomen #nonprofit #blogarticle #blog #blogger

📢 Delve into the industry's growth with Illinois Women in Cannabis and the sidelining of key communities. Understand the compounded challenges Black women face in this space. The panelist will explore how the compromising of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives by white-dominated leadership impacts the industry, with a particular focus on the unique experiences of Black women.

This panel was AMAZING. Some big pieces I took out of this: 1. 60% of DEI roles are held by white women - diversity does not end at gender. Hiring on white women for your corporate team does not make your team diverse. bias is just as much about who you help as it is who you hurt. 2. CSR’s main KPI’s should be the efficacy with which their campaigns address real problems; not the marketability of those actions. Asya Hill was sending absolute HEAT on this subject 👏🏻🙌🏻 3. WHY COLUMBUS-ING: black and brown folks built this industry from pre prohibition to our current day. White people with capitol swept in to “discover and perfect” this “brand new” industrial opportunity and are severely limiting their feedback from POC by not including them in their corporate structures. The entire panel was filled with actionable items for attendees and valuable insight at how you can not only make your company more equitable for people of color- but how to make your company a safe place for them to express their opinions in the first place. Thought provoking af y’all 💓 huge thank you to Black CannaBusiness expo for putting on these valuable panels!

E.L.F. BEAUTY is genuinely changing the Board game. Their new campaign highlights how many publicly traded companies LACK women and diversity on their Board of Directors. The stats are startling: • Women make up only 27% of US corporate boards • The average US corporate board is 88% white • There are 2x more men named Dick than Hispanic women. • Black women and Asian women barely outnumber men named Dick. • There are 19x more men named Dick than women of Middle Eastern descent. • There are only 3 Native American women serving on these boards. E.L.F.'s "So Many Dicks" campaign is proving that diverse Boards create profitability for everyone. https://lnkd.in/eiYupqb3

Hospitality teams spend so much time focusing on others that it’s easy to lose the time needed to take care of yourself & your wealth. Annex can help

Today we highlighted three of my favorite women in history for different reasons. Is there a woman that inspires you? Share below. #womenhistorymonth #womenentrepreneurs #womeninbusiness

Affirming, inspiring, motivating! Just a few of the reasons I love Black Women On Boards. Click to hear more about why this organization is so important and the value it brings.

Prepare yourself

Happy International Women's Day! During Women's History Month and year-round, it's my honor to salute women making a difference nationwide. Traveling nationally for my own woman-owned business, I see successful women first-hand. Intelligent, talented, hard-working women are setting goals and improving their communities. Check out this article's list of women to know from each state in the U.S. While challenges like the gender pay gap continue, we have much to celebrate! #WomensHistoryMonth #entrepreneurship #IWD2024

Happy International Women's Day! During Women's History Month and year-round, it's my honor to salute women making a difference nationwide. Traveling nationally for my own woman-owned business, I see successful women first-hand. Intelligent, talented, hard-working women are setting goals and improving their communities. Check out this article's list of women to know from each state in the U.S. While challenges like the gender pay gap continue, we have much to celebrate! #WomensHistoryMonth #entrepreneurship #IWD2024