Inclusive Female Leadership

In her talk about female leadership, Brittany Packnett highlights the importance of uplifting women of color.

The powerful speech begins with Packnett stating her position as an executive director, one that she took charge of at a young age and against the odds as a woman of color. She outlines the specific issues that women face in the workplace, as well as those that are specific to women of color – issues that include the implicit and explicit racism they face in their daily interactions, coupled with the sexism they must also deal with. She condemns the lack of opportunity that women of color have in the workplace, especially considering the fact that they make up such a large population of America's workforce. Packnett ends the speech by providing testaments to the tenacity of women of color, given that they face obstacles that others in the workforce do not, and yet they persevere each day to overcome those obstacles. She highlights this as a crucial quality that is required in leadership positions, as the ability of women of color to surmount challenges like no one else has been captured throughout the history of America and around the world, even if has been ignored by most.

The powerful speech speaks to the importance of valuing diverse leadership, with Packnett ending on the point that everyone benefits when women of color lead – rather than just a small, dominant group.