With attacks on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives raging, Black women looking to climb the corporate ladder face a more hostile landscape than ever. Dr. Claudine Gay’s resignation in January as Harvard’s first Black president was just the latest in a revolving door of Black women who have been especially and aggressively questioned or abandoned after achieving a career pinnacle. This has led some women to build networking groups or mentorship, even as some question whether it’s worth trying for top positions. For others, it has triggered an exodus to entrepreneurship and re-invention.
