Below you'll find 25 books by Black authors. The list spans a variety of genres for all readers, and I cannot recommend each of them enough. They are beautifully written, thoroughly researched, and/or emotionally resonant, as all excellent literature must be. I can't think of a better way to utilize one's commute than by broadening one's worldview.

Note: I have intentionally chosen modern works (mostly published within the last two or three years) for this list. I have chosen not to name beloved classics by Toni Morrison, Richard Wright, Octavia Butler, Langston Hughes, Gwendolyn Brooks, Frederick Douglass, and the hundreds of brilliant writers in their ranks. Why? Because while “Sula,” “Native Son,” “Their Eyes Were Watching God,” and all the rest are some of my (our) favorite books, they've been out for years or decades. Hopefully you know of them and that you should pick them up, if you haven’t. My intent with this list is to showcase books published by brilliant authors who speak to the infinite aspects of the modern Black experience.

Fiction:

Friday Black – Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah

How Long ‘til Black Future Month? – N.K. Jemisin

An American Marriage – Tayari Jones

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie – Ayana Mathis

Binti series – Nnedi Okorafor

What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours – Helen Oyeyemi

Rosewater– Tade Thompson

Sing, Unburied, Sing – Jesmyn Ward

Non-Fiction:

Dear Ijeawele, or A Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions – Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie

I Can't Date Jesus: Love, Sex, Family, Race, and Other Reasons I've Put My Faith in Beyoncé – Michael Arceneaux

We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy – Ta-Nehisi Coates

Hunger: a Memoir of (My) Body – Roxane Gay

The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row – Anthony Ray Hinton

Heavy– Kiese Laymon

The Blood of Emmett Till – Timothy B. Tyson

Poetry:

American Sonnets for my Past and Future Assassin – Terrance Hayes

There Are More Beautiful Things Than Beyoncé – Morgan Parker

Don't Call Us Dead – Danez Smith

Not Everything is a Eulogy – Crystal Valentine

Young Adult/Children's Lit:

Children of Blood and Bone – Tomi Adeyemi

Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History – Vashti Harrison

Miles Morales – Jason Reynolds

Ghost Boys – Jewell Parker Rhodes

The Hate U Give – Angie Thomas

Pride – Ibi Zoboi

Here at DU Career and Professional Development, we focus on Industry Clusters to equip our students with the skills needed for career readiness. By targeting sectors like technology, healthcare, energy, and education, we provide insights and experiences that meet industry demands.

With over 70% of our graduates staying in Colorado, they seamlessly integrate into the local job market. This industry-specific approach gives our students a competitive edge, making them highly sought after by employers.

What is an Industry Cluster?

An industry cluster is a geographic concentration of interconnected businesses, organizations, and associated institutions in a particular field. Focusing on industry clusters during a job search can be highly beneficial, providing greater clarity and purpose. Here’s why:

• Targeted Exploration: Industry clusters group similar professions, helping students efficiently identify roles that match their skills and interests.
• Skill Alignment: Focusing on a cluster allows students to tailor their education to meet industry demands.
• Networking Opportunities: Clusters provide valuable connections, mentorship, and insights into industry trends.
• Informed Decision-Making: Understanding careers within a cluster helps students make informed choices about their future.
• Career Readiness: Clusters help students align their academic and extracurricular activities with career goals.
• Adaptability: Transferable skills within a cluster offer flexibility in a dynamic job market.

Explore Industries

Education & Community Development, Creative Industries

• Teaching & Training
• Administration
• Visual, Performance, and Creative Arts

Learn more about the many pathways into the Education & Community Development, Creative Industries here.

Health & Wellness Bioscience

• Biotechnology & Pharmaceuticals
• Diagnostic Services
• Counseling & Mental Health Services
• Pre-Health
• Health Care Management
• Sport and Performance

Learn more about the many pathways into the Health & Wellness Bioscience industries here.

Outdoor Recreation, Food & Agriculture, Energy & Natural Resources

• Renewable Energy
• Outdoor Recreational Leadership
• Energy Efficiency & Solar
• Environmental Technology

Learn more about the many pathways into the Outdoor Recreation, Food & Agriculture, Energy & Natural Resources industries here.

Business, Marketing, Hospitality, Finance

• Corporate Management
• Human Resource Management
• Hospitality Management
• Communications and Public Relations
• Accounting
• Real Estate & Construction Management
• Ops/Security/Logistics

This industry Cluster is primarily served by the Daniels College of Business. Learn more about the many pathways into the Business, Marketing, Hospitality, Finance industries here.

Engineering & Technology Advanced Manufacturing

• Applied Engineering
• Robotics and Automation
• Electricity and Electronics
• Computer Science
• Cybersecurity

Learn more about the many pathways in the Engineering & Technology Advanced Manufacturing industries here.

Aerospace & Defense, Government & Public Service

• Government Contractors
• Foreign Service
• Governance
• Legal Services
• Public Management and Administration
• Law and Legal Services

Learn more about the many pathways into the Aerospace & Defense, Government & Public Service here.

Resources

• Major Industries in Colorado
• Colorado Talent Pipeline Report
• Talent Development Playbook

February is a time to reflect, recognize contributions and acknowledge the challenges Black people have faced throughout history. It presents the opportunity to support the Black community and also focus on sharing and teaching cultural acceptance, which can lead to a more inclusive and productive workplace. 

Racial Discrimination in the Labor Market

African American workers regularly face higher unemployment rates than whites. According to statistics, they usually spend more time looking for jobs; a report on hiring bias showed that ethnic minorities have to complete 50% more applications on average to get invited for a job interview. 

When compared with candidates in the majority, applicants with “Black-sounding” names receive 50% fewer callbacks than their white counterparts. Blacks get more job interview callbacks when they “whiten” their resumes, and companies are more likely to call minority applicants for interviews if they submit “whitened” (scrubbed of racial clues) resumes than candidates who reveal their race, even where the qualifications listed were identical. Twenty-five percent of Black candidates received callbacks from their whitened resumes, while only 10 percent got calls when they left ethnic details intact. 

Overcoming Racial Bias in the Workplace

Bias and inequality still affect modern workplaces. A study published by Harvard Business Review showed that, although progress has been made in other areas, systematic racial discrimination in the labor market against Black people still continues. 

How can this problem be addressed to ensure that Blacks and other people of color are treated with equality?

1.   Make Job Postings Bias-Free and Insist on a Diverse Candidate Pool

To have a racially diverse pool of candidates to choose from, make sure your jobs ads are not discriminatory.  Avoid words that imply non-interest in candidates of certain race, color, age, religion, national origin or gender identity or expression. And whether you are hiring yourself or using a recruiter, make sure you choose from a diverse pool of candidates.

1.   Limit Referral Hiring

Hiring referrals from the social network of employees in a workplace where there’s little or no diversity only reinforces that lack of diversity. Find proactive ways of bringing diversity into the candidate pool. For example, Google partners with historically Black and Hispanic colleges to have a pipeline of people of color to be selected for employment. You can work with similar organizations to recruit in your local community.

1.     Define Company Culture with Diversity in Mind

The implicit bias that surrounds company culture leads to homogenous workplaces; in most cases, culture “fit” comes down to shared values, backgrounds and interests, which excludes many people outside that description. If you want diversity and inclusion to be essential to company culture, one must recognize different values and strengths.

1.     Promote Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

Employee resource groups are employee-led communities at work where the participants share an identity. Having a space that allows employees to share knowledge with and support other employees like them is often directly tied to happiness and feelings of belonging at work. ERGs encourage open dialogues, promote inclusivity and support employees of color.

1.     Organizational Involvement in the Local Community

Organizations need to make sure that people of color are given more opportunities in the present and future through community programs.

For example, Apple unveiled new racial equity and justice projects which is part of its $100m program. As part of this program, Apple plans to launch the Propel Center, which is a first-of-its-kind global innovation and learning hub for historically Black colleges and universities. It will also launch as an Apple Developer Academy geared at helping Detroit-based students code and receive tech education. The program will also support venture capital funding for Black and Brown entrepreneurs. 

When companies create programs that engage different cultures in their communities, they improve diversity and inclusion within the company over time.

Beyond celebrating Black History Month, it’s important to keep the conversation of racial equity in the workplace going year-round. This will not only improve the inclusion of Blacks and other people of color at work now, but it helps pave the path for future generations.

While Black history is certainly important, it’s crucial to place emphasis on Black futures, too.

The post Honoring Black History Month appeared first on VidCruiter.

Though there are some things in life you can’t negotiate — like your tax bracket or the inflation rate — your salary isn’t one of them. Negotiation is a standard part of the hiring process when you’re starting a new role. However, a 2020 Glassdoor study found that 59% of American employees did not negotiate their salary. And gender plays a role: of the one in 10 U.S. employees who negotiate and successfully get a raise, men are three times more successful than women.

Asking for a raise or negotiating your salary at a new job can seem daunting, but some tricks and tactics can help you go into it more confidently.

US Salary Negotiations Facts:

If you’re feeling apprehensive about asking for a raise, you’re not alone. It turns out there are several factors that influence how likely you are to ask for a raise. There’s hope you’ll succeed as more businesses are doling out raises in 2022.

• In 2022, 62% of U.S. workers plan to ask for a raise; if workers don’t receive a raise, just 31% plan to ask to revisit their salary conversation in a few months.
• In 2022, 92% of businesses surveyed are giving base pay raises. And 44% of those organizations are giving out more than a 3% raise.
• More workers would rather speak in public than ask for a raise. About 66% of those surveyed were more comfortable with public speaking than the 56% who were more comfortable with asking for a raise.

Select the MoneyGeek hyperlink above to read the full article.

Here are 40 PEOPLE TO FOLLOW who post regular job updates and career resources on LinkedIn.

1. Craig Zelizer: social impact jobs + career coaching
2. Mandy Van Deven: feminist/rights-
based philanthropy jobs
3. Nicole Doray,: Sustainability jobs
4. Charles (Chuck) Pope: USAID and other U.S.-based UN/NGO jobs
5. Xoán Fernández García: LATAM Social Impact Jobs
6. Rafa Achondo: LATAM impact jobs
7. William Godnick: International jobs (many LATAM)
8. Satyam Vyas / Arthan: International and India jobs through
9. Jasmine Anouna: The Bloom Newsletter – so good!
10. afrorama: African jobs board 
11. Beatrice Chioccioli Job board for human rights/social impact jobs
12. Ludovica Anedda: Gender jobs
13. Work Ally & Gail Rego : Social impact jobs
14. Tania Racho: Human rights jobs
15. Giulio Coppi: Humanitarian jobs
16. Malika Mirkhanova: Global health jobs
17. Virginie Robin: EU projects
18. Vincent Arnoux: EU projects
19. Juliette Sanchez-Lambert (she/her): Job board for social impact jobs (Europe/remote)
20. Giustina Balducci: Various Europe-based UN/NGO jobs
21. Jenny K. Wright: Europe, migration, impact content
22. Elisabeth Roura Bosch: Comms jobs for social impact
23. Katia Syrayezhkina: Incredible curator of resources for all things social impact job search related
24. servane mouazan: #Impactwomen jobs every Saturday 
25. Matilda Flemming: Newsletter on junior-ish policy jobs
26. Keylime: International development consultancies
27. Rikeshia D.: Social impact and HBCU resources
28. Katie Kross: Sustainability jobs and tips
29. Trish Kenlon: Sustainability jobs
30. Shannon Houde, : ESG jobs and coaching resources
31. Jessica Marati Radparvar: social impact resources
32. Ed Carley: Climate and sustainability jobs
33. Jennifer Bangoura, EdD: all things edtech and social impact
34. Mark Horoszowski: social impact jobs, transitions. MovingWorlds
35. Fred Swaniker: Impact ops and jobs in Africa
36. Ruth Freedom Pojman Development and socialimpact jobs
37. David Felson: tech4impact positions
38. Valentina Ruffoni: community management roles
39. Phillipa Lockwood: sustainability, philanthropy jobs
40. ???

FOLLOW them, SUBSCRIBE to their newsletters, SUPPORT their work!

Who else we should add this list? Add yourself or add a colleague and share what kind of resources you’re/they’re curating in the comments.

I’ll add you/them to the next roundup.

150K people saw the last post I did on this topic.

EARLY COMMENTS get lots of attention/visibility.

]]> 105089 https://career.du.edu/blog/2021/10/05/5-ways-entry-level-employees-can-advocate-for-diversity-equity-and-inclusion-at-work/ Tue, 05 Oct 2021 21:30:48 +0000 https://career.du.edu/?p=87339

Diversity and inclusion have long been buzzwords that companies parade—often for marketing purposes. But in the past few years, more and more job seekers and employees, particularly millennials and Gen Z, are vetting companies by their diversity and inclusion track record in addition to factors like salary and career opportunities. According to a 2020 survey conducted by the National Association of College and Employers (NACE), for instance, 79% of graduates considered a diverse workforce to be “very important.” And these workers expect companies to do more than just pay lip service to creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment.

Corporations still have a long way to go to meet these expectations. A 2020 McKinsey report found that representation of ethnic minorities and women in executive teams across the U.S. and the U.K. sat at just 13% and 20% respectively in 2019. A survey by human resources consulting firm Mercer found that while white workers make up 64% of entry-level workers, they make up 85% at the executive level, illustrating the barriers that BIPOC workers face when it comes to advancement. Black women, for example, are less likely to get support and encouragement from their managers or to have a chance to interact with senior leaders, according to a Lean In report, while also experiencing a wide range of microaggressions.

The statistics, research, and stories can seem discouraging if you’re an early career professional who’s just entering the workforce—particularly if you’re a BIPOC employee. In many cases, the reality is you’ll be joining organizations that have a lot of work left to do when it comes to DEI. 

Ultimately, widespread change can only happen when there is a policy and cultural shift at an organizational level, which has to come from those at the top. However, there are ways you can advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the early years of your career. And particularly as the war for talent in a post-pandemic workforce continues, you may find yourself in a powerful position to demand more from the companies you work for and take action that has the potential to lead to long-lasting changes. Here are five ways you can start to do just that.

1.

Take on Work That You Want (and Have the Capacity) to Do

2.

Find Ways to Be Involved in the Hiring Process

3.

Speak Up When You See Microaggressions, But Do It Strategically

4.

Initiate Conversations Around Current Events

5.

Enforce Your Boundaries