The impact of mentorship on preparing young Black and Brown women through developing professional skills to succeed in the workplace cannot be understated. It’s my professional – and personal – passion to see women of color reap the benefits of intergenerational mentorship throughout their lives. As I’ve worked to put this passion into action through our nonprofit organization, Polished Pebbles, I’ve realized the power social dynamics have to negatively impact young women’s lives and discourage them from realizing professional success. These dynamics combine to create what I call “The Hope Gap.”
“The Hope Gap”
The “Hope Gap” is the space we have to fill with many of our girls before we can even begin to comfortably share our developed curriculum, which focuses on goal setting, skill development, and professional awareness. When we engage with young women in disinvested communities, we often hear statements of unwantedness that center around the idea that education and career success sound great in theory but are not truly attainable for girls like them.
It’s easy for me to understand why Black and Brown girls experience the hope gap and struggle to envision a prosperous future. In addition to not often seeing women like themselves in leadership positions, the following societal constructs all contribute to a widening Hope Gap.
1. Disinvestment
Many of the girls in Polished Pebbles have only been exposed to the communities that are within a four to six-block radius of their neighborhood, limiting awareness of the types of jobs that may exist beyond the retail and fast food industries. Chicago is explicitly highly segregated, and youth of color do not often feel welcomed in certain areas, including downtown, which is the hub of professional opportunities within the city. The disinvestment of telling Black and Brown women’s stories and the unique struggles they face is another way The Hope Gap widens. The media highlights the violence in neighborhoods across Chicago, equating the issue mostly with the negative effect it has on male youth. The reality is that young Black and Brown women are facing the exact same violence – and sometimes even at a greater rate with the threat of sex trafficking and other concerns. Leaving out a young girl’s perspective when discussing strategies to create safer communities only widens the opportunity for resource disparity.
2. Adultification of Black Women
The media often makes women out to naturally be in conflict with each other, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and encouraging similar behavior at an impressionable young age. This is even more heightened when it comes to the depiction of women of color, leading to the adultification of Black girls. Audiences consuming this media form strong opinions on behavior, ultimately seeing these young girls as adults and leveling corresponding expectations on them, even when they’re minors. It is rare to see a vulnerable Black girl portrayed in the media who has standard fears, concerns, and aspirations. This disparity of affirming and aspirational content geared towards Black and Brown girls when compared to stereotypical content contributes to the Hope Gap for Gen Z and Gen Alpha girls.
3. At-Home Belief Systems
All children are first – and most frequently – exposed to and often adopt the belief systems present within their home. A parent’s ability to support and encourage their child in their career aspirations is vital. Our Pink Hard Hat program focuses on teaching young BIPOC women construction trade skills. This is a worthwhile investment as many jobs are being created as a result of the recent infrastructure bill, and trades are a stable profession that pays well. We run into young girls who show aspirations for this line of work. Still, parents can discourage this interest for a variety of reasons – some may think that trades are “jobs for men.” In contrast, others are tied to the belief that a four-year degree is the only avenue for professional success. What results are missed opportunities for Black and Brown women to get involved in a booming industry?
At Polished Pebbles, we’re committed to minimizing The Hope Gap with the goal of having our no-cost programming reach as many girls as possible. Our ability to do so relies on successful collaboration with community leaders and companies interested in investing in a diverse future but need to gain the knowledge or resources on how best to engage with these girls. Connecting with organizations like Polished Pebbles increases the understanding of the needs and diverse experiences of all girls, shedding light on how they show up in society and what is required to invest in their success in the future truly.
Financial support is also essential to empowering work that invests in women. A scant 1 percent of philanthropic dollars go to girls’ and women’s organizations. Sometimes, we have groups that are interested in learning about The Hope Gap and ways to navigate it but then decide to handle resourcing and outreach efforts on their own accord. This “knowledge pilfering” trend harms nonprofit organizations across the board. If you plan to do the work and invest in the future, you should be willing to invest in the here and now with a trusted partner already engaged in the work for maximum results.
The Hope Gap is a real but sometimes invisible issue that young women of color face in particular. As we work together to advance opportunities for women, we must dedicate resources to addressing the core considerations of The Hope Gap before it takes root in young women.
