19 NOVEMBER 2024ELDERCARE REVIEWCXO INSIGHTSHOPE AND ACTION FOR WOMEN OF COLOR IN THE WORKPLACE ­ OP ED FROM CAROLYN TANDYBy Carolyn Tandy, SVP, Chief Diversity Equity and Inclusion Officer, HumanaShe had served with loyalty and pride for her company for more than two decades, and yet she had become disheartened observing her white male and female peers who started out in similar roles twenty years ago grow into leadership roles while she was left behind. In fact, when she looked at the leadership of the organization, there was no one, male or female, who looked like her. She was so upset by the lack of representation she eventually concluded she no longer belonged in the organization and consequentially left. I felt so disappointed by her departure from that organization. As Chief Inclusion and Diversity Officer for Humana, I feel it is my duty, as well as the duty of each of us in leadership positions, to find solutions, give encouragement and instill hope in our organization's talent. This employee felt hopeless at her organization. She felt she was playing a rigged game; the odds were stacked against her and there was no way for her to win. The fact is, in some ways, she is right. When People of Color look up the hierarchy of organizations in America, less than 5% will see an executive that looks like them. In Victoria Sepand's thesis "The Black Ceiling" , the author shares that the experience of my mentee is not unique and is very real. In fact, there is a concrete barrier preventing career advancement due to the headwinds faced within Carolyn Tandy
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