“Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.”
–Oprah Winfrey
The story of women of color in the United States is one of resilience and determination. They are often ignored by social justice, particularly when planning supportive initiatives and policies for the well-being of the community. Furthermore, they are negatively associated with the idea of a “typical woman” – overlooking their needs.
The unseen differentiating line between women of color and others refers to the perspective of encountering racial disparities from the workplace to healthcare to the education sector. They usually encounter unequal wages, absence of medical benefits, no contribution in C-suite positions, and denial of promotion.
Over time, the line may have blurred as more women of color climbed higher up the career ladder and gave birth to big ideas. Their ambitious personalities ignite the desire to become part of the top executive management and incorporate inclusivity in the workplace. According to The 2017 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report, between 1997 and 2017, Black women were considered the fastest-rising entrepreneurial group and achieved growth by more than 600%.
Despite the numerous success stories of many Black women, their achievements still seek the beam of inequality in different ways. Yet, a few of them are consistently working towards achieving diversity while breaking the barriers to strengthen the African American community.
Raye Mitchell, an African American, has distinguished her personality as a Legal and Entertainment lawyer, executive producer, writer as well as entrepreneur. She is the first African American Woman Actor/Lawyer who was sworn into the Supreme Court Bar of the United States on June 15, 2023. Mitchell is licensed to practice law in all state and federal courts in California. Her interest and enthusiasm to explore the entertainment industry encouraged her to pursue acting and performance studies at Catapult Acting Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
Mitchell is recognized by state and federal officials and received the nomination for an award by the White House Champion of Change for Extracurricular Enrichment for Marginalized Girls. She is also the recipient of The Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment’s 2011 Women Entrepreneur of the Year. She has received several awards in recognition of her philanthropic work and approach to introducing projects – assisting Black girls and young Black women in paving a path for them to global platforms as leaders and influencers. Mitchell has a personal letter from legendary civil rights activist and actor Ruby Dee.
Letter from Ruby Dee
As Mitchell adopted entrepreneurship, her work began to gain recognition widely. Being the founder and Chief Creative Officer for The New Reality Foundation, Inc, Mitchell launched the G.U.R.L.S Rock Leadership Program as well as a web-based TV show known as G.U.R.L.S Rock Power which promotes the aspects of growth, unity, respect, leadership, and success to strengthen the African Black community locally and internationally.
Her entrepreneurship skills in the legal and entertainment profession for over 30 years, along with attaining limelight amongst African American industry leaders, numerous media outlets, and industry publications, are promoting the acceptance of women of color in leadership roles and building cultural competence.
A creative soul with the thirst to make the ‘impossible’ possible depicts the personality of Raye Mitchell. In one of her interviews, Mitchell presented a different perspective on the term “bossy” used to describe girls and women. She asserted, “I like the word Boss better. Boss speaks of a certain power and a drive to be good at what you do.”
With her passion for creative content and storytelling, Mitchell has published multiple books, including Invisible No More, highlighting the experience of young Black girls and women. Invisible No More is also under development for screenplay and content development. She has created a platform for the voices of marginalized women to be heard, as well as showcased extensive support for young Black women and girls in media and entertainment to reach higher and find their “first anything” by accomplishing their goals.
Her contribution to the Black women’s community remains fundamental in narrowing the gap – whether through her production of TV shows, her content, or her contribution in the legal domain.
