Microaggressions at Work: Promotions, Power, and Protecting Your Peace (with Shenelle B.)

Описание: In Episode 2 of They Tried It, host Lindiwe Davis sits down with Shenelle Brooks, a success coach and DEI consultant, to unpack how workplace bias actually shows up—and why it’s so often disguised as “professionalism.”


Shenelle shares her journey from teaching into corporate leadership, where her work in people development, training, and DEI repeatedly ran into familiar barriers: being told she wasn’t “ready,” watching promotion goalposts move, and receiving feedback tied more to identity and appearance than performance. From comments about nails and hair to pressure to shrink or assimilate, the conversation names the microaggressions many professionals experience but struggle to label.


Together, Lindiwe and Shenelle explore how fear of retaliation keeps people silent, how to assess whether a situation calls for a hard conversation or formal action, and why listening to your body is often the first signal that something is wrong. They also discuss recovery after workplace adversity—and how grounding yourself in purpose, therapy, spirituality, and support systems can help you rebuild clarity and confidence.


This episode is for anyone navigating workplace bias, stalled promotions, or the emotional toll of being told to “wait your turn” after doing everything right.





About Our Guest:


Shenelle Brooks is a success coach and consultant specializing in DEI, human-centered leadership, and professional development. A former teacher turned corporate leader, she helps individuals navigate workplace culture, career mobility, and boundary-setting—particularly professionals from underrepresented communities.


She is currently developing a Leading With Heart series focused on self-discovery, self-healing, and the ripple effects of purpose-driven leadership.


Follow her on LinkedIn (  / shenelle-brooks-shrm-cp  ) , Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/_withshenel...) , or on her website (https://blaze-careers.com) .





About the Host:


Lindiwe is a sought-after speaker, interviewer, and culture strategist across several industries, known for bridging theory and practice through storytelling and lived experience. With over 25 years of experience spanning leadership development, organizational effectiveness, coaching, and media storytelling, she is the founder of FutureState Collective—the culture and media platform that produces They Tried It.


She has interviewed actors, authors, activists, and cultural leaders; has been invited to speak and host conversations across platforms; has been featured by Bloomberg Radio and SAG-AFTRA; and has hosted Google's "Level Up in Tech," to name a few.


Learn more about Lindiwe and view her media kit here (https://lindiwedavismediakit.my.canva...) .


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