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A review by nickscoby
The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table by Minda Harts
4.0
There's a popular and apparently award-winning episode of Black Mirror where a white woman finds herself trapped in a Star Trek-like situation. The ship is ruled by an exceptionally obnoxious straight white male captain. Long story short, the episode ends with the heroine having overthrown the male lead (and, hence, patriarchy) and ends with her sitting in his chair while the rest of the cast flanks her on all sides. People LOVE this episode, pointing to it as evidence of female empowerment and a mark of How Far Women Have Come.
But I was like, hold up. Wait. The supporting cast that this woman now rules are people of color or gay, including one particular fiesty black woman. Why are we throwing a party for Captain Becky, I wondered? These people were running this ship before she came along, and I am sure they would be fine without her. Are we supposed to cheer just because a woman is sitting in the seat? Why not throw the damn seat off the ship?
So this is a long intro as to why I think The Memo is important. The book's subtitle tells us that Harts will share "what women of color need to know to secure a seat at the table." And indeed that happens. Harts offers concrete tips regarding salary negotiation, for example. She offers specific questions to ask during an interview. Also included are email templates! She could've stopped there and come out #winning.
But what makes The Memo a gift that keeps on giving is the methodical way she identifies white women who are accomplices rather than advocates in the workplace. "White women cannot be trusted to always do the right thing," Harts says plainly and without apology. In fact, one of the chapters is written directly to white readers. I won't get all into it, but it comes down to y'all need to do better.
I haven't read many reviews of this book, but I can only imagine the tears! "Why can't we all get along?" white feminists may cry. Because I can be the captain of my own damn ship.
But I was like, hold up. Wait. The supporting cast that this woman now rules are people of color or gay, including one particular fiesty black woman. Why are we throwing a party for Captain Becky, I wondered? These people were running this ship before she came along, and I am sure they would be fine without her. Are we supposed to cheer just because a woman is sitting in the seat? Why not throw the damn seat off the ship?
So this is a long intro as to why I think The Memo is important. The book's subtitle tells us that Harts will share "what women of color need to know to secure a seat at the table." And indeed that happens. Harts offers concrete tips regarding salary negotiation, for example. She offers specific questions to ask during an interview. Also included are email templates! She could've stopped there and come out #winning.
But what makes The Memo a gift that keeps on giving is the methodical way she identifies white women who are accomplices rather than advocates in the workplace. "White women cannot be trusted to always do the right thing," Harts says plainly and without apology. In fact, one of the chapters is written directly to white readers. I won't get all into it, but it comes down to y'all need to do better.
I haven't read many reviews of this book, but I can only imagine the tears! "Why can't we all get along?" white feminists may cry. Because I can be the captain of my own damn ship.