NOTE: We are aware of a few audio issues in parts of this conversation, but we couldn’t bear to cut any of it out! We hope you enjoy this unique and authentic conversation between two true role models as much as we did.

Former editorial assistant Zakiya Dalila Harris became an instant best-selling author with the publication of The Other Black Girl, her debut novel about a Black woman navigating a nearly all-white company rife with subtle — and often unintentional — discrimination.

This episode, a replay of an extraordinary session from the March 2022 California Conference for Women, features Harris in conversation with Target’s EVP and chief external engagement officer, Laysha Ward.

Together they discuss the novel, navigating the workplace as a woman of color, and how we can create a greater sense of belonging at work and in life.

 

Zakiya Dalila Harris

ZAKIYA DALILA HARRIS is the author of the instant bestseller The Other Black Girl, her debut novel that has been named a Most Anticipated Book of 2021 by Time, The Washington Post, Harper’s Bazaar, Entertainment Weekly, The Millions, Lit Hub, Electric Literature, The Rumpus, CrimeReads, Goodreads, Fortune, HypeBae, BBC, and more. It will also be adapted to a television series for Hulu, with Harris serving as co-writer and executive producer. Described as Devil Wears Prada meets Get Out, The Other Black Girl is a whip-smart commentary perfect for anyone who has ever felt manipulated, threatened, or overlooked in the workplace. Harris’ writing initiates eye-opening and candid discussions that highlight the microaggressions, racism, and hierarchies that often develop in the workplace, especially in overwhelmingly white industries. Prior to working in publishing, Harris received her MFA in creative writing from The New School and her BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. @zakiya_harris

Guest Host Laysha Ward:

LAYSHA WARD is an accomplished C-suite executive with thirty years of leadership experience at Target. In 2017, Ward was named executive vice president, chief external engagement officer, overseeing Target’s enterprise-wide approach to engage and deepen relationships with cross-sector stakeholders to drive positive business and community impact. In 1991, Ward began her career with Target as a member of the store sales and management team of Marshall Fields in Chicago. In 2000, she was named director of community relations and promoted to vice president of community relations and Target Foundation in 2003. In 2008, President Bush nominated, and the U.S. Senate confirmed Ward would serve on the board of directors of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the nation’s largest grantmaker for volunteering and service, which she continued to serve as board chair under the Obama Administration. Later that year, she was promoted to president of community relations and the Target Foundation. She serves on the Aspen Institute Latinos and Society Advisory Board and the Stanford Center for Longevity Advisory Council, is a member of the Executive Leadership Council, the Economic Clubs of New York and Chicago, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, The Links, and serves on the boards of Greater MSP, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the Northside Achievement Zone, and Denny’s Corporation for-profit board of directors. She received a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, master’s degree from the University of Chicago, and an honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs. She and her husband, Bill, reside in Minneapolis, MN.

 

Additional Resources:

 

* Learn more about Zakiya and The Other Black Girl...