Empowerment in Action: Transformative Strategies That Uplift Women of Color in Corporate America

Women of Color (WOC) in corporate America continue to face persistent, intersecting barriers to career advancement, barriers that are frequently intensified during periods of societal disruption. Despite HR professionals’ central role in shaping organizational policy and equity practices, the experiences of WOC in HR leadership contexts remain underexplored in the literature. This narrative inquiry study examined how WOC HR professionals describe the impact of intersecting identities, disruptive societal change, and organizational support on their career advancement trajectories. Using a qualitative narrative inquiry design, the study drew on in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 16 WOC employed in human resources roles across corporate organizations in the United States. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, supplemented by sentiment analysis to examine emotional patterns across participant narratives. Findings revealed three overarching thematic areas: (a) structural and cultural barriers, including gendered racism, pay inequity, and limited leadership representation; (b) intersectional challenges shaping self-efficacy, belonging, and work–life integration; and (c) organizational supports, including mentorship, sponsorship, coaching, and inclusive leadership practices, that fostered empowerment and career advancement. This study contributes to HRD and organizational leadership scholarship by advancing an intersectional, narrative-informed understanding of how WOC in HR navigate career advancement during disruption, and by offering actionable, multilevel strategies for organizations committed to equitable and inclusive leadership development.