Trailblazers: A Narrative Inquiry into Black Women Senior Executives’ Voice in the U.S. Federal Government
Open Access DepositedThis narrative inquiry explored how Black women Senior Executive Service (SES) members in the U.S. federal government exercise voice, addressing the question: How do Black women senior executives exercise voice as outsiders and insiders? Despite ongoing diversity efforts, Black women remain underrepresented in these roles, often navigating intersections of race and gender within historically White male-dominated environments (Romero-Ivanova, 2018). Drawing on Albert O. Hirschman’s voice concept from his exit, voice, loyalty theory (1970) and Patricia H. Collins’ Black feminist standpoint theory (1986), this study explored how executives leverage their voices to drive change and promote equity. Using thematic analysis, data were gathered from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 14 Black women currently or recently in SES roles. The analysis identified six themes related to their voice strategies, leading to seven key findings. Participants strategically used both voice and silence to navigate power dynamics, advocating for themselves and others. Their actions reflected a sense of responsibility to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, using voice as a tool for resistance and empowerment. The study concluded that Black women executives leverage their dual positionality—as insiders with authority and outsiders marginalized by their identities— to enact change. Five key conclusions highlighted the role of relationships, strategic adaptation, and resilience. Limitations included a geographically constrained sample andreliance on self-reported narratives, which may impact generalizability. The narrative inquiry approach, where findings are co-constructed with participants, also means results may vary based on researcher-participant dynamics (Connelly & Clandinin, 1990; Creswell, 2013). Future research should examine these dynamics across different sectors, consider comparative studies, and explore how voice strategies evolve over time. This study contributes to understanding the nuanced ways marginalized leaders exercise agency. By reframing views on voice and silence, it challenges organizations to foster genuinely inclusive environments where diverse voices, particularly those of Black women, are heard and valued. Keywords: Black women, Senior Executive Service, narrative inquiry, thematic analysis, voice, insider/outsider, intersectionality, U.S. federal government
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