For Women Who Are Ready to Be Firestorms

At this moment, women of color in the U.S. remain underrepresented in leadership positions. So when I came across Colorful Leadership: How Women of Color Transform Our World (CoachDiversity Press), I was eager
to dive into what I knew would be an insightful, nuanced, and empowering read. What I didn’t anticipate, however, was that I would be doing more than just reading—I would be joining author Gloria Chan ’02 on a journey of sisterhood and self-love. 

In her book, Chan employs anecdotes, epiphanies, and advice devel- oped over a life spent empowering others to realize their capabilities in their career and beyond.

Many of us are inspired by the prospect of bettering our community. However, the challenge comes in critically inspecting your own needs, ideas, anxieties, and hopes—starting with how you define “success.” Colorful Leadership provides questions to ask yourself, ways to practice sorting out thoughts, and tips on how to act on aspirations without making excuses.

A truly thoughtful tool, the book is intimate and exhilarating. Although it’s inspiring how Chan’s advice is carefully crafted to women of color’s beautiful, diverse stories and experiences—not to mention challenges and opportunities—there’s something for everyone to learn here. As she puts it, “this book is for women who are ready to be firestorms.” Transformative change starts within, and the realness of Colorful Leadership serves as a reminder that the world needs us to step into power: individually, collectively, and in full color.

JASMINE RASHID ’18 is a founding board member of the student group Women of Color Kick Ass (WoCKA).