The Memo

May 27, 2019
Harts, an assistant professor of public service at NYU’s Wagner School and CEO of career-coaching company The Memo, issues a direct rejoinder to Sheryl Sandberg’s Lean In in this urgent career guide. While reading Sandberg’s book, Harts recalls, she realized that all of the books she had read about female business success came from a white perspective. Moreover, she had no interest in a narrative of overcoming career roadblocks by just working harder, when systemic injustice is the obstacle in place. By writing this book, Harts explains, she wants to keep women of color from leaning out of the workforce because of bias and limited opportunity. Buoyed up by examples from her own experiences, such as how she confronted a white colleague who consistently called her “the black girl,” Harts provides a necessary guide written from and to women of color, focusing on “building your squad,” navigating office politics, managing in a world that is anything but postracial, and investing in oneself and one’s career. “Don’t take sh— from anyone,” she advises, followed by a much-needed wake-up call for her white readers, in how—and how not—to be an ally. The result is a much-needed new perspective on an overwhelmingly white genre.

July 26, 2019

Harts (New York Univ. Robert F. Wagner Graduate Sch. of Public Svc.; founder, the Memo) examines the "ugly truths" that keep women of color from opportunities in the workplace and a seat at the table. Finding a gap in business and self-help literature addressing these issues, the author seeks to fill the gap with this book aimed at recent college graduates, those who are looking for a mentor or sponsor, and women feeling stuck or unsure in their careers. Harts draws on her own career experiences and those of other professionals to provide practical advice on networking, mentoring, sponsorship, office politics, discrimination, and more. Included are profiles of notable businesswomen, such as Patricia Roberts Harris, Tracey Travis, Radhika Jones, Jo Ann Jenkins, Jerri DeVard, and more. Harts also provides guidance on professional development conferences, platforms, and podcasts, and supplies résumé tips and sample letters for connecting and reconnecting with other professionals. VERDICT A much-needed resource for women of color in the workplace that realistically looks at the issues faced and offers advice on how to enact change. Highly recommended.--Lucy Heckman, St. John's Univ. Lib., Queens Village, NY

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2019
Women of color face unique challenges in the workplace, yet there are few career guides written by those with first-hand experience. Harts, the founder of The Memo, a career development company for women of color, starts with what she calls the ugly truth, covering topics that women of color face at work, such as dealing with micro-aggressions or outright racism and building a network without the privilege of opportunity and wealth. Harts offers plenty of advice, as well. In Invest in Yo'Self, she advocates for creating a career blueprint and hiring a career coach to help advance skills. Other tips include how to find career allies in positions of power and the importance of negotiation. She also offers insights for my white readers and wraps up with the chapter Let's Werk, which has valuable resources like email introduction templates, podcast suggestions, do's and don'ts, and more. The book has been dubbed a Lean In for women of color and will surely be popular, especially among young professional women and those interested in diversity and inclusion.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)