Minority Women During COVID: Building Resilience

Read our blog post to discover the challenges of minority women and the initial steps to fuel their resilience.

The path to success has always looked different for minorities versus other groups. As we face a turbulent and ambiguous period due to COVID, this path has been more difficult as barriers for minorities has become greater. This week on our Live at 5, we hosted Maria Locker from RevolutionHer to discuss the difficulties minority women have been facing during COVID and the steps they can take to fuel resilience.

What have been some societal challenges minority women have been facing?

Due to societal expectations, some women today still tend to prioritize other family members over their own needs. Although this might seem caring, it might be building extreme pressure on women to carry the weight of so many responsibilities without recognition or financial reward. For women of colour, there is the added discrimination and racial bias that might prevent their personal and professional growth.

Job loss, income instability, marital problems and childcare challenges have been extremely common across communities during COVID. However, because of isolation associated with the lockdown, some women assume that they are alone in what they are experiencing. This not only impacts the way women respond to these challenges but may also prevent women from seeking support. Add to this the pressure of managing the household responsibilities, put women at a high risk of facing burnout.

How can minority women strive to succeed despite these challenges?

Resilience is the most important factor for minority women to push back on societal barriers and create a road to success. Whether it’s placing a greater emphasis on succeeding in their career or educating others on societal barriers, minority women face a greater burden to work harder. During COVID, society has had to adapt to various changes and minorities have a steeper path to climb.

In order to stay resilient, minority women now more than ever, need to prioritize self-care. Having the mental capacity to efficiently problem solve is always crucial for success, especially during COVID. Our guest Maria shared how some of her business’ members succeeded in their business so well that they pivoted away from reopening their physical stores after succeeding and adapting to moving their businesses online.

Our tips to fuel your resilience:

Resilience is an important trait for minority women’s success.  Setting an intention to succeed is the most critical step to turn that resilience into a process.   Having a clear mindset is essential to be able to understand the challenges and plan accordingly. Self-care is crucial to prevent burnout.

1. Be open: Sharing personal struggles with others in the community help to realize the commonality of these challenges and reduce stress. Building an online community can also create a resource for guidance and help.

2. Filter mass media: The news we consume daily might have a greater effect on our mental health than perceived. Practise information hygiene and limit your consumption of news. Track your news sources to ensure you are receiving reliable information.

3. Break unhealthy habits: Self-care is about giving the best of you to others instead of what is left from you. If you are constantly burnt out and struggling, you might not be giving the best of you to your friends, family, and clients. Although you might not want to take a break from your tasks, taking a self-care day can improve your long-term efficiency are great ways to take a mental break.

4. Set an example: Modifying your behaviour is not only important for you but also for your family. If you have a family, you might not be passing on a resilient mindset to your kids. An unhealthy approach to self-care can have long term impacts on your children as they tackle the going pandemic of racism.

We hope you enjoyed reading our blog about ‘Minority Women during COVID’! Check the full live chat here. You can find our live chats and more of the latest financial news on our News Blog. Stay tuned to learn more tips on a new topic each week on our Instagram Live at 5 on Instagram! Aside from our live chats, we post daily financial updates on social media!