Minda Harts

Harts, at the age of 11, moved from California to Illinois.{{Cite web |last=Asare |first=Janice Gassam |title=Exploring The Impact Of Uterine Fibroids On Black Women |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2023/07/27/exploring-the-impact-of-uterine-fibroids-on-black-women/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-04-05 |title=I'm often the only Black woman in the room. Why it's OK to take up space. |url=https://www.msnbc.com/know-your-value/career-growth/minda-harts-her-new-book-you-are-more-magic-aimed-n1294055 |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=MSNBC.com |language=en}} She grew up in a predominantly white suburb of Chicago.{{Cite web |last=Suh |first=Sue |date=2019-12-10 |title='Success Is Not a Solo Sport.' How Workplaces Can Better Support Women of Color |url=https://time.com/5746784/minda-harts-the-memo/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Time |language=en}} At one point, her family's annual income was less than $25,000, and Harts worked at a local Dairy Queen to contribute to the household.

Inspired by Black professionals she saw on television, Harts became the first person in her family to attend and graduate college. She earned a degree in Communication from Western Illinois University and was also the first in her family to work in corporate America.{{Cite web |title=Marchet Harts Communication Scholarship Award for Women of Color - Western Illinois University Scholarship Portal |url=https://wiu.academicworks.com/opportunities/13963 |access-date=2024-10-27 |website=wiu.academicworks.com}} Harts credits WIU professor Pete Jorgensen and her time working for the campus radio station for preparing her to be a public speaker and advocate.

After graduating from college, Harts faced significant challenges in the workforce, often finding herself as "the only" person of color in professional settings. She encountered microaggressions, was subjected to comments about her appearance, and faced obstacles in her career advancement.{{Cite news |last=Goldfarb |first=Anna |date=2019-11-27 |title=How to Gracefully Leverage an Outside Job Offer |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/26/smarter-living/how-to-gracefully-leverage-an-outside-job-offer.html |access-date=2024-08-13 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |last=Suh |first=Sue |date=2019-12-10 |title='Success Is Not a Solo Sport.' How Workplaces Can Better Support Women of Color |url=https://time.com/5746784/minda-harts-the-memo/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Time |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Alderson |first=Kaia |date=2021-11-11 |title=Why Four Black Women Stood Up to the U.S. Army During World War II |url=https://time.com/6114749/black-women-wac-wwii-army/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Time |language=en}} These experiences motivated her to adopt a proactive approach to addressing the difficulties she encountered in her career.

In 2015, Harts co-founded The Memo, an organization focused on career development for women of color, alongside Lauren Broussard.{{Cite web |last=Tarr |first=Tanya |title=How Minda Harts Is Helping Black Women Close The Pay Gap For Good |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/tanyatarr/2019/08/21/how-minda-harts-is-helping-black-women-close-the-pay-gap-for-good/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Citation |title=Tips on How to Fight Racism in the Workplace |date=2021-03-16 |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2021-03-16/tips-on-how-to-fight-racism-in-the-workplace-video |access-date=2024-08-13 |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2022-09-21 |title=Why the pay gap is growing for Black women: 'We are in a state of emergency' |url=https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/why-the-pay-gap-is-growing-for-black-women-we-are-in-a-state-of-emergency-140908173.html |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Yahoo Life |language=en-US}} The name of the organization was inspired by a verse in the song "Trophies" by Young Money featuring Drake. The same year, Harts released her first book, The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table, which was published on August 20, 2019.{{Cite news |last=Aladesuyi |first=Oluwakemi |date=2021-06-28 |title=Action trumps pledges in fight against workplace inequality |url=https://www.ft.com/content/3db0e304-00b6-4497-99d5-b23b9592c697 |access-date=2024-08-13 |work=Financial Times}} The book became a number one bestseller in the business and mentoring category. It provides an in-depth look at the racism and sexism women of color face in the workplace and offers strategies to help them achieve their career goals.{{Cite web |last=Ward |first=Marguerite |title=20 books on how to build high-performing, inclusive cultures that every business leader should read |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/12-books-diversity-in-2020-every-leader-should-know-about-2020-1 |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Ward |first=Marguerite |title=Meet the 10 leaders transforming diversity and inclusion in corporate America |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/10-transformers-helping-write-future-diversity-equity-inclusion-in-corporate-america-2022-11 |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} The book has been compared to 2013's Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg, but tailored to the specific needs and experiences of women of color.{{Cite web |date=2022-06-12 |title=Sheryl Sandberg's complicated legacy holds key lessons for leaders on what they can do to boost diversity at the top |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/sheryl-sandbergs-complicated-legacy-holds-100000620.html |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Flake |first=Marguerite Ward,Ebony |date=2022-06-12 |title=Sheryl Sandberg's complicated legacy holds key lessons for leaders on what they can do to boost diversity at the top |url=https://africa.businessinsider.com/strategy/sheryl-sandbergs-complicated-legacy-holds-key-lessons-for-leadersandnbspon-what-they/qbxjd0z |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Business Insider Africa |language=en}}{{Cite news |last=Goldberg |first=Emma |date=2022-06-02 |title=What Sheryl Sandberg’s ‘Lean In’ Has Meant to Women |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/02/business/sheryl-sandberg-lean-in.html |access-date=2024-08-13 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

Harts is an advocate for human resources departments taking discrimination claims seriously, and she emphasizes the importance of effective management in creating a psychologically safe workplace where everyone can be their authentic selves.{{Cite news |last=Edwards |first=Jonathan |date=2022-11-17 |title=Michelle Obama says Americans weren’t ready for her natural Black hair |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2022/11/17/michelle-obama-black-hair-braids/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}} She has stated, "Two things can be true at the same time. Someone may not intend harm, not intend racism — but they may nevertheless cause harm, and cause it through racism."{{Cite web |last=Baker-White |first=Emily |date=2021-12-01 |title="This Is Blackface": Inside The Virtual Reality Company Trying To Scale Diversity Training |url=https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/emilybakerwhite/diversity-training-mursion-vr-white-actors |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=BuzzFeed News |language=en}}

Harts also became an adjunct assistant professor at NYU's Wagner School of Public Service.{{Cite web |title=Minda Harts |url=https://womenin.wsj.com/person/minda-harts/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=WSJ Women In |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Asare |first=Janice Gassam |title=Why Leaning In Doesn't Apply To Women Of Color |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2019/03/23/why-leaning-in-has-not-worked-for-women-of-color/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2017-04-04 |title=#EqualPayDay: How to break bread evenly as a Black woman |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/leveling-equal-pay-field-negotiating-while-black-n742271 |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=NBC News |language=en}}

Following the police killing of Breonna Taylor in 2020, Harts highlighted the issue of how Black women are often more celebrated after tragedy than during their lives.{{Cite web |last=Puente |first=Maria |title=Twitter praises, questions Vanity Fair September cover featuring Breonna Taylor portrait |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2020/08/24/breonna-taylor-covers-vanity-fair-september-issue-striking-portrait/5625883002/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}} That same year, LinkedIn named her the Top Voice for Equity in the Workplace.{{Cite web |last=Chan |first=Goldie |title=Right Within: Growing A Healthy Personal Brand With Equity And Workplace Consultant Minda Harts |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/goldiechan/2022/11/08/right-within-growing-a-healthy-personal-brand-with-minda-harts/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Forbes |language=en}} Harts also launched her weekly career podcast for women of color, Secure the Seat.{{Cite web |last=Gaudiano |first=Paolo |title=More Awesome Black Women Everyone Should Know |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/paologaudiano/2020/02/26/more-awesome-black-women-everyone-should-know/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Forbes |language=en}}

In 2021, Harts expanded her consulting efforts, working with over 100 companies, including several Fortune 500 firms, to conduct diversity and inclusion training, solicit employee feedback on company culture, and conduct pay equity reports.{{Cite web |title=The 10 people transforming DEI - from the founder of Stop AAPI Hate, to the CEO of Eaton |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/100-people-transforming-business-highlights-10-dei-leaders-2022-11 |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}} She also published her second book, Right Within: How We Heal From Racial Trauma in the Workplace, inspired by a verse in the song "Doo Wop (That Thing)" by Lauryn Hill.{{Cite book |url=https://books.telegraph.co.uk/Product/IRB-Media/Summary-of-Minda-Hartss-Right-Within/26607718 |title=Summary of Minda Harts's Right Within |date=2021-07-12 |isbn=978-1-6693-4195-6 |language=en-gb}} The book discusses the systemic challenges in workplace cultures and their impact on Black women, emphasizing the importance of self-preservation and mental health.{{Cite web |last=psychologist |first=Summer Rose licensed |date=2022-05-20 |title=Improve the Health of Black Women. Make Racial Trauma at Work Extinct |url=https://www.newsweek.com/improve-health-black-women-make-racial-trauma-work-extinct-opinion-1707468 |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Newsweek |language=en}} Time magazine named it one of the "8 New Books You Should Read" in October 2021.{{Cite web |last=Gutterman |first=Annabel |date=2021-10-01 |title=Here Are the 8 New Books You Should Read in October |url=https://time.com/6102193/best-books-october-2021/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Time |language=en}}

In 2022, Harts was named by Business Insider as one of the 100 People Transforming Business.{{Cite web |title=Insider Presents: The list of 100 people Transforming Business in 2022 |url=https://businessinsider.com/100-people-transforming-business-2022 |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=businessinsider.com}} She also founded Queen of Harts Productions, a company that brought The Memo Monologues to Twitter Spaces during Women's History Month and Black Women's Equal Pay Day 2022.

In 2024, The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table was adapted into a psychological thriller film.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-25 |title=Kyla Pratt Stars in ‘The Memo,’ Film Adaptation of Minda Harts’ Thriller, With Music by MC Lyte (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://uk.news.yahoo.com/kyla-pratt-stars-memo-film-143536493.html |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Yahoo News |language=en-GB}} The film, which starred Kyla Pratt and featured a score by rapper MC Lyte, was produced by Valeisha Butterfield’s Seed Media, marking Harts' first film project.{{Cite web |last=Aswad |first=Jem |date=2024-07-25 |title=Kyla Pratt Stars in ‘The Memo,’ Film Adaptation of Minda Harts’ Thriller, With Music by MC Lyte (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/news/kyla-pratt-the-memo-film-adaptation-minda-harts-1236084473/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

Harts is working on her fourth book, Talk To Me Nice, about restoring trust in the workplace (2025). United Talent Agency represents her.

In 2016, Harts was recognized as a Change Maker at the State of Women's Summit in Washington, D.C. hosted by Oprah Winfrey and former First Lady Michelle Obama.{{Cite news |last=Mettler |first=Katie |date=2021-10-25 |title=First lady Michelle Obama teams up with Oprah to host ‘United State of Women’ summit at White House |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/06/07/first-lady-michelle-obama-teams-up-with-oprah-to-host-united-state-of-women-summit-at-white-house/ |access-date=2024-08-13 |work=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}} Six years later, she received a Trailblazer Award from the Bowman Foundation and was named one of Business Insider's 100 People Transforming Business.

In honor of her mother, Harts established the Marchet Harts Communication Scholarship Award for Women of Color at Western Illinois University, who graduated from the university in 2004. According to Minda, "It was important to put this scholarship in my mother’s name as a way to show gratitude for her rooting me on at each stage of my career."

• The Memo: What Women of Color Need to Know to Secure a Seat at the Table (2019)
• Right Within: How We Heal From Racial Trauma in the Workplace (2021)
• You Are More Than Magic: The Black and Brown Girls' Guide to Finding Your Voice (2021)

Minda felt the need to shorten her first name – Yasminda – in order "to make people feel comfortable with how I show up at work."{{Cite web |last=Georgina |date=October 25, 2018 |title=Minda Harts on Leaning In and the Challenge on Women Of Color. - Global Connections for Women |url=https://gc4women.org/2018/10/25/minda-harts-on-leaning-in-and-the-challenge-on-women-of-color/ |access-date=October 27, 2024|language=en-US}}{{Cite web |url=https://medium.com/@jenniferbrown_97699/minda-harts-the-memo-a-critical-alternative-to-leaning-in-for-women-of-color-dbf107e45412 |title=Minda Harts' "The Memo": A Critical Alternative to Leaning In for Women of Color |last=Brown |first=Jennifer |date=December 17, 2019 |website=Medium |access-date=November 8, 2024}}

Harts has openly discussed her challenges with fibroids, a condition that has affected her weight and her ability to have children naturally.

• Christine Michel Carter
• Bozoma Saint John
• Valeisha Butterfield

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.mindaharts.com/ Official website]

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Category:1983 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century American women writers

Category:21st-century African-American women writers

Category:21st-century African-American writers

Category:African-American women in business