Founder Duke Ihenacho On More Representation For Women in the Workplace
Why do I care?
I think about all of the important women in my life and the impact they've made on me, and I feel an obligation to them to advocate for their best interests. Women have shaped the way I think, act, and feel so I can understand the significance of women being present and active in leading positions. There are certain issues that are commonalities amongst women, so advocating on behalf of a few women is advocating for many.
Women are the cornerstone of my upbringing. And today even power this brand. So I especially wanted to use my platform to highlight and bring more awareness to the imbalance that women experience in the workplace. And it’s a message that we all can do our part and help spread, so it can permeate throughout different industries. Because it’s not an issue that only one field or profession has to resolve. Women who are in corporate America have to deal with it. Women in the film industry deal with it. The women that are sports broadcasters and sports agents have to deal with it. Women in law and medicine deal with it. Women in politics as well. So this is a serious issue that many women are experiencing, and it needs more attention and action.
Women are the cornerstone of my upbringing. And today even power this brand. So I especially wanted to use my platform to highlight and bring more awareness to the imbalance that women experience in the workplace. And it’s a message that we all can do our part and help spread, so it can permeate throughout different industries. Because it’s not an issue that only one field or profession has to resolve. Women who are in corporate America have to deal with it. Women in the film industry deal with it. The women that are sports broadcasters and sports agents have to deal with it. Women in law and medicine deal with it. Women in politics as well. So this is a serious issue that many women are experiencing, and it needs more attention and action.
Why use men to advocate for women's representation instead of women?
I thought it would send a powerful message if men were the ones lobbying for women. Women have done enough speaking out and fighting for more representation. And all we've done is interpret it as complaining. So I wanted us to be the ones bringing awareness to this issue. I wanted us to put ourselves in their shoes, and hopefully get other men to do the same. I believe in order to evolve the status quo, everybody's participation is required.
As men, collectively there’s a lack of urgency from our side to help women get more opportunities to step into leading positions. I think, subconsciously, a lot of us feel like it doesn’t directly affect us, so its not necessarily our problem. But if we care about our women, it is our problem. And we if want our sisters, and mothers, and wives, and girlfriends to have the same equal opportunity that we do, it is our problem. So we can’t just continue to be negligent about it because we think its not our responsibility. Now is the time to speak up.
As men, collectively there’s a lack of urgency from our side to help women get more opportunities to step into leading positions. I think, subconsciously, a lot of us feel like it doesn’t directly affect us, so its not necessarily our problem. But if we care about our women, it is our problem. And we if want our sisters, and mothers, and wives, and girlfriends to have the same equal opportunity that we do, it is our problem. So we can’t just continue to be negligent about it because we think its not our responsibility. Now is the time to speak up.
More representation for women now means more opportunity for all the women we care about in the future.