As a black woman in the corporate world, while I could relate and understand the points in this book, the language and tone of the content was a turn off to me. It seemed bitter and even divisive.

This is a very important book for women of color of all ages. Representation is everything and this book opens one's eyes to see the craziness that goes on in the workplace. I hope every WoC who reads this is able to take charge of their careers.

This book is almost everything I wish I had when I started in the corporate world. I lost jobs and chances of advancement to other colleagues because of my ethnicity but also because I was less willing to play the game. The my life revolves around my job game of endless happy hours, outings, parties and birthday lunches/dinners.

I was able to read an advance reader copy of The Memo by Minda Harts. Minda basically gives black women their own guide to obtaining a seat at the table. And when I think about it, it more so offered a way to create your own lane as a black woman.

In this book, Minda reflects on the cultural differences and privilege in the workforce. She gives non biased information and she kept it real. Very good read with good insight and good information.

This text is timely and highly relevant.

Well-written and 'in your face' conversational style.

Highly recommended for readers of color regardless of age.

The Memo by Minda Harts is a non-fiction book written to illustrate solidarity and a shared experience for women of color in the workplace and help the reader develop the skills to effectively create a seat at the table. I absolutely loved the way the author points out the mixed messages BIPOC receive such as "speak up", but are also reprimanded to greater extents than white counterparts. The author provides important tips such as "building your own squad" which is simple, but also not always an easy feat. I think many of the tips in this section are useful and actionable, however it would be helpful for the author to provide additional information on how to actually navigate in these effectively without code-switching or getting burnt out which is common for BIPOC. The writing is easy to read and the author provides some great humor throughout. Overall I enjoyed the book and will be referring to this book in the future!

Many thanks to the publisher Seal Press and Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

Over the last couple of months, we have had to face ugly truths about racism and intersectionality. In The Memo, Minda Harts lends her voice to the topic by focusing on the issues that deny women of colour a seat at the proverbial corporate table. She was inspired to write The Memo because she saw a gap in the personal development space that failed to address the career development among women of colour. Drawing heavily on her experiences, Harts discusses navigating office politics, networking and money. Hart's message for women of colour is crystal clear "Investing in yourself is not for your job, it's for you!". This will entail doing internal work and speaking up.

On self-care::
"What I am advocating is making your mindset a priority. If you aren't yet in the room, let alone at the table, then preparing for the highs and lows that require you to advocate for yourself and others requires you to be mentally fit. You must explore what that looks like for you, but I encourage you not to ignore your internal needs while striving for external ones."

On diversity:
"Representation isn't some charitable act; it's an intentional act that has the power to shape our mindsets and even the thinking of generations."

While readers will appreciate her straight talk (especially when addressing white American women ), Hart is overhanded in the pop culture references that are more relatable among millennials and xennials. This is also the reason why I would recommend taking the audiobook route with this one.

This was a quick read that packed a big punch! This book provides an eye opening view on the struggles WOC face in the work place. I personally have experienced many of the things talked about in this book so I can attest to this book validating my own experiences. I loved how Yasminda wove tips for finding your “seat at the table” in a business setting with her own personal experiences with racism and workplace micro aggression. It made the act of reading this book feel more personable. I would highly recommend this book as a resource to graduating students or someone new to the workplace.

I love a book that's all about advocating for the rights and wel being of black women and Yasminda Hart has done such a remarkable thing in how she sets us straight in this book. Reading it reminded me of something Beyonce said about the Black Lives Matter riots following the death of George Floyd and Breona Taylor, she said "don't just talk about it, be about it!"
This book delves into an area we play down because we don't want to be seen as over ambitious and it often hurts us. I kept taking notes, and reflecting on my career and the decisions I have made over the years and where it has led me.
Thanks Netgalley for the eARC. Anyone who reads this book, moreso any black woman who gets this and has long struggled with getting a seat at the table or better yet bringing her own table will learn a lot about planning, networking and speaking up.