• Sanctified & Stilettos

Why Highly Educated Black Women Are Still Getting Laid Off | Work, Faith & Power

Black women are still getting laid off—even with strong résumés, experience, and proven results. In this episode of Sanctified & Stilettos, Dr. Heather E. Burton sits down with Alfie Chapman Walter and Tanya Horn for a real conversation about layoffs, workplace inequity, and the emotional toll of unemployment. This discussion explores how race, gender, faith, and power shape career outcomes—even for highly educated professionals. In this episode: Why Black women with strong credentials still face layoffs The emotional and mental toll of unemployment Workplace bias, ageism, and DEI challenges How faith plays a role during uncertain career seasons Why mentorship, sponsorship, and community support matter 👉 Why do you think highly qualified professionals still face job insecurity today? Share your thoughts in the comments. Why Highly Educated Black Women Are Still Getting Laid Off. So what happens when you do everything right—earn the degrees, build the résumé, produce results, and still get laid off? In this episode of Sanctified and Stilettos, Dr. Heather E. Burton sits down with Alfie Chapman Walter and Tanya Horn for a raw, necessary conversation about layoffs, workplace inequity, faith, burnout, and what it means to be an educated Black woman navigating unemployment in today’s economy. This is more than a career conversation. It is a real discussion about the emotional, professional, and spiritual toll of job loss, especially for Black women with credentials, leadership experience, and a proven track record. From higher education to nonprofit leadership to corporate America, these women unpack repeated layoffs, broken promises, workplace bias, ageism, DEI backlash, networking myths, and the role faith plays in surviving uncertain seasons. If you are a Black woman facing unemployment, job loss, downsizing, career transition, corporate burnout, or professional discouragement, this episode will speak directly to where you are. It also speaks to anyone trying to understand how race, gender, faith, and power shape the modern workplace. This episode of Sanctified and Stilettos sits at the intersection of faith, femininity, work, calling, and cultural truth. If you have ever asked, “How am I still unemployed after all I’ve done?” this conversation is for you. Subscribe for more faith-filled, fearless conversations on womanhood, purpose, power, and real life. #BlackWomen #Layoffs #Unemployment #FaithAndWork #CareerTransition Suggested Chapters These are editorial chapter titles. If you have the final runtime, match these to exact timestamps in the edit. 00:00 Welcome to Sanctified and Stilettos 00:38 Degrees, experience, results—and still laid off 02:10 Meet the guests: Black women navigating repeated layoffs 04:05 Tanya’s four layoff experiences and what changed 07:02 How layoffs deepen faith and change prayer 10:08 The emotional toll of unemployment and waiting 13:10 “You have a great résumé” — why does it not guarantee a job 16:04 Network, power, and why influence often fails Black women 19:42 Depression, disappointment, and surviving job loss 24:08 Stress, burnout, and what Black women carry at work 27:30 Why community matters during unemployment 31:12 Ageism, experience, and being overlooked in today’s workforce 35:46 Entry-level jobs, underemployment, and career frustration 39:28 Why institutions take your value but will not keep you 44:05 Grief, faith, and not taking layoffs personally 48:22 Politics, DEI backlash, and moving backward in the workplace 53:10 Sponsorship, mentorship, and the future for younger Black women 58:05 Final advice for women facing unemployment right now 1:02:14 Stiletto Moment: fight, comfort, and what comes next 📌 Strategic Moves Media Network is Black-led media based in Cleveland, focused on politics, culture, faith, and community empowerment. Read More

• May 2026
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