The Joy of Values-Aligned Work: Reflections from Inside of BlackFemaleProject

In this first month of Spring, our BlackFemaleProject community has been exploring renewal and abundance as we continue to dig into our personal development series, 8 Weeks of Self-Discovery. Inspired by our offerings, I too find myself reflecting on my career journey and what working with BlackFemaleProject means for me and for the movement of Black women thriving at work. 

First, introductions: my name is Afiya (also known as Fi.) and I’m one of the newest members of the team behind BlackFemaleProject. In my role as Communications Program Consultant, I work to engage and expand our network through various communication channels and programs. I’ve come to the team and to the Bay Area after nine years of living in Brooklyn and with 15 years of experience across various non-profit and social impact roles. I have officially been on the team for six months (YaY), enjoying each step of my learning and growth in the role, and I’m marking this point in time by considering my BlackFemaleProject experience so far. 

When I onboarded in October 2021, I was returning to work after leaving a once-beloved, turned begrudged, full-time job and taking a three-month work hiatus. The pandemic and racial uprisings of 2020 magnified the misalignment I was feeling in my professional life and the impact it was having on my mental health and my pursuit of other goals. After a values-grounding holiday visit to West Africa, I returned to my job, expressed my frustrations, and came to a mutual agreement that my time there had run its course. Ultimately, my decision was rooted in my desire to: 

• wake up excited for my workday 

• have more control over my daily schedule 

• prioritize my work in service to the Black community 

• and reimagine what working for a cause without working into the ground might look like. 

Finding BlackFemaleProject was a resounding response to my request. 

As I deepen my understanding of and connection to our work, I feel even more empowered to define my best work life, as I support others in creating the same for themselves. For me, success means doing values-aligned work and actively challenging the conventional work norms that perpetuate our pain. It means doing work I believe in and daring to insist that I can reply yes when I ask myself the question: does this bring me joy? It means participating on teams that first honor each other’s humanity and then the work. It means the space to breathe in the work day and not feel the anxiety brought on by pressure. 

Even in my ambitious nature, I am not building a life that centers my “job,” but instead a life that centers my well-being and includes fulfilling work as my contribution to the collective. At BlackFemaleProject, not only do we spend our days uplifting Black women, but we also regularly review and refine our ways of being to remain aligned with our values as an organization, ensuring that we’re living our vision of “thriving at work” by example. 

And this is what we want for you too–achieving self-defined success in a way that activates your joy and abundance. For me, grounding in my values and learning to allow those values to guide how I move through the world has resulted in a rewarding journey. Part of this journey has been coming upon the gem of an organization that is BlackFemaleProject, and getting the chance to show up as myself and enhance the lives of others through our work. I look forward to the next six months and more of deepening my connection to joy, uplifting your stories, and helping you support your dreams. 

I truly hope your flowers bloom.

- Fi.