Pay Me in Money (A Thread).

What people see is a 15-minute speech, a 30-minute panel, a 60-minute presentation. What they don’t see?

The 7 years of post-secondary/higher education that produced that knowledge. The summers and weekends sacrificed to earn scholarships, graduate with honors and gain certification. The books bought and read to build that knowledge.

The 10+ years spent blogging for free to build writing skills. The courses + coffee dates paid to learn from experts. The 10+ years of paid + unpaid work. The money spent on travel and museums to build cultural awareness. The painful experiences that built cultural competence.

It’s time we—especially women, especially black women—stop feeling shame about monetizing our knowledge. People + organizations do not hesitate to pay for perishable goods. Why is there an expectation to gain intellect for free or cheap? Especially when it comes to Black Women?

The straw that broke the camel’s back for me was when I accidentally stumbled across an email chain in which my pay was being discussed.

Knowledge + skills are commodities that cost money to be acquired.

They are commodities that cost money to be maintained.

They are commodities that cost money to be expended.

People ask to pay in exposure for knowledge and skills it costs money to acquire and maintain.