Empathy is Not About Shared Experience. It’s About Shared Humanity.

Angela Solomon • March 2, 2021

Today, March 2nd, is the Day of Empathy. This day of commemoration was started by The Dream Corps in order to raise awareness for members of our society living in incarceration. In some ways, 2020 felt to me like the year of empathy. Like all social movements, tides of change come with an equal and opposite reaction and while we certainly saw the violence, hatred, bigotry and ignorance of the American people in 2020, we also saw tremendous movements towards empathy.


In my mind, Black Lives Matter is a monumental shift towards getting back to the basics of human respect. It can be overwhelming to keep up with all of the social movements going on right now that are aimed at dismantling longstanding social hierarchies, doing away with microaggressions and oppression of marginalized groups of people: black and brown members of our society, our queer community, our trans community, our incarcerated community, our neurodiverse community and our disabled community. In 2020, it felt like every marginalized group of people in America was screaming out to be heard, to be respected and for us to change the ways in which we view them and speak about them in order to reflect this respect. 


Often when we attempt to break a movement down to its constituent parts, it feels overwhelming, as if we’re attempting to individually move and coordinate every gear and lever of a watch. Which is impossible and certainly overwhelming. How can we possibly get anything done when our entire lives are consumed by constantly adjusting our speech so as to be non-offensive in every arena when we’ve had years of indoctrination in the opposite direction? But it’s only overwhelming until we pull back and see the movement at large—until we see where it all connects. And where it all connects is empathy. 


Empathy is defined as “the ability to understand and share the feelings of another”. What this definition lacks however, is the necessary suspension of shared experience that’s required in order to truly empathize with someone who is very different from us. 


It’s easy to empathize with someone who has lived a very similar life to ours. It’s more challenging to empathize with someone who has been the victim of our unassuming but deeply problematic actions. Or to empathize with someone who has lived such a different life than we have that their experience of the world doesn’t even resemble ours. At these times, we must do two things:


  1. We must suspend the necessity to understand the experiences of others in order to simply respect and honor them. This looks like: receiving another’s experience without judgement or discernment and trusting that they, as humans, are truthful and heartfelt and are simply seeing a different side of the world than we are capable of seeing. In this way, without the requirement for “understanding” or “relating” to another’s experience in order to honor it, we are capable of expanding our own awareness in order to encompass that of another, thereby forming a society that is more than the sum of its parts. 
  2. And we must dig deeper in our search for shared experience: past the point of differences and division, to the place where we all meet as human beings, surviving in a world, together.


When viewed in this light, when we shift the requirement for empathy from shared “experience” or “understanding” to shared humanity, it all looks very simple. It all boils down to one set of fundamental truths: we all deserve respect, we are all legitimate, we are all the same. 


Drop your gavel. Trust one another. Happy Empathy, friends. 

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Sly Stone started Sly and the Family Stone in 1966. The band consisted of Sly’s brother and sister, as well as four other individuals, both black and white, male and female. It was the first American rock band to be racially diverse and integrated. They were one family, singing about unity, in the 1960’s. That should not have been revolutionary. But it was. Sly Stone is still alive. But he’s lost to a long history of drugs. It is so often those who preach the most pure ideals who find that they are the ones who are least capable of existing in the world without drugs or alcohol to mute the pain of division they see around them. But they still preach unity. And doing so changes the world. Just not fast enough.

I AM someone who sees incredible potential in places most people don't think to look. As a black woman, small business owner of a diversity staffing boutique, my team and I walk alongside our Clients in creating professional environments that are truly for ALL. I believe in our interconnectedness as a human race and strive every day to use my gifts to empower the workplace’s invisible and powerless. I rarely bet on certainty and always root for the underdog because, after all, those are the best stories to tell.

The Evolving Landscape of Corporate DEI: Key Insights from Recent Reports

By Angela Solomon • October 10, 2024
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From Stale Bread to Fresh Ideas: The DNA of Today's Thriving Professional

By Angela Solomon • September 26, 2024
As a career coach and self-proclaimed lifelong learner, I’m always telling my clients, “If you’re not growing, you’re going stale—and let’s face it, nobody likes stale bread.” In today’s fast-changing workforce, it’s not enough to just show up anymore. Success now means adapting, learning, and constantly evolving with the world around you. The DNA of today’s working professional is in constant motion, and if you’re still running on yesterday’s playbook, you might just miss out on what’s ahead. Today’s workforce looks nothing like it did a decade ago. Tech is transforming every industry, and there’s a bigger focus on values like flexibility, inclusivity, and personal growth. People want more from their careers—they want purpose, not just a paycheck. The DNA of today’s working professional is all about adaptability, self-motivation, and being comfortable with change. So, let’s dive into how today’s professional DNA stacks up against the past: 1. Adaptability vs. Stability Today : Flexibility is everything. Whether it’s technology, business practices, or job roles, change is constant. Professionals need to be able to pivot and pick up new skills quickly. If you're not evolving, you're likely being left behind. Yesterday : Stability was the goal. You stayed in one job or industry, building deep expertise in a specific area. Specialization was the key to success, and change was something you tried to avoid. 2. Continuous Learning vs. Credential-Driven Success Today : Learning never stops. Whether it’s through online courses, certifications, or simply staying on top of industry trends, professionals are expected to keep their skills fresh. It's not just about what you learned in school—it's about what you keep learning. Yesterday : A degree, especially from a well-known school, was often enough to get you through your career. Once you had the right credentials, continuous learning wasn’t a huge focus. 3. Agility in Technology vs. Traditional Tools Today : Being tech-savvy isn’t optional. From automation to collaboration tools, technology is part of almost every job. You’ve got to be able to use these tools to stay relevant. Yesterday : Tools like spreadsheets and email were enough for most roles. Technology was there, but it wasn’t deeply integrated into non-tech jobs the way it is today. 4. Values-Driven Work vs. Hierarchical Loyalty Today : People want purpose, not just a paycheck. Employees are looking for work that aligns with their values, and companies that support things like work-life balance and mental health. It’s not just about loyalty anymore—it’s about feeling good about where you work. Yesterday : Loyalty to a company was a major factor. You worked hard, stayed loyal, and didn’t necessarily expect the company to care about your personal values. The focus was on putting in the time and doing the work. 5. Diversity & Inclusion as a Key Focus vs. Homogeneous Workplaces Today : Diversity and inclusion aren’t just nice to have—they’re essential. Today’s professionals expect their workplaces to reflect a wide range of perspectives, genders, and experiences. Everyone wants to feel seen and valued. Yesterday : Diversity wasn’t as much of a priority. Many workplaces were homogenous, and inclusion wasn’t discussed the way it is today. 6. Agile Leadership vs. Command-and-Control Management Today : Leadership is about collaboration and empathy. Today’s leaders are facilitators, mentors, and motivators. They encourage open communication and care about the people, not just the tasks. Yesterday : Leadership was more about control. It was top-down, with leaders making decisions and everyone else following orders. The focus was on managing tasks, not people. 7. Freelancing & Flexibility vs. Full-Time, Traditional Employment Today : Flexibility is the name of the game. Freelancing, contracting, and remote work are all becoming more popular as professionals look for control over their schedules and projects. Yesterday : Full-time employment with a single company was the norm. People worked their way up the corporate ladder and stuck around for the long haul. 8. Networking & Personal Branding vs. Quiet Expertise Today : Building a personal brand is important. It’s not enough to do great work—you need to make sure people know you’re doing great work. Networking on platforms like LinkedIn has become a key part of staying visible in your industry. Yesterday : You could quietly focus on your expertise. Long-term relationships and internal company networks were often enough to advance your career. 9. Emphasis on Soft Skills vs. Technical Mastery Alone Today : Emotional intelligence, communication, and collaboration are highly valued. You’ve got to be able to work well with others and adapt to different working styles. Yesterday : Technical skills were often enough to get by. Soft skills mattered, but they didn’t get the same level of attention as they do now. 10. Entrepreneurial Mindset vs. Following the Corporate Playbook Today : Whether or not you’re starting your own business, having an entrepreneurial mindset can make a difference. Professionals today take ownership of their work, innovate, and even pursue side projects. Yesterday : Following the established corporate path was expected. You worked your way up within existing structures, and entrepreneurship was considered a more niche career path. The DNA of today’s working professional is all about adaptability, purpose, and continuous growth. In contrast, yesterday’s professional valued stability, loyalty, and expertise in a more rigid structure. The modern professional thrives in a world that’s always changing, where technology and values shape careers as much as hard skills. Whether you’re freelancing, leading a team, or climbing the corporate ladder, the message is clear: if you’re not learning and evolving, you’re getting left behind. I empower the Invisible. I ignite Success. As a Black woman, small business owner, and advocate for inclusion, I’ve built my career around seeing potential where others may overlook. Through my staffing boutique and professional development/coaching service, I focus on creating real opportunities for marginalized communities, including women, LGBTQ+, neurodiverse, disabled, and veteran professionals. I root for the underdog because they have the best stories to tell—and the most untapped potential.  #CareerGrowth #AdaptabilityMatters #LifelongLearning #ProfessionalDNA #ThriveAtWork #FutureOfWork #EvolveOrFade #InclusiveWorkplace #LeadershipEvolution #TechSavvySkills
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