Interpreting Silence and Voice in the Workplace: A Conversation about Tempered Radicalism among Black and White Women Researchers

This article began as an exploration of Black and White women's efforts to address inequality and make changes in the workplace, NA. Our struggles over interpreting the data revealed how Black and White women struggle to make sense of whether the other is a reliable ally. Black women wonder whether White women will raise their voices or be silent yet again. White women wonder whether Black women can trust that silence is sometimes a strategy. Charting a course through defensiveness, questioning, and some distinct “aha” moments led us to understand our phenomenon and ourselves more deeply. We end this article at a way station, not a final destination, with open questions about the prospects for cross-race collaboration.