Supporting Social Work Leaders: Supervision, Intersectionality, and Nonprofit Leadership.

Abstract

This study explores the lived experiences of 15 women of color who hold leadership positions within nonprofit organizations (NPOs). Underpinning this inquiry is a critical feminist framework. The findings underscore significant gaps in social work supervision, particularly as they pertain to women of color in leadership positions. These gaps highlight systemic issues and point to the broader challenges these women face in receiving the guidance and support necessary for effective leadership. The study also reveals the organizational challenges that arise from the persistence of racialized and gendered power differentials within the nonprofit sector. These dynamics, often a reflection of wider societal inequalities, manifest within organizations through the perpetuation of traditional power structures, making it even more difficult for women of color to thrive and succeed. The study calls attention to how these challenges are embedded in the nonprofit landscape, leading to a continual recreation of inequitable power relations. Ultimately, this research emphasizes the need for more inclusive and equitable supervision practices and organizational structures to better support women of color in leadership roles within NPOs.