PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Rachel Caesar is the founder of Sisterhood in Success, a local nonprofit dedicated to creating a safe, empowering space for Black women and supporting them in their personal and professional journeys.
“It came out of my desire to want to work in an environment that really acknowledged Black women,” she said. “I have 20 years of working in professional spaces, and I’ve always felt like that was a need.”
Sisterhood in Success understands the unique challenges that Black women face in the workplace, from micro-aggressions and misogyny to outright discrimination. She said women facing these issues tend to hide or try to blend in.
“I really want them to be able to use their voice and to not just settle or suffer day by day for the sake of this job,” she said.
Having suffered through workplace trauma herself, Caesar felt isolated but discovered other women were having the same experiences. Her Employee to Entrepreneur program shows women another alternative.
“If you feel like you can’t obtain it from another space, maybe that’s a sign for you to do it yourself. So oftentimes, the women will walk away saying, ‘OK, I’m going to go out and start doing my cookies’ or what have you. I really feel like they walk away feeling stronger.”
Caesar’s Sister Match mentorship initiative pairs Black women with experienced mentors who provide guidance and support so women feel empowered to advocate for themselves.
“We’re the fastest-growing demographic in the workplace,” she added. “I think we have to stand firm on our values, and I think we have to force them to see us.”
As support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts dwindle across the country, Caesar focuses on what her legacy could be: “That I was a voice for the voiceless, that I worked tirelessly to advocate and to empower as a way for Black women to be stronger and to be wiser.”
During Black History Month, KYW Newsradio’s GameChangers honors individuals or organizations that have made a significant, positive impact in communities of color in the greater Philadelphia region. View the 2025 honorees here.
Correction: A previous version of this article misspelled Rachel's last name. The current version reflects that change.