Black Women and Trapped Value

What are we leaving on the table?

Hello AFIYA Readers!

Recently, I found myself sitting with a term that would not leave me alone:

Trapped value.

I asked myself how I would define it.

To me, trapped value is value that never completes its journey.

It’s value that solves a problem.

It’s value that creates opportunity for others.

It’s value that changes and saves a life.

Yet the person creating that value never receives compensation, opportunity, or attribution for it.

This musing caught my attention even more when I thought about Black women, value and abundance.

Like many Black women, I have often wondered how to create more income, more stability, more freedom, and more breathing room for myself. As I reflected on those questions, I came to an Aha moment.

Perhaps my abundance begins with recognizing the value that I already have instead of trying to acquire a new skill.

Looking at My Own Life

I spend a great deal of time writing and searching opportunities to feature my work. Yet, when I pull back and look at the larger constellation surrounding my work, I notice I do many other valuable things as well.

I help people think through ideas, and find clarity

I teach and guide.

I listen.

I notice patterns of effectiveness and ineffectiveness.

For years, I viewed these things simply as parts of my personality.

Recently, I began looking at them through a different lens. I asked myself:

How much value is trapped inside of me that I am not claiming? How is this affecting me financially, emotionally and spiritually?

A Larger Pattern

Many Black women carry similar questions.

We are caregivers, organizers, advocates, community builders, entrepreneurs, and family members. We solve problems every day. We hold relationships together. We create opportunities. We help people navigate challenges. We generate value in countless ways.

The more I reflect on it, the more I wonder how much of that value remains hidden in plain sight. I am deeply saddened by how much value Black women leave on the table, leaving us depleted and completely burned out.

What the Research Says

Research on Black women reveals a pattern that feels strikingly relevant to the idea of trapped value.

One of the most widely discussed frameworks is the Strong Black Woman Schema, explored by researcher Cheryl Woods-Giscombé. Her research found that many Black women experience pressure to demonstrate strength, suppress vulnerability, and persevere through adversity regardless of personal cost. These expectations often position Black women as sources of support, wisdom, and leadership for those around them; while receiving little value in return. Over time, this dynamic can contribute to stress, exhaustion, and burnout.

Scholar Tamara Beauboeuf-Lafontant similarly found that many Black women perform what she describes as a “costly performance” of strength, carrying emotional burdens while continuing to function responsibly in society.

Researchers have also documented the additional emotional labor and mentoring responsibilities often placed upon Black women in workplace settings. Studies examining women of color found that Black women are frequently expected to mentor colleagues, support diversity initiatives, and strengthen workplace culture. These contributions create value for institutions while often remaining disconnected from compensation, promotion, or formal recognition.

Black feminist scholar Patricia Hill Collins has long argued that Black women serve as important transmitters of knowledge within families and communities. Black women help sustain networks of support and collective wisdom.

I felt deeply supported in my hypothesis about Black women’s trapped value after reading this research.

How much wisdom are Black women sharing every day?

How much labor are we performing?

How much guidance are we providing?

How many problems are we solving?

How many opportunities are we creating?

And how often are these contributions recognized as valuable assets worthy of compensation and attribution?

Conclusion

In my next article, I will share ways in which you can unlock your trapped value. In the meantime, please know that I fully validate you and all that you do to make this world a more beautiful place.

With Care,

Erica

References

Beauboeuf-Lafontant, T. (2009). Behind the Mask of the Strong Black Woman: Voice and the Embodiment of a Costly Performance.

Collins, P. H. (2000). Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment.

Williams, J. C., Phillips, K. W., & Hall, E. V. (2014). Double Jeopardy? Gender Bias Against Women of Color in Science.

Woods-Giscombé, C. L. (2010). Superwoman Schema: African American Women’s Views on Stress, Strength, and Health. Qualitative Health Research, 20(5), 668-683.