There's a dearth of representation of plus-size women in positions of leadership. Cultural attitudes toward women of size affects everything from how employers view our potential to how much we are paid. When I asked the plus-size women I knew about their career trajectories I realized that they had developed a cache of traits and skills that gave them an outsider advantage - versatility, unique perspective, resiliency, empathy and an instinctive understanding of under-the-radar market needs. These are the very skills that make a stellar entrepreneur and boss. I interview plus-size women at the executive level in hopes of changing the face (and body) of who we think of when we think of leadership. Recently I had the pleasure of talking with Ru Johnson, director of Roux Black and a self-proclaimed "woman with big jewelry, big hips, a big mouth and big dreams." Meet Ru:
Virgie Tovar: What do you do?
Ru Johnson: I am the director at Roux Black, a creative consulting firm. We work with people, places and things that want to expand their consumer demographic. In short, we make things cool. I’ve specialized in the study and amplification of independent music scenes with a specific emphasis on hip-hop. Roux Black was born out of a need to bridge the gap between those who make decisions on resource allocation and those who need those resources the most. We focus on booking, content creation, media and project management to streamline the process of success for our clients. And we produce rocking parties. We operate in Denver, D.C. and Los Angeles.
Tovar: Who is your boss crush?
Johnson: I love Lorrie Boula, she’s the manager for Public Enemy and Raphael Saadiq and has worked with Z-Trip, Shepard Fairey as well as a host of other folks through her company Soul Kitchen. Lorrie has decades in the game and has endured the shark tank of the music industry without losing her stamina, assertiveness and passion for progressive music movements. She inspires me to do what I love and take no shit.
Tovar: How has being fat affected your career trajectory?
Johnson: Because I work in nightlife and have made my strides in the music community, many assume I need to be a tiny petite woman with doe eyes and a small voice. Moreover, because I’ve made successes by creating my own lane and working within the industry on my own terms, I’ve seen confusion on the faces of my counterparts when I show up as I am - a woman with big jewelry, big hips, a big mouth and big dreams.
On the flip side, working in hip-hop, as much as I love the genre, comes with misogyny embedded in the fabric of its being. There’s been whole threads on Facebook dedicated to calling me a “fat bitch” by disgruntled rappers because that’s the easiest insult. There have been entire rumor structures centered around how I’m a “fat slut,” and people who refuse to believe I don’t live on my knees to achieve success. Further, if I were conventionally pretty I’d have to spend less time explaining this shit to people who are hell bent on dying on the hill of patriarchy.
The other problem (for those for whom this is a problem) is that I don’t subscribe to notions of disadvantage. You’re gonna get this work, no matter what. Because I’m good at what I do - a brilliant thinker, I’m charismatic, funny and stoic when necessary. I’m relentless in the pursuit of my dreams and goals. When I show up, room will be made at the table because I cannot be denied.
Tovar: What makes a good boss?
Johnson: I’m grateful to have always had women around me who have helped me reach new levels of my potential. In my mind, a good boss is someone who opens doors and creates opportunities for new leaders. A good boss is one who hustles and sets the pace for a solid team, teaches those around her how to maneuver and focuses on solutions rather than the drama of trouble. I don’t swim with sharks, I run with wolves. All the bosses I’ve ever had and those I admire build and cultivate a pack first and foremost.
Tovar: What advice do you have for the aspiring #XLBossLady?
Johnson: Drive it like you stole it and stick to plan A, always.
Wear your difference as power and wield it like a mighty sword. Sure, you’re going to see a (less-qualified) person get ahead at first because some schmuck has a thing for pretty brunettes, and that might be hard to swallow. It’s important not to become resentful of your counterparts (especially those who are women) because that energy isn’t helpful. The best thing to do is recycle that energy into focus and precision. We are more than our bodies. There’s a shift happening, even in the industry of nightlife. Be who you are, and love it.
Tovar: What's one thing people can do to end fatphobia at work?
Johnson: My premise is and always has been, do you, with love. I think in general people can mind their business better, cut down on all the policing of what people eat and how they operate within their own bodies and structures. Specifically there are simple things like, having chairs that are comfortable for various body types and being more mindful of allowing folks to show up in life as they are.
