Coffee No Cream

What happens when HR isn’t safe, even for Black women who work in HR? In this episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin Braxton sits down with Tai Robinson, an HR professional who shares a Coffee No Cream moment that challenges the idea that HR is a neutral or protective space for Black women. Tai talks candidly about reporting racially charged behavior, being dismissed, and ultimately being labeled “messy...

In Part 4 of The Corporate Code Series, Erin breaks down The Wait Code. So many Black women say they want to leave toxic jobs and make moves, and yet years go by, nothing changes, and we’re still “getting ready to get ready.” In this episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin Braxton breaks down why Black women procrastinate career changes they already know they need to make, and how waiting slowly becomes...

In this final episode of the year, Erin reflects on the moments, conversations, and patterns that defined Coffee No Cream in 2025. From memorable Coffee No Cream moments to stories about stress, workplace dynamics, and hard-earned lessons, this episode brings together highlights from across the year to explore what Black women are really navigating at work. Erin also shares recurring warnings, key...

In this episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin sits down with DEI expert Tammy Triolo to talk about a familiar workplace contradiction: Black women lead, carry responsibility, and drive outcomes, yet are often treated like support staff instead of decision-makers. They unpack how Black women are relied on for emotional labor, problem-solving, and stability at work, while authority, recognition, and perm...

Jobs don’t define Black women, but too often, we’re taught to believe they do. In this solo episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin Braxton breaks down what happens when your identity, confidence, and self-worth get wrapped up in a job title, a degree, or someone else’s opinion of you. Drawing from her own experience leaving advertising, navigating entrepreneurship, and rebuilding from failure, Erin walk...

When Ashley Morgan walked into a CEO’s office for a routine business meeting, the first thing he said was: “You don’t sound Black on the phone.” What happened next was a masterclass in confidence, boundaries, and knowing your value. Ashley is a former corporate leader who rebuilt her career after wrongful termination, EEOC disappointment, a deep confidence collapse, and a long season she calls “ca...

Black Women, It’s Pivot Season, and a lot of us are feeling it. The job market is shifting, DEI is disappearing, the workplace is getting hostile again, and more than 300,000 Black women have lost their jobs this year alone. The pressure, the fear, the uncertainty...it’s real. And for many of us, this isn’t the first time we’ve had to pivot. In this episode, I’m talking you through the exact ways...

In Part 2 of this Make It Make Sense series, we continue the honest conversation about why Black women clash and experience conflict with each other in the workplace. Dr. Kwanza Falaka-Gipson, Dr. Lydia Bullock, and Natasha Williams return to break down the root causes of tension between Black women at work, including insecurity, trauma, jealousy, leadership challenges, and the pressure to prove o...

Why do Black women struggle so deeply with each other in the workplace? In this first part of my Make It Make Sense series, I am joined by three incredible women: Dr. Kwanza Falaka-Gibson, Dr. Lydia Bullock, and Natasha Williams from the UK. Together, we unpack the painful, complicated, and often unspoken truth about Black women’s relationships with each other at work. We discuss: competition, sca...

They said these conversations should happen in private. That talking about how Black women treat each other in the workplace would “put a target on our backs.”But Erin Braxton isn’t backing down. In this powerful solo episode of Coffee No Cream, she responds to real viewer comments, from accusations of being “elite” to painful truths about how Black women sometimes harm one another at work. This e...

In this episode of The Corporate Code Series, Erin breaks down The Access Code, how to protect your time, set real limits, and stop letting work, clients, and even “well-meaning” bosses have unlimited access to you. If you’ve ever found yourself answering emails on weekends, feeling guilty for saying no, or being treated like your free time doesn’t matter because you’re single or don’t have kids,...

In this powerful global edition of Coffee No Cream, Erin Braxton sits down with British researcher Natasha Williams, creator of The Cost of Black Excellence study. From racial micro-aggressions in the U.K. to the shared burnout Black women face worldwide, Natasha opens up about running her own firm, reclaiming her boundaries, and walking away from disrespect, even when it costs money. Together, Er...

Why do so many Black women struggle to charge what we’re worth? In this powerful episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin Braxton sits down with Dr. Kimberly Douglass, a neurodivergent pricing strategist and researcher, to talk about the fear, conditioning, and data behind how we price our work. From “pick your brain” requests to clients who expect free labor, Dr. Douglass breaks down how Black women can...

What happens when a white coworker crosses every line, and you still keep your cool? In this episode of Coffee No Cream, host Erin Braxton sits down with Dr. Kwanzaa Falaka, a federal-contractor program manager and founder of Girlfriend Therapy, who shares the shocking moment an older colleague tried to physically confront her at work, and what she learned about protecting her peace, her power, an...

In this episode, part 2 of the Corporate Code Series, Erin Braxton gets real about how easily work, coworkers, and even friends can live rent-free in your head. Outline The Head Code. She shares how Black women can protect their peace, rebuild real confidence through motion, and master the quiet clapback, the art of staying unbothered, strategic, and focused.👉 Listen to Episode 22, The Boundary C...

Boundaries aren’t just protection, they’re STRATEGY. In Part 1 of The Corporate Code Series , Erin Braxton breaks down how Black women can set boundaries at work to protect their peace, preserve their energy, and stop being drained by coworkers who see them as their therapists or emotional crutches. This episode dives into:✅ Why boundaries matter for survival and success.✅ How emotional dumping...

Friendships in the workplace can feel complicated, especially for Black women. In this panel, Erin Braxton, Abby the Attorney, and Tracie Walker open up about their personal experiences with workplace friendships, performative allyship, microaggressions, and the ways racism, sexism, and colorism shape professional relationships. From “nasty nice” coworkers to being excluded on work trips, this can...

Black Women — what’s next after leaving a toxic job? In this special Q&A episode, I’m answering YOUR direct questions from the comments: ✅ “I just left a toxic job — what now?” ✅ “How do you become an entrepreneur?” ✅ “How did you learn tech, and what steps did you take?” I’m sharing my personal journey — from being fired, broke, and embarrassed… to building a business, learning tech, and c...

As Black women, we carry so much stress and toxicity in the workplace, and too often, we stay longer than we should. In this episode of Coffee No Cream, I’m talking about how to know when it’s time to go, the signs to watch for, and how to prepare yourself for higher ground. I share my own Coffee No Cream moments from the advertising world and toxic clients, plus practical tools you can start usin...

In this powerful episode, immigration attorney AbbyTheAttorney (known as @AbbyWinters80 on social media) shares her harrowing journey through systemic racism at a Georgia law firm - from a racist assistant who refused to work for "that little Black girl" to discovering a conference room filled with Confederate memorabilia. Abby opens up about the physical and mental toll of workplace dis...

In this shocking episode of Coffee No Cream, Stephanie Davis shares one of the most extreme workplace racism incidents we've heard yet. While working at a cellular phone store in Jefferson County, Missouri, Stephanie faced not one but two devastating attacks - first finding KKK graffiti spray-painted across her workplace, then being falsely accused of threatening violence by a white coworker j...

When a white paramedic told Valencia Dantzler "you will never be at my level," she didn't lose her cool - she got strategic. In this powerful episode, elite neuro-encoding specialist Valencia shares her Coffee No Cream moments from her time as an EMT in North Carolina, including workplace racism from coworkers and being kicked out of a fire station by a captain. Valencia reveals the...

Black women, we need to have an honest conversation about how we treat each other. 💯 In this episode, I'm diving deep into the ways we police, judge, and tear each other down - and why we need to do better. ✊🏾 From workplace dynamics to social media behavior, from speech policing to celebrating each other's downfalls, it's time to examine our own actions and ask ourselves: are we lifting each o...

In this solo episode, I'm getting real about undercharging and the psychological damage it causes. From a $1,000 insult to learning my worth - this is the conversation Black women NEED to have about money, value, and self-respect. 🎯 KEY TAKEAWAYS: Why undercharging messes with your psyche AND your bag The real cost of taking projects that underpay you How I went from imposter syndrome to confiden...

Tracy Walker (@atmarshalsweat) shares her jaw-dropping Coffee No Cream moment from her first law office job - and the strategic response tactics she's developed over years in corporate America. In this episode, we dive deep into:✅ The "practically white" comment that changed everything (4:44)✅ Tracy's "level of unbotheredness" strategy (27:15)✅ How to handle workplac...