"Take your own path": minority leaders encountering and overcoming barriers in cultural community centers.

Minority leaders face workplace issues not experienced by white leaders including lack of support, discrimination, racism, and stereotyping. The purpose of this study was to explore how racial/ethnic minority leaders encountered and overcame barriers as leaders of cultural community centers. Three racial/ethnic minority executive directors of cultural community centers located in a Midwestern city were interviewed and their responses were hand-coded to develop themes. Six themes emerged from this process: finding "inspiration", "developing thick skin", "stereotypes", "damage from within", "take your path", and "hope". Their stories help us understand the complexities of inter-racial relations in the workplace.