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Dr. Venessa Marie Perry

Paid. Unpaid. Your work matters.

Published 6 days ago • 1 min read

Reader,

Labor Day is often about time off, barbecues, and long weekends—but let’s take a moment to audit your labor.

Not just your 9-to-5 job that pays the bills…
But the unpaid labor that keeps your life, your family, and your community running.

For Black women in midlife, this labor is real:
💼 Career: leading teams, hitting deadlines, managing expectations
🏠 Home: cooking, cleaning, scheduling, paying bills
💛 Emotional labor: smoothing conflicts, remembering birthdays, supporting others’ mental health
👩‍👧 Family care: driving parents, coordinating children’s activities, managing doctors’ appointments
🛠️ Household management: repairs, errands, logistics
🌍 Community work: volunteering, mentoring, organizing

Here’s the truth: no one else is auditing your labor for you. And if you don’t account for it yourself, it erodes your health, your joy, and your financial future.

This Labor Day, pause and ask yourself:

✨ How much energy goes to paid vs. unpaid work?
✨ Where can I set boundaries to protect my rest?
✨ Who can share in this labor so I can reclaim time?

Your work—both paid and unpaid—is significant. But your well-being matters too.

This Labor Day, take stock—and make a plan that includes you.

Be Safe,

105 Tuckerman St NE, Suite 100, Washington, DC 20011
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Dr. Venessa Marie Perry

Psychologist|Executive Coach|Strategist|Author

Welcome to my Creator Page! As a licensed psychologist, organizational and leadership development consultant, and executive coach with over 25 years of experience, my aim is to help individuals and organizations build high-performing teams, master effective communication, and transform relationships. The main vehicles to facilitate this transformation include 1-on-1 executive coaching, strategy consultations and the BYOND group coaching experience, a sanctuary and community for Black women to inspire, uplift, and empower one another while focusing on well-being and collective transformation.

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