WASHINGTON _ As a young black woman working on Capitol Hill, Rhonda Foxx _ the chief of staff for Rep. Alma Adams of North Carolina _ rarely is recognized as a boss. Few, it seems, are expecting someone who looks like her.
"I just know there's an -ism here. Is it ageism, sexism, racism? I've been called scheduler quite often," Foxx said, referencing one of the entry-level positions in congressional offices. "You're not perceived as being that person or being in these roles. For me to come to work every day and feel there are glass ceilings within the people's house, that creates some fire."
Foxx, 35, has turned that fire into action, creating the Black Women's Congressional Alliance along with Meaghan Lynch, the communications director for Rep. G.K. Butterfield of North Carolina, to help promote and mentor women of color on the Hill.
