Research Foundation & Project Build-Out (Phase I): COIA
Cost of It All: The Impact of Work Culture on Black Women’s Wellbeing (COIA) is an independent research project that provides a transparent lens into how professional demands and culture affect nourishment, overall well-being, and identity for Black Women.
Overview
The Cost of It All (COIA) survey is a research initiative I designed to examine how work culture, stress, and systemic barriers shape Black women’s well-being—both inside and outside the workplace. Drawing from my background in holistic wellness, women’s health, and lived experience, I developed COIA to capture the nuanced, often unseen emotional and physical toll Black women navigate at work.
Phase I focused on building the research backbone: establishing a clear purpose, defining eligibility, designing the survey instrument, and developing the brand narrative that grounds the project in authenticity, depth, and intention.
The Challenge
Black women’s workplace experiences are widely discussed—but rarely measured in a way that centers our emotional well-being, nervous system load, and the deeper personal costs that accumulate over time. Existing workplace surveys tend to generalize findings or overlook the intersection of race, gender, and health.
Key gaps COIA aims to address:
Lack of wellness-centered frameworks that capture emotional and physiological impact
Data that flattens Black women’s experiences into general “DEI metrics”
Limited insight into how stress, microaggressions, and workload shape daily habits
Absence of tools that lead to tangible, culturally relevant resources for healing
COIA was built to change that—to gather honest, anonymous insights that can inform community support, programming, and long-term wellness solutions.
The Strategy
Phase I centered on building a research-driven, community-informed foundation rooted in equity, clarity, and resonance. My approach combined wellness expertise, qualitative inquiry, and strategic storytelling to design a survey that speaks directly to Black women’s lived realities.
Core components:
A clear eligibility framework centering Black women and Black femme-identifying professionals
Narrative development that situates the survey within my mission and wellness philosophy
Question design that balances emotional nuance with measurable outcomes
Anonymous, trauma-informed language to ensure safety and transparency
Pilot testing with trusted readers to refine flow, tone, and logic
Phase I: Research Foundation & Project Development
1. Purpose Definition
I articulated the core mission of COIA:
To understand the emotional, mental, and energetic “cost” Black women carry at work
To identify key points of interruption to self-care and well-being
To create future resources, guides, and programming informed by real data
2. Eligibility & Demographic Parameters
Defined who the survey is for and why—ensuring COIA centers Black women without dilution:
Black and African American women
Professionals across industries
25–55 age range (finalized after user research review)
3. Survey Architecture
Outlined seven core sections that ground the research:
Workplace culture & interpersonal experience
Stress patterns & nervous system load
Wellness habits, care interruptions, and burnout signals
Emotional impact and internalized patterns of “pushing through”
Desired resources for support, rest, and recovery
4. Narrative & Brand Voice Development
Crafted a personal, mission-driven introduction that humanizes the project and builds trust.
This included:
My motivation for creating COIA
My experience as a holistic wellness practitioner
The connection between workplace stress and diminished self-care
The broader purpose of shaping culturally relevant well-being tools
5. Survey Instrument Creation
Designed a 7–10 minute survey balancing:
Scaled questions for quantifiable insights
Open-ended prompts for emotional depth
Trauma-informed framing to avoid re-triggering
Clear messaging on confidentiality and anonymity
6. Pilot Testing & Revisions
Conducted a small pilot with Black women in different professional fields to refine:
Readability
Emotional clarity
Question sequencing
Length and user experience
Phase I Results & Early Impact
Successfully developed the COIA identity and narrative tone
Completed a full research-backed survey instrument
Established clear eligibility and demographic criteria
Created a trauma-informed, culturally aligned question bank
Prepared the foundation for Phase II: Data Collection & Insights
This early groundwork ensures that COIA is not just another workplace survey—it's a nuanced, intentional research tool built by a Black woman, for Black women, rooted in holistic care and lived truth.
My Role
I led the creation and development of COIA from idea to research-ready pilot.
Contributions:
Defined the research purpose, framework, and methodology
Wrote the narrative and eligibility criteria
Designed the full survey structure and question set
Developed the brand voice and wellness-centered tone
Conducted early user testing and refinements
Built the foundation for future analysis, reporting, and programming