Working Class to Breaking Glass

What happens when someone refuses to accept the limits placed upon them?

Working Class to Breaking Glass: One Woman's Fight to Belong and to Lead is an inspiring, deeply personal memoir by Wanda J. Herndon that chronicles one woman's remarkable journey from a blue-collar childhood in Flint, Michigan to executive leadership and influence at Starbucks-a path shaped by perseverance, identity, and the relentless pursuit of opportunity.

Herndon's story begins in Flint, Michigan, a city then fueled by the roaring engines of General Motors (GM). Her father, who dropped out of school in the eighth grade to help financially support his family in the Jim Crow South, took a life-changing bus ride North in search of freedom and a living wage. He found both at GM, but his dream for Herndon was different: "You should get an office job," he insisted-a directive to avoid the backbreaking repetition of the automobile assembly line.

Herndon took that dream and ran with it. Becoming one of the first in her family to graduate from college, she defied the odds in an era when Black students were often steered away from college preparatory tracks. Yet the road ahead was far from easy. Navigating racial barriers, economic limitations, and self-doubt, she confronted the realities faced by many Black students in America during the 1960s and 1970s.

At Michigan state University, Herndon discovered both opportunity and adversity. She pursued journalism while balancing work-study jobs and overcoming imposter syndrome, financial stress, and personal challenges-including difficult relationships and the emotional impact of family change. These formative experiences strengthened her resilience and clarified her purpose: to build a career that would allow her to open doors for herself and others.

Entering the workforce in the mid-1970s, Wanda quickly learned that a degree was only the entry fee. The real world required a different kind of education. With unflinching candor, Herndon details the invisible weight she carried as a "first" and an "only". She shares the sting of being racially profiled at a high-end New York restaurant during her first business trip and the professional isolation of working in a company town with few faces that looked like her own. Yet, through these challenges, she developed her "Wanda-isms": a unique blend of fearlessness, honesty, and infectious joy that allowed her to say the hardest truths with a smile.

A turning point came when she joined Starbucks during a period of rapid transformation and expansion. At the company's Seattle headquarters, Herndon rose through the ranks, earning a seat at decision-making tables where demographic representation had historically been absent. Her leadership extended beyond business operations-she became a cultural advocate and bridge-builder, committed to increasing opportunities for all people within corporate structures.

Throughout the memoir, Herndon interweaves personal storytelling with reflections on identity, mentorship, resilience, and purpose. She explores how systemic barriers shape opportunity and how determination, preparation, and community support can positively change lives. Whether she's navigating corporate culture or confronting moments of personal loss and reinvention, her story demonstrates that leadership is not a destination but an evolving journey.

Working Class to Breaking Glass is more than a career memoir-it is a story about legacy. Herndon honors the sacrifices of her ancestors and parents while encouraging future generations to claim their own place at the table. Her narrative offers both inspiration and practical insight into breaking barriers.