Working Class to Breaking Glass: One Woman's Fight to Belong and to Lead is an inspiring memoir by Wanda J. Herndon that chronicles one woman's remarkable journey to executive leadership and influence at Starbucks.
Herndon's story begins in Flint, Michigan. 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 General Motors, but his dream for Herndon was different: "You should get an office job," he insisted. Herndon took that directive to avoid the assembly line and became one of the first in her family to graduate from college.
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 pursued journalism while balancing work-study jobs and overcoming imposter syndrome, financial stress, and personal challenges. 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, Herndon quickly learned that the real world required a different kind of education. She details the invisible weight she carried as a "first" and an "only", sharing the sting of being racially profiled 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 a unique blend of fearlessness, honesty, and infectious joy that allowed her to say the hardest truths with a smile.
With each new role, she refined her leadership voice and reinforced her commitment to inclusion. 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.
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.
Herndon, Wanda J.: - Wanda J. Herndon is an award-winning expert and trailblazer in the field of public relations and corporate communications. She obtained bachelor's and master's degrees in journalism from Michigan State University, and sharpened her communications skills at Dow Chemical and DuPont before becoming the first senior vice president of global public affairs and communications for Starbucks Coffee Company, from 1995 to 2006, and returning to the role in 2008. During her initial tenure, she helped the company grow from 550 stores to over 15,000 storesspanning five continents.In 2006, Wanda founded W Communications, a consulting firm that provides strategic communications counsel and strategy development and execution. Her alma mater, Michigan State University, awarded her an Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree in 2018. She pursues her passion for the arts as a Broadway producer and investor in award-winning musical theater productions. She is also a published poet and co-author of the anthology "Writing While Masked: Reflections on 2020 and Beyond."Wanda loves traveling the world to experience new places, people, and things. She relaxes by reading, writing, or socializing with family and friends, and she is an avid walker and exercise enthusiast. One of her guilty pleasures is binge-watching movies and TV series of all genres in the comfort of her Seattle home.
