ABSTRACT
Black women feel connected to leaders whom they view as having shared adversity. Examining this phenomenon in the U.S. during the COVID-19 pandemic, Study 1 found that when a Black (but not White) female leader expressed her personal struggles, Black women participants identified with her, viewed her as having a shared reality about the pandemic, and anticipated more identity-safety in her company. Participants with relatively higher awareness of the pandemic’s harmful impact on Black Americans indicated higher identity-safety in the Black female leader, but not the White female leader, condition. However, in Study 2, when a White female leader acknowledged pandemic racial health disparities, Black women participants with more awareness of the pandemic’s impact believed this White female leader had a stronger shared reality about the pandemic and indicated higher identity-safety at her company. Overall, this research has implications for leader messaging that foster identity-safety during stressful societal events.