Mar 04 2025 33 mins
Barbara Brandon-Croft is recognized as the first Black woman cartoonist in the U.S. to break into the mainstream press with Where I’m Coming From, her cartoon feature centering on Black female voices.
As we celebrate Women's History Month, Barbara looks back at her various careers—from her early days as a fashion and beauty writer to her time as a cartoonist at the Detroit Free Press in the 90s, and later, as the research director at Parents magazine, where she worked for 18 years.
In this episode, Barbara recalls how she navigated unexpected career shifts, including getting laid off from Parents—in her 60s. She shares how tuning into her younger self helped her embrace the unknown and revive her cartooning career post layoff.
"I needed to start thinking about receiving what I couldn't imagine," she says about the many doors her shift in perspective has opened.
Barbara’s story also demonstrates the role timing can play when it comes to a career change. When she had to move on from being a cartoonist in her younger years, it turns out it's just the right career for her now.
Episode Highlights:
• Barbara's journey as the first Black woman cartoonist syndicated in the mainstream press in the U.S.
• Facing unexpected career changes
• Finding guidance in your younger self
• The financial realities of creative careers and how to navigate them
• How unpaid opportunites can lead to paid opportunities
• Getting out of your comfort zone
• Barbara's reviving her cartoonist career today
• The role of trust and openness in career reinvention
Find Barbara Brandon-Croft at:
Website: https://barbarabrandoncroft.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbarabrandoncroft/
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA): https://www.moma.org/magazine/authors/626
Barbara’s Book: Where I’m Coming From
Music credit: TimMoor from Pixabay
Podcast info:
What's your career switch? What do you think about this episode and the show? Tell us at careerswitchpod.com. Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.