Story & Lesson Highlights with Ritha Pierre of Brooklyn

Ritha Pierre shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Ritha, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
For me, integrity will always come first. I was raised to understand that without integrity, you truly have nothing. Your reputation and your name are among the most valuable things you’ll ever own, and they follow you into every space you enter.

Intelligence and energy are important, of course, but they mean little if you can’t be trusted to do the right thing when it counts. Especially as a Black woman, I feel like you have to operate with super integrity. We’re often held to higher, sometimes unfair, standards, and any misstep can be magnified. Leading with integrity ensures that no matter the narrative others may try to spin, the truth of your character will speak for itself.

This is especially critical in the workplace, where leadership and culture don’t always prioritize integrity. In those environments, it’s easy to feel pressured to compromise your values for convenience, personal gain, or to “keep the peace.” But I believe that holding firm to your principles, even when it’s uncomfortable, not only protects your own name but also sets the tone for others. In the end, integrity builds trust, and trust is the foundation for any meaningful relationship, personal or professional.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Ritha Pierre, Founder and Principal Attorney of R. Pierre Legal, author, speaker, and community activist, passionate about creating spaces where Black women can thrive both personally and professionally. With over 14 years of experience at the intersection of law, leadership, and organizational strategy, spanning corporate, nonprofit, government, and community spaces, I serve as a trusted legal strategist and advisor, while also building platforms and initiatives that amplify voices, challenge narratives, and inspire change.

I am the creator of The Road to Esquire anthology series, which shares powerful, real-life stories of Black women attorneys. Our newest volume, The Road to Esquire: Black Women, Motherhood & the Law, was recently released and continues the mission of amplifying voices and preserving our stories for the next generation of legal trailblazers.

I am also the founder of Freeda’s World, a platform and podcast dedicated to candid conversations about career, wellness, and identity for professional Black women, and the founder of Black Ivy Media, a creative hub for storytelling, advocacy, and thought leadership. Through Black Ivy Media, I have produced and directed two documentaries, Black Women in Small Business and For Anxious Girls: Unveiling the Hidden Struggle of Anxiety and Depression, both exploring overlooked narratives with depth, empathy, and authenticity.

My work blends advocacy, storytelling, and empowerment. I am not simply talking about the challenges we face; I am building resources, platforms, and communities to help overcome them. Whether in the courtroom, on a stage, behind a microphone, or through a camera lens, my mission is the same: to inspire, to connect, and to open doors for the next woman coming behind me.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Unfortunately, I was told who I had to be at a very early age. Growing up in a strict, religious Haitian American household with my single mother and my grandmother, both of whom embodied what the world identifies as the “strong Black woman”, I learned quickly that there were expectations for how I should show up in the world.

But I remember there was a time before that took hold, a time when I felt truly free. I was creative and carefree. I daydreamed, I fantasized, I climbed trees. I was fearless, I loved adventure, I took risks without overthinking them. I laughed effortlessly and naturally, until I didn’t.

As time went on, I became quieter. I learned to speak only when spoken to. I kept my opinions to myself. I began to think about “the society” first, or as my mother would say, La Société, before making any moves. In trying to meet the expectations placed upon me, pieces of that adventurous, unapologetic little girl faded into the background. Now, part of my journey is reclaiming her.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me resilience in a way that success never could. I was introduced to hardship early in life. I lost close friends in tragic ways at a young age. Growing up in a single-parent Haitian American household with an eccentric parent came with its own set of challenges, responsibilities, and pressures that most people my age didn’t understand. Navigating spaces as a Black woman, where my worth and abilities were often underestimated, was another form of suffering that shaped me.

But the loss that still lives with me, even a decade later, is the passing of my grandmother. She was the person who loved me unconditionally, who grounded me, and who offered the kind of wisdom and stability I needed most during a time in my life when guidance was everything. Learning to live without her has been one of my greatest tests.

Suffering strips away illusions. It forces you to face yourself, to see your fears, your limits, and your ability to keep going when nothing is certain. It’s also made me deeply empathetic. You can celebrate with people in their success, but you connect with them in their pain. Success can affirm you, but suffering transforms you, it sharpens your faith, clarifies your priorities, and reminds you that even in your lowest moments, you can still rise.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What’s a cultural value you protect at all costs?
The cultural value I protect at all costs comes straight from my Haitian roots: Pa kité moun jwé nan figi’w, which translates to “don’t let anyone play in your face,” meaning don’t allow anyone to disrespect you in any kind of way. No matter who you are, respect is non-negotiable. It’s not something reserved for people with certain titles or social status, it’s something you give to everyone, and it’s something you have the right to expect in return. You do not talk to people any kind of way, and you certainly don’t strip them of their dignity to make a point.

This value became even more important as I rose in the ranks as a Black professional woman, especially stepping into leadership in organizations where the boardrooms and C-suites were often dominated by white decision-makers operating with unchecked biases. In those spaces, I learned to stand firm in demanding respect while also modeling it, making it clear that position and power never justify treating people poorly.

For me, protecting this value isn’t just about personal boundaries—it’s about setting a cultural standard where respect is the rule, not the exception.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I was a woman of integrity, someone who stood up for people even when I knew it might come back to bite me. That I stood up for what was right unapologetically, despite the fear of retaliation, despite having a target on my back. That I was unafraid to call out inhumanity, to challenge “the machine,” and to hold leaders accountable when they operated without compassion or fairness.

I want to be remembered as a leader who fiercely protected her teams, who led with courage, and who valued people over politics. As a visionary who always had an idea brewing, who was unafraid to try new things, to create, and to push boundaries.

More than anything, I hope my story is one of a woman who used her voice, her creativity, and her conviction to make an impact, and who left a blueprint for others to do the same.

Contact Info:

• Website: www,theroadtoesquire.com, www.rpierrelegal.com, www.blackivymedia.com
• Instagram: @theroadtoesquire, @blackivymedia, @freedas_world
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritha-pierre/
• Youtube: blackivymedia
• Soundcloud: freeda’s world