In this article, brand strategist and visibility expert N. Chloé Nwangwu argue that “underrecognized” is more accurate than — and a more productive alternative to — the word “underrepresented.”

• Nwangwu argues that “underrepresented” fails because it shifts our focus away from the leaders, the institutions, and the systems that have the power to sustainably change the status quo. Instead, it puts the onus on the socially marginalized person.           
• “Underrepresented” also suggests that the solution to inequity is for leaders to place marginalized social groups into very visible positions while simultaneously failing to give them the tools needed to overcome individual and systemic biases. Then, it winks knowingly should this group not manage to beat the odds, again.
• “Underrecognized,” on the other hand, invites us to address the behavior driving underrepresentation: a lack of recognition. It makes the real problem more visible, and puts the responsibility of change on the discriminators and the systems that enable and trap them.