by Dominique M., Assistant Editor-in-Chief
Have you ever felt like you needed to change your outfit ten times before a meeting? Have you ever felt like your hair was too unprofessional? Have you ever felt like your voice would never be heard? Well, welcome to my confessions of being a black leader at a predominantly white institution. Growing up in a predominantly black city made my transition to this university quite different. I walked onto this campus expecting to join several organizations and apply for several leadership roles, which I was able to accomplish. However, what I was unprepared for was the looks, the comments, and the overall stereotypes I faced while taking on these positions. The looks that I received were unfamiliar to me. I can recall the first meeting that I walked into where I was the only freshman and I was the only student of color. I was not aware of the time what business casual was, so I tried my best. Walking into the room with dark black jeans, a cream sweater, and black boots, I was already questioning how I looked, what I would say, etc. But the first remark I received was muttered under a smug breath about how the student couldn’t believe I had been invited to the meeting. Her commentary was coupled with a stare that never seemed to leave my body before I found my seat. After finding my seat, I began to embark in the discussion. Time after time I gave a comment and surprised looks formed on each person’s face around me. With each look and each snide comment about a student being surprised I actually knew so much information, I got fed up. So after walking out of the meeting, I wanted to give in so badly to my emotions and cry because I felt inferior, ashamed, and genuinely unhappy. But, in that moment I refused. I refused to be a product of their stereotype. More often than not, it is easy to give up and give in to the negativity that is around you. But, true power is found when you persevere. If every powerful person of color rebuked their intelligence and their voice, then our society would truly be limited. So, I say all of this to encourage you to speak up in uncomfortable situations. Especially in situations where you are the leader of an organization, you should never feel less than. Words to encourage yourself are important, but the words to encourage others beyond you speaks volumes.
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Author's NoteWelcome to The Torch: Reborn, your multicultural newspaper. Archives
December 2018
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