Even as there is a growing recognition for the need for representation, there are still many cases where folks will find themselves as the only person in a room representing their particular demographic – and often there is pressure to perform in such contexts to prove competence not just for yourself but for everyone who is like you. The burden and the stress of being the “representer” is real, and so we wanted to create a space where folks can discuss who they go about ensuring they are effective and successful even in contexts where no one else on the team or in the room is like them.
Madame X
That’s an awesome question, for me; it’s less about being effective and more about remaining true to myself. I have found myself in rooms feeling as if i was unqualified, not good enough, or doing too much (in the sense of overcompensating and moving from a place of fear). I would move with arrogance so that people wouldn’t see that I was scared and felt like I was undeserving to be there. Read more>>
Aaron Quintana
Combat sports is a very competitive sport. Nowadays whenever I hear somebody say, “They want to be the best in the world” most of them don’t realize what it takes to get there. In my opinion, there’s only two ways to qualify an individual: you either act upon or you are acted upon, meaning you are either a passenger on your own journey being a spectator or you are the one making the calls. Read more>>
Chris Zander
I often reflect over various experiences throughout my life. I am grateful to say I have and will ALWAYS remain myself in any setting I am in or choose to place myself around. Growing up from 7th-12th grade I was one of very few African Americans who attended my Junior High/ High School. Throughout my career, I have experienced being the youngest person in the room in a television and film setting. Read more>>
Patrick Lee
Ooh this is a great question! I think we’ve all been there before. This speaks near and dear to my heart because as an African-American male, I’ve been in rooms, meetings, events, you name it where I’m the only one who looks like me. Quite frankly, it can be intimidating and a bit overwhelming when you initially think about it. Read more>>
Erica Zendell
When I’m in situations where “I’m the only one that looks like me,” I try not to think about the fact that “I’m the only one in the room that looks like me.” Dwelling too much on that for too long is a quick way to start alienating myself from the room instead of appreciating the room. I try to put myself in situations where I’m in rooms where people don’t “look like me.” I think those rooms are crucibles that force me to identify what meaningfully sets me apart and where I can most learn from others. Read more>>
anjali phougat
To achieve something great in the world, you need passion in your life. when you are passionate about what you do, it does not matter if you are the only one or there are several people with many similarities. the point is when you really love and enjoy what you do, sucess follows. Read more>>
Katrina Bell
From an early age I knew what it was like to be the one in the room that looks like me. It started at home, although we are all African American, I have two brothers so being the only girl was not always easy. This helped me to develop my personality and be ok with standing out and marching to the beat of my own drum. This came up again in college as I attended a PWI where there was less that 10% African Americans enrolled. Read more>>
Maya Perez
I like to think of everyone in a unique way and not necessarily just myself. I don’t think I am that different from any one person but I think we are all different in our own unique way and we can learn a lot from each other if we are open to it. In a realistic sense there are still a lot of traditional ways of thinking that has caused some uncomfortableness in some areas but I think finding common grounds is what makes us all connect together. Read more>>
Nuha Abuduhair
Growing up in an Arab household meant we hosted and attended many dinner parties. If we were hosting, then it meant I spent the day ( and days leading up to the date!) prepping food, cleaning the house, and generally thinking of every minor detail a guest would need during the dinner party. Bathrooms were cleaned, salads were made, and a delicious buffet of food was cooked. Read more>>
Olivia “Ozzie” Bonich
I have found that consistently exuding confidence has made me truly channel and believe in that confidence. Read more>>
Dr. Mekole Wells
As an Indigenous woman who has been the only one in the room most of my childhood to adulthood. I have learned to accept the power of my individuality and not rotate in the ‘fear’ of standing out. As I have been the only one in the room like me, I know that I am chosen by God and I have a perfect, yet specific calling on my life. Many say that they want to be popular, everyone wants to be popular. My focus is to be purposeful in my life’s work and my life’s journey. Read more>>
Anr Ear
Sometimes it does feel like we are the only ones navigating success for a diverse background of upcoming artist. Being In an ever-evolving music industry, there is a growing emphasis on giving better payout opportunities to upcoming artists. While progress is being made, it’s still not common for aspiring musicians to find themselves getting fair shakes. Read more>>
John Kaler
That is the super power for all of us. When auditioning or making a first impression, bringing yourself to the room is important. Usually, they have no idea what to expect, so when you bring yourself, its a completely new angle to the work or introduce. When I first started, I was consumed with trying to take it so serious and I had a lack of understanding of who I was an artist. Read more>>
Angie Tovar
Well it’s not very common that new beauty business owners start in their careers older in age. It took some time for me to realize that it didn’t matter that I was in my mid 40’s. At first I felt being older was going to be an issue. But I quickly learned that I come with my own experience and skills. Read more>>
Staci Moore
In a world that often values conformity, being the only one in the room who looks like you can be a daunting experience. As a 55-year-old black woman raised in a single-parent household and educated in Catholic schools, I’ve often found myself in such situations. This article is a reflection on my journey and the strategies I’ve developed to navigate these spaces successfully. Read more>>
Y. Elaine Rasmussen
Over my career, I almost have always been the only person who looks like me in the room. Read more>>
Ryan Correll
I’ve learned that sometimes the path less traveled may reap more dividends in the end. Being able to control wind or manipulate weather can be relatively stressful especially when the ability is pushed to its limits. You must remain calm and careful.. Read more>>
Sugar Vermonte
I have never fit in with the crowd. As an extremely flamboyant, overweight drag queen, I tend to stand out. Read more>>
Lord Goldie
I gave myself no choice but to be my authentic self no matter what. Being a hip hop artist in Nashville, sometimes had me in rooms where I was the only one that looked like me and sounded like me. From the Commodore to Bobby’s Idle Hour on Music Row. They accepted me. Honestly I didn’t care if they liked me or not, but they respected my craft and me as a human being. Read more>>
Tierra Ravenell
I find that all my life, most of the time I entered a room i’m the only one in the room that looks like ME. From going to schools or working in jobs being a minority. It took some time to learn how to be effective/successful in these settings. I would say the first thing I had to learn to do was to be confident in myself. Read more>>
Ilona Alidzaeva
Early on in my entrepreneurial journey, I launched my business as a one-person endeavor. I knew this meant I would often find myself working alone, especially during the early stages of building the business. While this allowed me to have complete creative control and autonomy, it also meant that there was no one else to share the workload or provide encouragement during the challenging times. Read more>>
Matthew Winstead
Jus being myself. I respect everybody and what everybody says an how they feel. Read more>>
Madilla Parrish
By being true to who I am and confident in what I bring to the room Read more>>
Khloe Cain
I walk into the room as if I own it, like it’s already mine. I’ve never been the one to let intimidation overpower me. Read more>>
Nicole Rumbold
Always move forward even when you’re feeling 10 steps behind. Consistency is key. Always ask yourself, what is the problem and how can I solve it? Read more>>
