What do you do when no one else in the company or the meeting looks like you? We asked entrepreneurs and creatives from across industries and geographies to share their experiences and advice.
Apeksha Agarwal
When I started out, I was often one of the only young brown women pursuing photography in cities like New York and Los Angeles. I was usually the only one who looked like me in a room full of people. To make my mark, I leaned on my knowledge and confidence. Instead of seeing being different as a drawback, I turned it into an advantage. Being the “odd one out” helped me stand out and became my unique selling point, making it my strength rather than a weakness. Read more>>
Lauren Crocco
Happily there are more and more women in the design and construction industry these days, but we need more! I’ve often found myself the only woman on a jobsite. These days I don’t think too much about that, but when I was younger I did find challenging to be heard early in my career. Read more>>
Stella Miller
I firmly believe everyone is different, we all have different goals and values in life. By sharing my story, I can inspire others that it’s okay to not be perfect and that everyone is unique and beautiful in their own ways. We all hold different strengths which makes us all flawless together. Read more>>
Tonya Cummings
Being 53 years-old my boldness has increased significantly. I feel like the “chosen one” when I get invited into these spaces. I am a foreigner living in Mexico and not fully fluent in Spanish. Somehow my gifts and talents fit perfectly in this room. I don’t hold back on any opportunity, instead capture the moments. Read more>>
Kt Calibur
Standing out as yourself and not being to impulsive. You have to know your roll and know when to add you peices to the collection. Being quiet and reading the room, studying how everyone operates only to figure out how to distinguish yourself from others. Read more>>
Joy Washington
As a young queer Black woman navigating diverse environments, I have experienced both blessings and challenges that have contributed to my lifelong learning journey. Before discovering my true passion and finding a supportive community in the media industry, I often found myself invited as a photographer to spaces where I was frequently the only Black person or queer woman present. Read more>>
Jose (KAT) Ibarra
Being the only one in the room that looks like me has been my situation since i was put here on this planet. I grew up in foster homes and group homes my whole life and me being the only Mexican kid in a household full of black people was sort of like a boy in the woods with a pack of wolves. I was in lock down facility’s (group homes) for most of my childhood. I recently started getting in touch with society when i turned 13 in 2019. Read more>>
