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.
Jalisa Ann
Being the only one in the room has been a recurring experience throughout my journey, particularly in the fashion industry. Initially, it was daunting, feeling like an outsider in spaces where I didn’t see many who looked like me. However, I quickly learned to embrace my uniqueness as a strength rather than a limitation. Read more>>
Alfred Milan
That’s a really good questions because being an African American executive and CEO most of the times and I am the only one who looks like me. I have learned it is not just being in the room, but do you make a difference while you are in the room. I have worked hard to be successful but having a great team and faith is enough to get me through any difficult situations. Read more>>
Mariza Noyama-Zee
Being a person of mixed race and having other intersecting identities that often do not reflect the norm, I have found a sense of comfort from being in love with my own unique story and connection by being curious about the stories of others. I grew up as the only child of artists and often was the only kid in the room. Naturally I stood out as a sort of oddity. Read more>>
Micah Bravery
As the only one in the room who looks like me, I’ve learned that my uniqueness is my strength. Instead of feeling isolated, I embrace it. Here’s how I navigate those moments: 1. **Authenticity**: I stay true to myself. When I bring my authentic self to the table, it not only empowers me but also enriches the conversation. People appreciate genuine perspectives. Read more>>
Ashley Mendoza
Success is subjective and varies from person to person. Personally, I consider myself successful. I have a loving spouse, well-behaved children, and I am living my dream. I am financially stable, engage in cultural activities, maintain a high quality of life, and work in a field I am passionate about, while also giving back to my community. Read more>>
Holley Harris
As an Army Intelligence Officer working in Special Operations, I am often the only female sitting at the table. Even after 19 years in the Army, I still get intimidated in certain scenarios, but at the end of the day, I know I belong. I worked just as hard to get to where I am as everyone else did and I deserve to be there. Read more>>
Ashley Chang
I am half-Chinese and half-Italian. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve felt like the only person in the room that looked like me. As I got older and entered the tech industry, this became even more pronounced, I was in technical product manager roles and was often the only woman in the room at all. Read more>>
Jaya Mallik
The most effective path to becoming successful, despite often being the only Woman of Color in a room, has comprised of holding true to three things: 1. Maintaining integrity in my work, treating others with kindness, and only speaking honestly. 2. Being aware of what my superpowers are and capitalizing on those. In my case, my superpower is being strategic – that is as natural to me as breathing. When I learned that and began to own it, my career began to thrive. Read more>>
Anant Pradhan
As an Indian growing up in Boston, professionally, and socially — walking into a room where I am the only one that looks like me is a situation I know well. Often times it’s accompanied by self doubt. However, if the aim is to grow & learn, you simply cannot allow differences in looks to define or limit you. Read more>>
Emily Brown
The key is to getting others to listen to you by creating a story that is relatable to everyone. My story in detail may not relate to anyone else in the room, but they can relate to having a passion, having a purpose, discovering what they’re truly gifted at, learning to struggle, learning best practices, etc. Read more>>
Iris González
This is a great question – as an engineer, as a women, as an LGBTQ+ person, as a Latina, I have found myself in this position often for more than a decade. There are three levers that have helped me – one was to observe how senior leaders (2-3 layers above me) communicated and led themselves in order to create a roadmap for myself on capabilities to develop when in the room. Read more>>
Deborah Albuquerque
Firstly, always put yourself in a position of someone who wants to learn, no matter what level or phase you are at in your life. Whether you are already very successful or not yet, you will never know everything, as our human body and our mind are limited in understanding the whole. Secondly, be ambitious, you should know how to enjoy the present moment, but also have enthusiasm and curiosity for what comes next. Read more>>
Jamel McDuffie
I’ve been learning this skill overtime by embracing all of my strengths and imperfections. The perceptions and thoughts of others doesn’t define me in anyway. Regardless of where I may currently be on my journey compared to others, my aura & prowess has to overpower any superficial label or opinion. Plus, the more confidently I believe in myself, the more people believe in me as well. Read more>>
JOSEPH NYAGAH
What a great question! Being the only one in the room who looks like me can be challenging, but there are some strategies that have helped me: 1.You have to learn to embrace your uniqueness: Recognize that your differences are strengths, not weaknesses. Your diverse perspective can bring valuable insights to the table. Read more>>
Lornalitz Baez
Being the only one in a room with my physical appearance brings me to the saying which goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. As I personally grow, I find the most important attribute is how one views themselves. The confidence I have in myself and my talents have come from extreme hard work. To build that confidence I had to overcome a lot of obstacles. When I reflect on every challenge I’ve surpassed, I realize the lessons I’ve learned allow me to navigate the future in a very positive way. Read more>>
Napoleon Wright II
As a creative in the industry sense, I’ve been the only one in the room in my field multiple times throughout my career. It’s one of those things that I definitely notice, but I don’t let it determine how I show up in these spaces. I always show up as myself and in doing that, I’ve found that it allows me to really see people for who they are as well as connect with people who are like minded, not matter what they look like. Read more>>
Victoria Leigh Poplaski
I look at being different as a blessing. How boring would this world be if we all walked, talked, looked, and dressed the same. Sounds like a full blown nightmare of a Truman show simulation to me. Not only being an artist, but having it as my career is definitely not what your hear in your day to day. I always know if I’m gunna vibe with someone based off of their reaction post “so what do you do for work?”. Read more>>
Lilith Dorsey
As someone who is BIPOC as well as LGBTQ and a witch, almost no one in any room I enter is like me. I hope that changes sooner rather than later. Being effective in these spaces is challenging. I hope that I am met with openness and respect, In situations where I am not I remember the famous Nina Simone quote “You have got to learn to leave the table when love is no longer being served.” Read more>>
Jasara Ponton
Honestly, in the past, occasionally, I would be intimidated by who was in the room that did, or didn’t look like me! Questioning, if I was doing the right thing, if I was doing enough, if I was creative enough, or if I was catching the proper trends! I had to take a hard and heavy look at what I was feeding myself, emotionally and mentally. Read more>>
Gabi Odebode
Being the only one in the room, I have learned to be effective/successful even when I am the only one who looks like me by knowing that what a person looks like does not equate to their effectiveness or success. That’s why there is a saying that states that “You can not judge a book by it’s cover” and also “Looks can be deceiving”. Read more>>
Elijah Hamm
I initiated my business venture, Penguin Pups, at the tender age of 5. Recently turning 7 on March 12, I have grown accustomed to standing out as the youngest entrepreneur in all settings. Despite initial suspicion due to my age, I hold the distinction of being the youngest individual in the State of Colorado with my name associated with an LLC, and among the youngest globally. Read more>>
Suless Burton
I was never afraid being the only person in the room; instead, it helped me learn how to be authentic. I constantly maintain an optimistic attitude and welcome any opportunity or challenge that presents itself. I won’t lie; there have been many difficult circumstances and obstacles to overcome. However, part of being successful and productive is maintaining my commitment to my values and exercising patience, kindness, and gratitude. Read more>>
Lyneè Urban
My confidence comes from a deep-seated belief in my abilities and the value I can bring. It’s fueled by two things: my faith and the unwavering support I received from my parents. My faith gives me a sense of purpose and the belief that every experience, positive or negative, shapes who I am. It allows me to see challenges as opportunities for growth and doors closing as openings to new possibilities. Read more>>
Amari Grey
At this point in my life, I prefer to just leave the room. I think a lot of people place emphasis on inserting “marginalized voices” into spaces unprepared for us in our wholeness, and often the intentions of the people inviting us into a space are unclear at best, or not in good faith at worst. To me, there is so much more worth in being in community with people like me in our own autonomous spaces; it feels more genuine, more full, more important, and we have such rich traditions of organizing for ourselves that I’d rather pass that on. Read more>>
Krista French
I believe that if you create a business that shares and showcases what you’re passionate about you really can’t go wrong. I’ve learned to focus on our business model and to try really hard to keep the noise of other people’s opinions and criticisms out of my head space. We are unique and not everybody’s going to love what we do like we love it. Read more>>
Heather Joslin
It’s not always easy, but for me, I’ve found that carving out one full day a week (no making) to create my to do lists, manage my calendar, handle customer service needs, catch up on paperwork, and focusing on long-term planning has helped me to stay the most organized and on track for my goals. Read more>>
Helena Jose
I had the privilege of growing up in a family involved in the oil industry in Venezuela. From a very young age, my mother would take me to attend all the company meetings. As a child, I would listen to lawyers, accountants, and other executives. This industry is predominantly male, so my brother and father were the ones leading it. Read more>>
Nia Berkeley
The experience of being the only black woman in a room can be a challenging one, to say the least. But for many individuals, this experience has also been a catalyst for creating and carving out their own unique space in the world. Despite the discouragement that can come from feeling like an outsider, this sense of being different can sometimes provide a source of fuel and motivation to push back against the norms and expectations that society has placed on individuals based on their race. Read more>>
Marbé Briceno Velázquez
As an interior designer, navigating spaces where I’m the only one who looks like me has been both a challenge and an opportunity for growth. Initially, it was tough—coming to terms with being an immigrant of color with a distinct accent in Los Angeles, a city known for its diversity, made me feel like an outsider. I struggled with feelings of insecurity, wondering if my differences would hinder my success. Read more>>
Yvonne Liao
I had a job interview some time ago and was in the process of preparing for the interview questions when I had an epiphany. Rather than focusing all my efforts on memorizing the answers to all the potential questions that the interviewer would throw at me, my gut instinct told me to focus on developing a genuine curiosity in the interviewer and engaging in authentic conversations with him/her. Read more>>
No. 22
Before becoming a music producer, I played baseball for 21 years. I played at the high school, college and professional level before retiring in 2021. Being African American, I was the “only one in the room” most of the time. I learned early that tough skin and focus would be the only way I could succeed playing the game I loved. Read more>>
Abigail Ramirez
Only 7% of Latinos over 25 hold a master’s degree. I was often the only Latina and the youngest in my graduate program. I learned to be effective by using my knowledge as power. I made sure to do all of my readings and provide evidence-based statements. When people see that you know and understand what you are talking about, they are more likely to give you respect. One can then effectively gain their audience’s attention. Read more>>
