Representation from the Eyes of the Representer

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.

Tell’em the Poet

I pride myself on being “me” in all situations. I understand that no one can bring what I bring to the table because I am the only one that can authentically be Tell’em the Poet. With this mindset, I have always measured success against only myself.  Read more>>

Yadira Santana-Dowling

I have grown to love sharing my perspective understanding that being the only one in the room gives me an unique vantage point and frame of reference that I get to share with those around me. As an AfroLatina with a 20 year career as a communications strategist, I’ve often been the only since I entered higher education.  Read more>>

Karen N Marshall

As a black female science educator, I have faced many challenges and obstacles on my journey. One of which was to be taken seriously as a core subject, not a kind of elective. Math and ELA were always the focus during my early years and still today. Those were the teachers that were invested in, given the support and training to grow their craft. Read more>>

Aurora Diaz

Growing up I was always different – different because I sounded like a ‘white girl’ as my cousins would say. I grew up and lived in Richmond, CA but attended a preparatory high school where I was one of two Latinas in my entire class/grade. I was the scholarship kid who from the age of 13 needed to navigate ‘being the only one in the room’ and this same dynamic continued throughout college at the University of Oregon and work places such as Google.  Read more>>

Ashlynn Browning

There’s always been a part of me that feels like a loner or outsider. As an introvert, I definitely had those feelings of being just not quite part of the group growing up. I think I’m hard to “categorize” and people love to be able to put a label on you and pigeonhole you into one area. As an adult, and with each new decade, I feel like I’m becoming much more comfortable with myself and embracing my differences and even my anxiety as assets.  Read more>>

Timberlynn Platenburg

In my line of work, I’ve often found myself as the only person of color in the room, especially when it comes to higher positions. While this can be intimidating, I’ve learned to approach these situations with confidence and self-assurance. I know that I bring a unique perspective and valuable skills to the table, with over 12 years of experience in my field. Read more>>

Nikki Keller

In an industry often steeped in tradition and conformity, asserting dominance as a woman in the wedding sector is both a challenge and a triumph. For Nikki Keller, navigating this terrain means breaking molds, shattering stereotypes, and redefining what it means to lead with strength and grace. Read more>>

Florence Rothenberg

I went to elementary school in a 1950’s-inspired steel and green metal public school in a small urban neighborhood in Queens, NY. I had long straight red hair and bangs, and was so small I was told that I might blow away in a stiff breeze. One of the things I enjoyed most was helping my classmates. If I saw someone having a hard time with a project, I offered help. Read more>>

Anastasia Totok

9 years ago I changed my career for the second time in my life, starting from scratch. I felt my destiny, 100% coincidence with the ideas that were floating around in my head. There was one “but”: all the surrounding colleagues and clients looked at me as an eccentric, talking too enthusiastically about some things incomprehensible to business, they didn’t want to hire me as a consultant, because they didn’t understand what to pay for and came to my free seminars rather like going to a circus. Read more>>

Katie Clingman

I’ve often found myself in situations where I’m the only person in the room who looks like me. Growing up, I played on a local soccer team where I was the only girl. I don’t remember it bothering me much; I was mostly interested in winning the game! Read more>>

James Ian

As a Black man living with a physical disability, I am quite often the only one in the room that looks like me, and this has been the case most of my life. Since people like me were underrepresented in the spaces I occupied, I knew that it was extremely important to share my perspective and voice. It was intimidating initially, but I knew that others needed to hear what I had to say. Read more>>

Kenyatta Jones-Arietta

When I walk into a room, I am generally the only person that looks like me, but I believe that If you are in a room full of people and you are focusing on “looks”, you have already limited the experience and are not fully present. You can’t be fully present if you are in your head. Read more>>

Andrea Coriolan

eing the only one who looks like me in professional settings has definitely presented its challenges, but it has also been an opportunity for growth and empowerment. Firstly, I’ve learned to embrace my unique perspective and experiences. As a Black woman, I bring a diverse range of insights and cultural understanding to the table, which can greatly benefit discussions and decision-making processes within the skincare industry. Secondly, adaptability has been key. Read more>>

Renee Williams Royal

I have typically been the only one in the room who looks like me from elementary school through college and now in the workplace. The reality is that being the only Black woman in the room comes with stigma. I have learned to navigate this by being exceptionally buttoned up, getting people to be comfortable with my expertise and demeanor and being a true team player to build trust. Read more>>

Ja-Rey Miller

I want to take a moment to recognize and honor the incredible achievements of Black entrepreneurs across this nation like myself. My perseverance, creativity, and determination are an inspiration to my community. Read more>>

Rob Jelinski

Many times I have stepped into a room and noticed that I look different from those around me; clients, colleagues, or peers. It can be intimidating and limiting if you imagine all the things others may be thinking about you. Read more>>

Sakara Ross

I’ve come to see being the only one in the room who looks like me as an opportunity rather than a challenge. It piques curiosity among others, sparking interest in the unique perspective and abilities I bring to the table. In such situations, I’ve honed my ability to engage effectively, actively seeking to establish connections and foster relationships.  Read more>>

Christina Davis

I used to see being the minority in the room as something very daunting and oppressing. However, I realized that sometimes being the only one that looks like me in a room can be the opportunity to set the tone for others that might be similar to me. I created Black Women Love Dogs because at the time I felt like I was the only one in the room. When I looked at Pet Media, black women were not the chosen audience. Read more>>

Joyce Tsang

Being the only one in the room who looks like me has been and still is a source of fuel for me to bring something different to the table. I am a woman in film, Asian, and rather small in stature so in more ways than one I’m often a minority just about any group I find myself in. Whether its on the sidelines of a football field, in a large commercial set, or in a intimate documentary setting I often lean into what sets me apart in be effective in my work. Read more>>

Irene Kang

As a minority woman of color, I have often been in a room full of those who don’t look like me – from my career in technology consulting to my work with electrical grids in the energy industry to attending startup events. I’ve learned that building trust and effectiveness is a combination of preparation and building a track record. Read more>>

Kiahna Roberts

I asked my family and friends “What is one word to describe me?” Their response was: passionate, exceeding, beautiful, multi-faceted, and ambitious, I truly believe I was born to be set apart. I grew up in a small town with four older brothers. Not only was I the only girl but I was also I was the youngest of five. Read more>>

Melissa Posey

Gaining confidence as a tattoo artist in a male dominated industry was a journey. The industry can be very toxic towards women, especially on the mentor/apprentice side of things. I began seeing the difference in how I was treated vs how male apprentices were treated very early on. One day I sent a DM to a female artist that I admired and asked for some advice because I felt like I was working twice as hard while getting half the recognition (if any). Read more>> 

Ayla Roldan

Growing up I have always heard “You have so much potential, you’re going to go so far” but never offering any direction to do so. While also hearing “don’t waste it away” at the same time. I didn’t understand it fully growing up, until a few years ago. For starters, being a female in most industries, it’s hard to be taken seriously. Most people look at men and go to men first prior to accepting a woman can do the same thing, if not better. Read more>>

Yunxuan Wu

Be yourself. It has been over 10 years since I moved to New York from China to attend university. As many with international backgrounds, we often feel compelled to quickly adapt to the new society and culture, sometimes at the cost of our authenticity. For example, we might adopt an English name to make it easier for others to remember our names. Read more>>

Caroline Mariko Stucky

This question caught my attention because I am often the only one in the room that looks like me. I spent many years trying to figure out my identity because I am half-Swiss, half-Japanese and wherever I was, I didn’t fit in. In my adult life, being a mixed non-binary immigrant in an industry that is dominated by white cis men, it was challenging to prove myself but I worked hard and some people noticed me.  Read more>>

Jauntae Davis

Growing up, being the only one who looked like me in certain settings felt normal because I didn’t dwell on it much. However, high school, especially in advanced classes, made me more aware of being different. Despite occasional doubts, I always pushed myself to do my best. Public speaking became tough, maybe because I felt extra scrutiny in mostly white spaces. I found success by focusing on my strengths, like writing, and facing discomfort head-on. Read more>>

Vanessa Grutman

From as far back as I can remember, I always felt different. My ideas would be unique and I was interested in different things than friends around me. It felt bizarre and so I quickly started thinking there was something wrong with me and wore the mask of pretending to fit in. I became a chameleon with no strong opinion to blend amongst others. Read more>>

NaKeyia Bennett

Being the only one in the room that looks like me can be intimidating. There have been many times when I was the only woman, the only black woman, and even the only Christian. One thing that I have learned throughout those times is I must use wisdom all while being my authentic self. The main thing that I have learned about myself in these times is to always show up and don’t be afraid to take up space.  Read more>>

Teresa Dominguez

Being the “only one in the room” can feel like something that is a disadvantage, but that’s not necessarily the case. I realized that it’s okay being the only one. I have had to realize that I have been recognized for my talents, and a door has opened for me. Embrace it. Often when I am the only one in the room, I feel the need to suppress many of the qualities that make me unique.  Read more>>

Morgan Salsman

I have always been a part of male dominated industries between my engineering and real estate background and my current experience in the bourbon industry. I get asked this question a lot, but this is not something I ever saw as a disadvantage–or even put much thought into previously (being a woman in a male dominated industry). Read more>>

Kevin Clark

Embrace your uniqueness. There is beauty and strength within it. Have confidence in who you are and what you bring to any room. I’d much rather be the one standing out from the crowd than the person following the masses. That’s the person people gravitate towards. The one creating their own path. The one leading the way. Read more>>

Kim Hopson

That’s what my artwork is about. My artwork is from the lens of navigating the world in a body that has a physical disability. So…I’m unpacking what that feels like and looks like. Creating the artwork that I do has been really healing for me; because I’m constantly the only person in the room who looks like me! Read more>>

Juliette Cochet

Focus on your path. Remember your why. Grab yourself to what makes you feel alive. That would be my advices when you feel like nobody looks/is like you in a room and you start to doubt yourself. I’m sure everybody has felt at least once in their life that they were not like the others in a room – maybe because of different physical attributes, or totally different values, or even because nobody shares the same passion as you, etc. Read more>>

KAMPLECKS TONY ‘KAMP’

That’s a great question actually, thanks for calling it like you see it! To be honest I think that’s exactly where my effectiveness comes from. When I was younger my style and personality didn’t really fit in I felt like an outcast trying to be blend-in and be “normal”, but as I grew up I realized this was great, I had a unique perspective and a lot to wanted to say. Read more>>