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.

Nikki Klugh

Walking into a room where no one looks like you is an experience that never truly becomes comfortable—but it is a reality, so you have learn how to navigate it with grace, confidence, and strategy. I remember attending high-end Realtor networking events in San Diego, rooms filled with seasoned professionals, but rarely—if ever—another Black woman. In those moments, I had to be intentional about how I prepared, how I presented myself, and how I engaged. Read More>>

Shyloh Hadley

My first day at Ulta Beauty in 2020, someone asked me if I would prefer they/them pronouns. Saying “yes”to this question took a leap of faith, but every “yes” since then has mounted into a chorus of “Yes! Here I am!” That I’ve been proudly shouting since. Read More>>

Huiqi Fay Qiu

Throughout my career, I’ve encountered microaggressions due to my appearance and cultural background. Initially, I found these moments frustrating and unfair, but over time, I’ve learned to approach them as opportunities for education. Rather than letting ignorance go unchallenged, I address it directly yet respectfully—pointing out why certain comments or assumptions are problematic and how we can work together to break stereotypes rather than reinforce them. Read More>>

Desi Williams

Growing up as a minority in all spaces (school, extracurricular activities, etc.), I was taught the adage that ‘we have to work twice as hard to gain half as much success.’ I took that saying very literally. As a young child, I witnessed how hard both of my parents worked. There were days my father came home well after dinner, putting in extra hours to outwork his colleagues. Read More>>

Jennifer Clay

I come from a father who was born and raised on the Choctaw Nation reservation and my Scottish/Welsh mother lived twelve miles away from him on the red earth of Oklahoma. He experienced abandonment, shame for being a half-breed, suffering as a child in the Boarding School Era and, experienced many traumas as a young man in the Korean War. Read More>>

Victorino

I learned from basically growing up always feeling like the outcast in every type of social setting there is. Whether that’d be friend group or the community in, people that I work with, it didn’t seem like there was much of a difference, It seemed like people always noticed me for not being a certain way like everyone else or “how I’m not supposed to be like this because everyone else around me is like that”. Read More>>

Tiffany Lewis

Being the only one in the room, whether as a Black woman business owner, an educator, or an entrepreneur, has taught me the power of owning my unique story and perspective. I grew up in a single-parent household, raised by my teenage mom, who showed me firsthand the importance of resilience, hard work, and faith. Those early lessons instilled in me the confidence and emotional intelligence I needed to navigate spaces where I might not always see someone who looks like me. Read More>>

Naya Patterson

First things, first. You have to walk into any room like you belong to be there, because you do. Take up space. Shake the room if you will.

I’ve experienced being the only one in the room in various ways, including gender, age, and race.

My ability to be successful and effective has come down to mindset, community, and personal belief. Honestly, I’m grateful that most times when it was just me, I didn’t really focus on that detail. I focused on enjoying myself, participating fully, and showing up as myself.  Read More>>

Tara Jabbari

I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago where I was the only Iranian, Baha’i. Many classmates did not have a passport and only a fourth of us in the class were children of immigrants so we spoke a different language at home. Therefore, I am used to being the only one like me in some way in a room. My first friends in school were a Filipino girl and a Romanian girl because they were the only other ones in our class that whose parents immigrated to America and we were the first in our family to be born here. Read More>>

Erica Cruz

It’s an unspoken responsibility and a superpower when you are the only one in the room that looks like you. As a first-generation Filipina full-time artist, I know I’m paving the way for young Filipino creatives to go after their dreams. It’s my responsibility that I take with pride to show them it’s possible. It’s possible to be an artist, to be an entrepreneur, to be a creative. Read More>>

Cecilia Findley

This is something I am learning to navigate and still have a challenging time with. I definitely embrace my individuality because I am, more often than not, the one that is different from most. I am the one who “over dresses” when there’s an event, let alone a theme to anything, because I have a spectrum of various styles/looks.  Read More>>

Mave Rucker

Being the sole person in the room representing a different voice within the group is a difficult situation that calls for courage and resiliency. I’ve come to realize that my uniqueness is my greatest strength. I value being bold, quirky, and unconventional—challenging the current status quo to have a significant, novel effect. This point of view has influenced how I handle most situations. Read More>>