“Walk in a room and be confident because sometimes, when you are a minority and hear negative things, you project those on yourself and start to believe the things and try not to do too much. I learned how to be confident in every room that I walk in and that I’m any other human being and you shouldn’t feel like you are less than others because people can read that and don’t allow that; you have the right to be there just as much as anyone else. My confidence comes with stares, I wear my confidence, and people can see that. I want people to see that”.

“I do become aware of my race in certain places where I don’t see people who look like me or in a place that’s overly whitewashed. Usually, there is some sort of trigger for it, such as a statement or an action that reminds me, yeah, this is not my group of people, or I’m only accepted to a certain point. However, I’ve made peace with it and don’t dwell on it too much. Because at the end of the day, that’s letting them win, and that’s what they want whether they realize it or not. I’ve learned to be comfortable with who I am while also challenging those who are making me feel like an outsider or hyper-aware of my race.”

I know it’s there, and I recognize it, but it does not bother me as much as it should. I recognize it because it’s the truth. Even in my workforce, I found myself being the only black person in the room. However, it does not bother me. I cope with it by acknowledging it and moving from it. Also, I try to recruit others that look like me so that way it creates room for everyone.

"I deal with race related stress and anxiety, by educating myself about the history of structural racism. When I understood that the social, political, and legal systems were designed to slowly kill me and people at the intersections of multiple forms of race-gender oppressions, it confirmed the reality I was experiencing. I was able to fortify myself with the tools that Black people have innovated across generations to survive and thrive in the worst possible conditions."