“Underpaid, undervalued,” she says of her career, before noting, “I’ve never been a person that has been like, ‘I want to be a different color’ or ‘I want my skin tone to be lighter.’ I like who I am, I like how I look, and I love representing the beautiful dark women out there. For me, it’s perfect.”
And part of that pride is because her skin color and gender has allowed her to pave a path for the women and men that will come after her. She explains, “In this society, women are not taught or expected to be that future leader or future CEO. The narrative has to change. And maybe it doesn’t get better in time for me, but someone in my position can show women and people of colour that we have a voice, because lord knows I use mine. I love sticking up for people and supporting women. Being the voice that millions of people don’t have.”
The adversity she faced as a Black woman in a predominantly white field was acknowledged earlier this year, amid the protests over George Floyd‘s death. She says that some of her associates sent her messages apologizing for her past experiences.