By Brandi Hunter-Davenport
Last week, our team enjoyed lunch from Isabelle’s on Reily here in Harrisburg as we sat in support of the Christopher J. Perry/Carter G. Woodson Black History Month Virtual event. This annual event is sponsored by the historic Philadelphia Tribune. This year’s keynote was none other than the Reverend Dr. Alyn E. Waller of the Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church.
Rev. Waller’s message underscored the importance of remembering who we are as people. It was timely as I’d been working on this post and looking for that sign to be free with my words. For every step in my career, I have been either the only or simply one of a few black women in my professional settings. It’s not always the easiest space to be in.
I’ve spent days ensuring my vernacular wasn’t too much. I worked hard to not perpetuate every stereotype known to exist around my very existence of simply living and breathing. I didn’t want anyone posturing on the thought of how I ended up next to them in the office, on floor, in the room or in the conversation.
I spent days working twice as hard as some of my counterparts because I wasn’t going to give anyone a reason to doubt my abilities. I swallowed a lot of my immediate responses or kept thoughts to myself because I didn’t want to offend any others around the table. There was a period where all I did was tread water. And when I think back, there were moments where I knew some would be ok if they sank my battleship.
I can recall being in a space where there were four of us representing the black and brown faces from the executive suite. We didn’t remain together too long, joking that we needed to disperse quickly before we caused an uproar. Yeah, we weren’t really joking. There were always watchful eyes.
I had someone who consistently smiled in my face but went behind my back to tear down my professional reputation, with the intention of blocking an advancement for me. It didn’t work. I can recall addressing a room of hundreds of people and not one other person in attendance having a black or brown face. I was it.
I remember when I shared the news of my joining Triad with a former colleague. And the response I got was one that implied Triad was hiring me because I checked off certain boxes on the list.
While each of these moments are in my rearview, they are a part of my history. I kept pushing. I’m certain there other black women who have had similar experiences and continued pushing through.
I’ve spent my career in spaces where I would take pause in showing the fullness of Brandi because not only was I navigating my professional responsibilities, but I was ensuring I wasn’t making anyone else uncomfortable in the process.
Black History Month absolutely needs to be celebrated, recognized, and honored. The contributions and achievements of African Americans are immeasurable. But for black people, it’s Black History Month every day of our entire existence. It’s not about a post or a graphic. These are the days of our lives.
For all the professional places I’ve immersed myself in, Triad Strategies has been one of the first to honor the importance of taking intentional action when it comes to acknowledging there are deficiencies that exist and that this firm has a responsibility in helping to fill the gaps. I’m not saying we have the magic formula or that there isn’t more work for us to do as a unit. To Triad’s credit, there is a commitment to doing the work.
So, this Black History Month, I just want to remind us that we’re more than enough in the spaces we occupy. There are some true allies in the world with us. And as Rev. Waller told us, let’s always remember who we are.