Bonita Darkoh, Content Strategist at KPMG / Founder of Walking Brand UK & Find Your Voice Sis
Bonita celebrating International Women’s Day with change makers in Accra, Ghana / Photography by Terna Jogo
After graduating from my Bachelor’s in Business Management at Kingston University in 2014 and starting my career in the media industry, I knew there was something I was experiencing but couldn’t explain. I also noticed there were not many people that looked like me in the environments I now work in and this lack of diversity often came with ignorant remarks and comments.
Sometimes there was an unspoken tension when I expressed my thoughts or opinions in meetings. Oblivious to what exactly it was, I continued as a driven and direct young Black woman. I had three mentors at the time who were White. They asked me to share the experiences that I couldn’t quite put into a few words. This was when I was introduced to the words microaggressions, prejudice and racial stereotypes.
Although these experiences could have knocked my confidence, with the help of my mentors and my upbringing, I refused to shrink myself to make others feel comfortable. As I grew, I met other Black women who commended me for my confidence in White spaces and I remember one woman even mentioning that she loved that I showed up to work with brightly dyed natural hair. My thought at the time was why not? But these intelligent, determined Black women (who had been working in these types of environments for years), privately shared how they could not bring their whole selves to work, for fear that others would racially stereotype them.
Three years on I began a part-time MSc in Business Management. For my dissertation I researched Imposter Syndrome, focusing only on Black women. It quickly became clear that racial prejudice and the fear of being stereotyped is impacting the way Black women view themselves in the workplace.
I realised that I had experienced the same phenomenon, but had been corrected or encouraged by my mentors when I doubted myself. Ever since, I’ve made it a personal mission to showcase, amplify and celebrate the successes of Black women.
There are many unspoken truths and experiences that we do not share. We all know we go through them, but just power through - almost normalising these experiences. Over time these encounters impact our confidence, mental health and ability to navigate the workplace without overthinking every interaction.
I refuse to let these experiences negatively impact the power and determination Black women ultimately have. Instead I use my resources, time and energy to create safe spaces for Black women. Celebrating International Women’s Day this year in Ghana, showed me that these issues are universal too. Do not be complicit when you see a Black woman being silenced, racially stereotyped or discriminated against. Speak up, especially in the workplace.
