The Only Black Guy in the Office
From The Sales Floor to the Office: An Open Letter to My Younger Professional Self
Things you learn after years of being a token in the workplace
Update 6/7/22: Level has a new home. You can read this article and other new articles by visiting LEVELMAN.com.
To My 2015 Self (aka The Only Black Guy On The Sales Floor),
Hey, you. Or, rather, me. Listen up. I’m writing to you during one of the most upside-down moments in modern American history and, arguably, our lifetime. A few 2020 spoilers: A reality star with small hands and a combover is running the country into the ground, a pandemic has literally put the entire world on pause, I’ve developed a love/hate relationship with WFH, and we’re in the midst of a racial reckoning that’s about to get ugly. TL;DR: This year’s trash. Zero stars, would not recommend.
This letter isn’t meant to scare you, though. It’s to empower you — because even though 2020 is a shit show, this is the most clear-eyed I’ve ever been. I write this from a space of self-reflection; you know, the kind that comes after quarantining in my apartment for five months straight. I’ve had plenty of time to think about who I was before life as The Only Black Guy in the Office.
