No Such Thing as a Life Better Than Yourz: The Real Cost of Fitting In
I am a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated 🐘🔺. Since I crossed, one principle has stayed with me: you are always wearing your letters. This realization embedded a sense of responsibility in me. I now represent women who were trailblazers, and my actions reflect more than just me. As leaders, we are always wearing our title too. Which raises a harder question. What is your integrity worth in a job market like this one? I had to answer that on a team I was once on. We called ourselves leaders. But our meetings had become a space for gossip, for tearing down colleagues who were simply doing good work, people who admired the very voices picking them apart behind closed doors. At first, I resisted. I talked to my leader about the discomfort I felt. Very little changed. And I made a choice. I was the outsider in that room. The one who could not afford to be seen as difficult. So, I went along. I gave up small pieces of my integrity to fit in and stay safe. Maybe th...
