As a Broadcasting and Mass Communications major, a lot of my involvement and experience in school has been through Her Campus, and WTOP-TV. Being that I have aspirations of being on-air, WTOP-TV was one organization I had to participate in. For me, this has definitely been a unique experience. It is predominantly White, so for Black women like me, I am used to being the only female or only Black person in these spaces. I stand out even when I don’t intend to. But one thing I have learned being a part of these organizations is to take up space. When speaking to other members who are underrepresented, we all share common experiences and emotions of feeling out of the loop or a sense of discomfort sometimes. However, I know my purpose and why I am here. So I charge for the game. Despite little microaggressions I’ve encountered, these are all situations that prepared me for the real world. Because if we are being real — it’s only going to get whiter (meaning that these work spaces will be predominately white). So my experiences here are foreshadowing what I will encounter in the real world. But I have learned to stand my ground, speak my peace when need be, and to set necessary boundaries when needed. I’ve learned the importance of leadership and making it a space where someone like myself, or someone after me will have a pleasant or comforting experience here. This year I co-produced and hosted my very own Black entertainment based show called “Perspective Entertainment”. We spoke about everything centered around Black culture. Pop culture, music, and even our hair! Because that’s what it’s all about, seeing someone do it and setting the tone for future generations to see.
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Oswego chapter.