By Marthina Amarachi

Whilst in sixth form, I began thinking about my future. What subject would I study at university? What were my long-term career plans? Even with the minimal work experience I had at 14, I held no expectations of the workplace. What I did know was what was expected from me: arrive 15 minutes early, ensure my clothing was workplace appropriate, and remember that I was a reflection of my school. However, this lack of expectation didn’t last long.

As I became acquainted with people who were fully immersed in the working world, I was given an abundance of advice, some encouraging, others full of warnings. I was told that I would ‘hardly see black people at work, let alone black women.’ I was encouraged to get involved in as many social mobility programmes as possible. Apparently, this would give me a ‘better shot’ at securing opportunities that my white counterparts wouldn’t have to struggle to obtain. I was even advised to be careful of ‘white women’ who often ‘preyed’ on younger black people. I was warned that racism in the workplace wasn’t always just white-on-black, but I could fall victim to racism from other ethnic-minority groups.

The most shocking piece of advice I was given was this: due to the lack of representation of black people within the workplace, especially in corporate sectors such as finance and law, black people were often in competition, pitted against each other in order to get into higher-up positions – sometimes being the only black person working with other ethnic groups may be advantageous. In short, the one thing I knew for certain about entering the workplace was that I had to work harder than everyone else to be seen and even harder to stand out.

The real question was whether or not my experiences met my expectations and the honest answer is kind of… but not really. At 17, I landed myself a part-time job in one of the UK’s largest financial institutions and at 18 I began my undergraduate studies at one of the UK’s top universities. Being so fortunate to have an abundance of opportunities, I never felt I was handed the short end of the stick society said I held. In fact, I felt quite favoured wherever I went. But at times, I definitely felt like the odd one out, almost like I wasn’t deserving of the opportunities that passed my way.

The team at my first job was and still is one of the best teams I've ever been a part of. Despite being the youngest by about 10 years and being one of 2 people of colour, they showed me so much love and support, created such a high and healthy standard of working and completely dismantled all the fears that I had about being a black woman in a majority white working environment.

My second team – also a majority white team – was an example of my workplace fears coming true. Whether intentional or not, I was made to feel so insignificant. I remember one day walking into the office and my managers were so shocked that I had my natural hair the day before and braids the next day that they started playing with it and asking me if it was my real hair and how it grew overnight (wild, I know). Don't worry, I didn't stay there long.

Fast forward a few years. I started working in a predominantly South Asian team, and I must admit I was a bit worried because of the horror stories I’d heard about black women who had suffered racism at the hands of other ethnic minorities. Thankfully this team, just like my first team, was great. Supportive in every way.

I often think about my experiences within the workplace, given it’s where I spend the majority of my time, and I’m grateful that my positive experiences significantly outweigh my negative ones. I’ve definitely been the ‘token black girl’ and experienced microaggressions and racial abuse, but I think it’s safe to say that it’s unrealistic not to expect these things to happen. If there’s one thing I always share when talking about careers, it’s that your experience doesn’t always have to involve fighting for a place or a role.

Despite all of the hurdles that I’ve faced, I’ve grown to learn the importance of bringing your best self to work. In doing so, doors will open and opportunities will come about. When you strive for excellence, people will notice and those placed to help you will find you. I’ve experienced the highs and lows of being a woman of colour in the workplace and the honest conclusion that I’ve come to is that it’s a blessing, it’s a joy, it’s a privilege and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

Marthina Amarachi is a UK-based writer that focuses on all things Christian faith, reflection and personal development. Her goal through writing is to bring language to common yet obscure experiences and in doing so create a serene space for readers amidst a world of noise and chaos.