00:00Imposter syndrome is the feeling that you don't belong somewhere because of your
00:06race or your gender or some other reason. To my understanding, it's basically just
00:12second-guessing yourself and what you deserve and what you should be receiving.
00:18Yeah, I guess in workspace, educational space, feeling like you don't belong there.
00:24Imposter syndrome is something that I'm quite familiar with. I went to a PWI. I'm
00:28usually the only black girl in the room, so it's something that I have learned to, I guess, deal with.
00:34When I got into my college, people would definitely bring up affirmative action.
00:39In most of the instances where I feel like I don't belong, nothing has been said to me.
00:44It's just, like, the way that people treat me or interact with me. I've been mistaken for, like,
00:51people putting on the event or, like, PR girls or, like, I'm like, no, I'm checking in with you.
00:56Like, you don't know who's on your team.
00:58And the affirmative action thing specifically really bothers me because people act like my ability to conquer,
01:05like, being oppressed is somehow not equal with being good at a sport or being able to, like, write a
01:12fire paper.
01:13I'm just a strong believer in fate and, like, the universe putting things in line for us.
01:19And if it happened to you, it was meant to happen to you.
01:22Homegirl who didn't get into whatever school, that didn't happen to you because that wasn't for you, Shorty.
01:26When I start to feel imposter syndrome, I'm like, you were in the same room.
01:30Like, you were invited here, too. Like, if you did not belong here, you wouldn't be here. You're here.
01:34So you can't feel that way about yourself.
01:36I mean, I think it's something that is hard not to feel when you're in spaces that haven't been historically
01:42made for you.
01:43I think I'm still dealing with it, dealing with knowing that I'm supposed to be where I am.
01:50I mean, I definitely felt it growing up and going to schools that were private schools and private colleges.
01:57And I even feel it sometimes now in the workplace.
02:00But I do have to literally remind myself, like, say it to myself.
02:04You belong here. You were invited.
02:06Which is weird that that's something I still have to do.
02:09But I do it and then it changes my mood and I'm able to, like, enjoy myself.
02:13I'm a big proponent of brag lists.
02:17Sometimes when I'm, like, not feeling like 100, I'll literally write down all of the things that I'm really proud
02:24of myself for.
02:25And I'll look back and be like, oh yeah, like, you're exactly where you should be.
02:29And I would recommend that to anyone who is, like, dealing with imposter syndrome.
02:32And also trust, like, all the black women that are behind you and that have built literally everything that we
02:39know and love today.
02:41For black girls who feel imposter syndrome, I would say you really do have to remind yourself that you have
02:46earned your spot.
02:47Not even earned your spot, but, like, the work that you have done brought you to where you are.
02:51And if you're someone who has faith, as I am, it's like, God did not bring you this far to
02:55leave you.
02:56If I were to give advice to young black girls that are feeling imposter syndrome,
03:00I would say to, like, feel your black girl magic and find those other black girls that have that magic.
03:06Because it's so important to have other people behind you and who feel you.
03:10And once you have those people, like, you can't go wrong.
03:14And I'll see you next time.
03:14Bye-bye.
03:15Bye-bye.
03:15Bye-bye.
03:15Bye-bye.
03:15Bye-bye.
03:16Bye-bye.
03:17Bye-bye.
