come inside just as long as you don’t bring your full self here?
This is the cycle that leads to mental health strain, hypertension, and countless other ailments- while simultaneously being told that we’re making a difference to make sure everyone has what? A seat at the table.
Frankly, I no longer want the seat if it’s going to be in an environment where I have to worry whether the chef did or didn’t do something weird to my scallops. I no longer want to hear the inflections of my loved ones change when at work, so much so that I can tell they’re on a company call without even having to be in the same room. I can’t take another mental battle of trying to play the passive-aggressive game of ‘”decipher that email”.
That is not what 2020 should look like- for any of us. So, I challenge us all, the hyper-seen and the marginalized, to stop asking for seats and to start kicking over tables, walking out, and building our own spaces. At the end of the day your mind, body, and doctor will thank you.
Joi’ C. Weathers is a contributing writer for BlackDoctor.org and the host of Joi’ Has Questions- one of the top podcasts in Chicago, Illinois. A graduate of Roosevelt University- where she majored in IMC and minored in Common Sense, she has worked on global creative campaigns for some of the world’s largest brands. A champion for the marginalized and a self-proclaimed mild sauce connoisseur, you can find her in her spare time eating kale, and minding her business with family and friends. Connect with Joi’ on Instagram, @Joihasquestions and subscribe to her show here.