She believed she could, but the world had other plans
Being a woman and Black in leadership can be a privilege and a challenge. It means occupying a space where representation of both is frequently underrepresented and underestimated. It means showing up, every day, not just as a leader, but as a symbol of what is possible. Yet behind the polished professionalism, including overlooking daily microaggressions, there are so many women who still fear fully admitting their career ambitions.
Why? Well, let’s start with childhood. From a young age, many women – and Black women in particular – are conditioned to shrink themselves. Nice girls are humble, polite, and not too loud. The world is all too ready to teach women that wanting “too much” might be perceived as arrogant. That dreaming big might make others uncomfortable. That striving for power or visibility is not feminine. So even when we feel the spark of something bold and beautiful inside us, we often suppress it.
Take me, aged 15, full of hope and high fashion dreams, telling my school careers advisor that I wanted to do work experience at Vogue. Her response? A look of confusion and a week working at a local travel agency. Hardly Anna Wintour’s office or a couture gown in sight. At that time, I swallowed my disappointment, and I didn’t question if the advisor had even tried. I just smiled politely and made the best of it. I didn’t yet know how to own my ambition, let alone fight for it.
That experience has always stayed with me. It was the first time I learnt how others can impose their limited beliefs that can easily downsize, or worse, derail your big dreams.
But here’s the truth: ambition is not a dirty word. Wanting more for yourself – more impact, more purpose, more leadership – is not selfish. It's powerful.
Leadership is not defined by a job title. It starts with a decision – to put yourself forward, to seek the opportunity, to say yes to growth even when you're scared. One of the hardest things to accept is believing you are worthy before the world confirms it. But when we back ourselves, especially in spaces that weren’t built for us, we carve new paths not just for ourselves but for those coming up behind us.
Regardless of your race, if a woman’s career dream is to lead her own team, start a business or become a CEO, don’t let others extinguish your fire. It’s okay to be fearful, but it’s not okay to make yourself smaller just to make others more comfortable.
Your ambition is valid. It’s not too loud, too bold, or too much. It’s yours. It’s your right. And when you own it, you will feel emboldened, you will find ‘your people’ – those who will root for you. Your heart and mind will find peace, and you will create a legacy that will open doors for others. Now, aren’t those great reasons to demand more for your life and career?