The Importance of Asserting Your Individuality

In a world that provides so much inspiration, it is easy to find yourself feeling as though you’re adding to an impact rather than creating your own. But, if you separate yourself from the mass majority, then it is easier for your individuality to truly shine on its own.

For example, Naomi shared that when she would approach clientele, she’d make sure that her outfit showcased her individuality rather than dressing in the normality of what the rest of the world would typically wear. This worked out for her because 1. It showcased her style , and  2. It made her seem reputable to the client.

On the left, Naomi crouched down to help a model, the one sitting down,  with her shoes behind the scenes on a project. Photo provided by Naomi C. Illochi.

“It is very easy to identify as a group,” said Naomi C. Ilochi, owner of StylingbyChi. To differentiate yourself from the group, she advises you to, “Exercise your identity and individuality."

Another creative who found a way to highlight her individuality is Marsai Martin, actor and owner of Genius Entertainment, her production company. Now, although I didn’t interview Marsai myself, I did find a statement from her in an 2021 interview with Forbes. Feel free to read about what she had to say below:

For(bes) The Culture: Let’s talk about Genius Entertainment. What inspired you to create this production company?

Marsai Martin: I [started] Genius Entertainment based on that because as a young Black girl, I know what it’s like to not be seen.  In the beginning we weren’t because this is a white male dominated industry. I could make more projects that are more authentic, relatable, funny, dramatic, action or horror. Anything for Black girls, Black people or Black culture and I just wanted to keep doing that. I like to call Genius Entertainment a family production because the only reason I have this creative brain is because of the people who made me, which are my mom and dad. We all have it together—I’m the CEO, my dad’s the president and my mom’s the vice president. We created another outlet for creating and the rest is history.

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After reading that, it is clear that advocating for the need of  Black creatives is not only to inspire young Black youth but other creatives as well to tell their stories. In relation, did you know that, “Black media professionals are underrepresented across the media industry in the United States, comprising less than 6% of advertising employees (ANA, 2018), less than 3% of chief marketing officers (Swant, 2020), 7% of newsroom employees (Grieco, 2018), and 4.8% of television writers (Sun, 2017). Black media professionals must strategically acknowledge and negotiate these disparities when producing media (Corbsie Massay et al. 2022)?”

Upon hearing this information, Ilochi shared that the significance of sharing her passion and story was simply because it’s hers. Thus, she asked a good question: 

“Why would I completely eliminate that option?”

In interviews conducted by Corbsie and other researchers, it was found that black professionals felt hopeful about “ (1) that the media industry would recognize that Black people are instrumental and essential in constructing Blackness and credit Black creators (especially given trends in social media), and (2) that media outlets need to lead conversations about race as part of their brand identity.”

In agreement, Naomi felt the digital era was beneficial for her career because the digital space became a third space which also provided hope.

“If you don’t see yourself there, you don’t think you can be there,” said Naomi.

Therefore, one of the key takeaways is that our stories inspire others to share their own. Although there is so much fear, it’s just what needs to happen in order to create an influence in addition to advocating for our representation in these high profile, innovative spaces. Additionally, that same fear must transform into strength when it comes to protecting yourself in regards to ensuring your position.

“Move with intentionality,” said Naomi.

By making intentional moves, you can learn discernment and discipline which can help determine what is best for you and your career. Additionally, intentionality can be beneficial when it comes to asserting yourself in the workplace. Furthermore, it could cause even more conversation, which is what we want. We want to have conversations where we can assert ourselves and respectfully be acknowledged for doing so because it can protect ourselves from becoming the “fall guy.”

For those not sure what the “fall guy” is, the “fall guy” is a common reference used to define someone who is constantly trying to take the blame for something. For example, if you broke something as a child, your older sibling may have taken the blame for breaking that thing so you wouldn’t get in trouble. Nonetheless, the same thing can occur in the workplace, which is unfortunate for everyone involved. 

So, please don’t become the “fall guy” and assert yourself as an individual and not as part of the “group.”