Last night, episode 3 on Insecure was full of juicy drama. From Issa and Molly's supermarket showdown to Lawrence and Condola's sparring match in the kitchen, it was a jam-packed 29-minute episode.
But let's not forget Chad's moment of "humor" when he told Lawrence that he is "Black and bulletproof" since he is the only Black person on his team.
According to a 2019 Black in Corporate America study done by the Center for Talent Innovation (CTA), Black professionals make up 8 percent of the workforce. That means the majority of us are the "only ones" at work.
What this does NOT mean is that our jobs are secure.
"I'm supposed to be moving up, not standing still," is what Lawrence said next.
CTA's research notes nearly one in three Black professionals aspire to hold a C-suite job compared to one in five white professionals. Lawrence is clearly the one out of the three. As for Chad, well, that is still left up for discussion.
Don't let the "only syndrome," or your friend Chad, take you off your course to top. When you feel the pressures of being the only at work, here are two major takeaways from Sunday's episode:
Know your value
The episode begins with Lawrence having his mirror talk, just like Issa taught him.
"I've overseen numerous projects from concept to completion. I've demonstrated the ability to turn detailed data analysis into useful insights in order to make the appropriate recommendations for the Meridian team."
When you know what you bring to the table, and you are confident about it, it speaks volumes. Other people will notice.
Does Lawrence feel like he is the only Black person on his team? Of course! Does he let that rain on his career aspiration parade? Absolutely not.
He looked at the future staff reduction as a losing opportunity for him. Not because he is fearful of losing his job, but because this means all the hard work he put in for a promotion has come to halt.
Black professionals have to work twice as hard as their white counterparts. We understand the playing field isn't always fair, but we don't let that get in our way. We show up and show out (professionally of course) any chance we get.
Jemia Williams
Don't fake it 'til you make it
We love Chad. We really do. What's not to love about his character? He brings the right amount of inappropriate funny to any scenario. But don't take any of his advice literally. Especially his logic behind purchasing a brand new, shiny red Range Rover.
Chad hasn't sold a house in over a month and tells his best friend that he is falling apart. And still, he felt the need to go out and purchase a $90,000 luxury SUV.
His reason: "To keep up with appearances..."
Don't do this. Never do this.
Don't buy sticker shock items when your cash flow is not consistent, but more importantly, don't pretend to have it when you don't.
If you don't understand a project or task, ask questions.
Want to go over the details of a timeline one more time with your boss? Do it!
Stuck trying to get a client on the phone? See if someone knows someone, who knows someone, who knows their little cousin Ray Ray. Ha, jk! No, but seriously, see if someone in your network can make the introduction.
I'm sure you would rather ride around in your daddy's old Jaguar cashing checks than riding around in a new car you probably will have to take back once the zero percent interest promo stops.
Be like Lawrence, not like Chad. But we do love you, Chad!
