'Only Black guy in the room': How systemic barriers hinder Black business-owners
Even though he had two degrees, experience, and connections, Pascal said his transition wasn’t easy. “A lot of times you’re like the only Black guy in the room in a lot of these professional circles. It’s just (the) reality,” he said. “In the beginning, you’re a little shyer, you’re a little, like, ‘Nobody looks like me,’ they don’t have the same background to connect. It kind of forced me to quickly evolve in terms of having to be more outgoing. I can’t sit in the back and be the quiet Black guy. You got to put your hand up and get noticed.”
Source: edmontonjournal.com