Karamo tells an undergraduate social work student to embrace every part of her identity, even when it makes others uncomfortable. When someone criticizes you, say: "That is your opinion, that is not my truth." Your future work will impact lives, and anyone trying to dim your light has their own problem.
Chapters
I've been watching you since you were on The Real World. So like, yeah, Philadelphia season. So I know you know you. It's not so much more of advice or whatever. I just want to know, like, how do you work to sustain longevity in this industry when you're forced to constantly conform? And what advice would you give to me? I'm currently an undergrad student pursuing a social work degree. So what would you— I know more!
I know more! I know more!
What would you—
what advice would you give me in terms of staying staying true to who I am because it's always hard when you have people constantly analyzing and critiquing and judging you.
Yeah, well, first of all, when you asked me about my career and what you said, how do you— when people want you to conform, I don't conform, right? I am myself in all areas. So yeah, how you see me here is how I'm at the house, how I'm with my friends, because I believe the intersections of my identity is what makes me great. And I will never deny any part of my Blackness, any part of my gayness, any part of anything. I am who I am. And that makes a lot of people uncomfortable.
It does.
It makes a lot of people uncomfortable. And then when you shine, not only in your confidence of who you are, but you're also smart and intelligent, people are always gonna try to tear that down. That's unfortunately human nature because they're not fully where they need to be.
Right.
And so what you have to do in those moments where people try to get into the back of your head is you need to verbally say to them, you can't. One of the things, my greatest gifts, is that when someone tries to break me down and say, oh, you're not gonna get it, you're not that, you're not this, I say, "That is your opinion. That is not my truth." And I say that to them. It's not something I walk away and say to myself because I want them to know that I stand firm in who I am and that there's nothing you can do to move this. And so as you're going through school and as you're doing something that is great, like the career you're about to embark on, you know, I worked as a social worker for over a decade. You're going to help so many people. You're gonna touch so many lives. You are going to be a gift to this world. And if anybody tries to dim your light, That is their issue, not yours. And you tell them, I am who I am and you ain't gonna change me, boo. You know what I'm saying?
Thanks, Karamo.
I'm so proud of you. I'm so proud of you. I feel like I'm 18. I know. Stop aging me. I was only 10 years old back then.
Stop aging me.
I tell y'all, I could do Q and K all day.
And I thank y'all all for your questions, for your vulnerability.
All right, listen, thank you everyone and come back for more.
