In this episode, we’re joined by Two Piers Advisory Board member, LaToya Stallworth who shares her insights on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). LaToya is an Operations leader within the energy industry. As an alumna of both Florida A&M, a Historically Black University, as well as Harvard Business School, a predominantly white institution (or PWI), LaToya has a unique perspective into the different campus and educational experiences. She also shares a glimpse into her experience as a Black woman in a corporate environment and the ways that her education prepared her for success.
Transcript below:
Erica D'Eramo 0:10
Hello and welcome to the Two Piers Podcast. I'm your host Erica D'Eramo. And this is season four. And today we have guest LaToya Stallworth joining us. So LaToya is an area manager for an IEC or an integrated energy company. So her journey began as a process engineer after graduating from Florida A&A University with a bachelor's in chemical engineering. She then went on to work as a site engineer in the Gulf of Mexico, and then completed her MBA at Harvard Business School. So she's a smarty pants for sure. During her time at Harvard, she had the privilege of serving as a summer management consultant and engaging in leadership immersions in both China and Rwanda. LaToya is joining us today to chat about her personal experiences having attended both an HBCU or historically black college or university and a PWI, or a predominantly white institution, and to also share her lived experiences and insights as a woman of color working in operations in the energy industry.
So LaToya has worked in Operations Engineering, and also directly supporting executives, as the Chief of Staff. She's worked both international and domestic roles, and she loves to travel and see the world and explore different cultures. And yeah, we share that with LaToya. So we're so grateful to have her on the podcast today to join us and share her her thoughts. Thanks for joining LaToya.
LaToya Stallworth 1:47
Thanks for having me. I'm so excited to be here.
Erica D'Eramo 1:50
So tell us a little bit about your origin story. Like what would you what would you say your origin is?
LaToya Stallworth 1:57
So I grew up in Pensacola, Florida. And I would say that is known for three things. One, beautiful beaches. So if you've never been, go, run, don't walk. Two, I would say it's a very conservative place known for two things there. One of the biggest and best naval air stations in the world. And then also it has probably one of the highest number of churches per capita, for any city in the US. So growing up in that environment, it was a very conservative environment. On top of that, I was typically the only Black person in my elementary school up through high school. I grew up in a predominantly white neighborhood. So I didn't have a lot of friends who were Black. I'd say the up until high school, the only black friends that I had, were my cousins. So it just growing up in that environment being usually the only Black person was a bit challenging, I would say. But I would say that's my origin.
Erica D'Eramo 3:03
Yeah, absolutely. So how did that lead to you becoming an engineer and also going to an HBCU then.
LaToya Stallworth 3:13
So I'd say how it led to me becoming an engineer is that I fell in love with chemistry and also math at a young age. So I took every chemistry class and advanced math class that I could when I was in high school. And so I had the opportunity to shadow a family friend who was a chemical engineer who worked for a local chemical company. And once I did that, I was hooked. I knew that's what I wanted to do when I grew up. And I'm one of those people who went to college and started with the same major that I graduated with, because I knew that chemical engineering was something that I loved. And it was something that I was excited about. So that's how I came into chemical engineering. How I went to a Historically Black College and University, I would say it was the best decision that I didn't make. So growing up in Pensacola, I was a huge Seminoles fan, you can imagine in the 1990s, how good the Seminoles team was in football. So, and I love football,
Erica D'Eramo 4:16
As Penn Stater, I cannot imagine, no,
LaToya Stallworth 4:18
Well, we'll have to check the record so, but I always wanted to be a Florida State Seminole, and Florida State and Florida A&M University are both located in Tallahassee, Florida, and I think it may be the only, they may be the only colleges in the US where they actually share the College of Engineering. And so I applied to both the universities Yes, it's an awesome set up. But what made it very interesting is I applied to both universities, and I was accepted into Florida State with a partial scholarship, and I was accepted into Florida A&M with a full scholarship, and it's the same College of Engineering. So you take your, your basic classes, first two years of classes at the respective universities, but then your last two years where you're focusing on engineering, you're essentially one college. And so my parents who were a lot smarter than me, said, you know, if you if you get a scholarship and it's a full ride, and we'll buy you a brand new car and so they just the the NPV and IRRs and they realized that it was a lot cheaper to buy me a brand new car versus, versus paying for college, and college debt. So that's
Erica D'Eramo 5:47
Compounding interest, man.
LaToya Stallworth 5:48
Exactly. So it was the best decision that my parents made for me, because I got the keys to a brand new car and decided to go to Florida A&M. And as I said, I'm so happy that I did.
Erica D'Eramo 6:01
So tell us a little bit about what that is like for, I think a lot of people kind of know about the term HBCU, they know about historically black colleges and universities, but they might not have like a glimpse into that. So maybe what was surprising to you showing up having initially intended to, you know, to be a Seminole,
LaToya Stallworth 6:23
I would say one of the most surprising things that, well it was culture shock for me, even as a Black person going to an HBCU. And I think one of the things that was very surprising was that, as Black people, we're not monolithic, that we have different interests, different personalities. And so that was surprising that even at an HBCU, I found my niche, and I found my group of friends that I was very comfortable with. And I think even I thought you know, all Black people are very similar, in the sense of like, what they enjoy doing, what music they like to listen to. And so that, for me was very eye opening. And I think it was because I didn't have a lot of Black friends growing up. So I just assumed every Black person was like me or my sister or my family. And of course, we're family. So we are going to be very similar. Um, so that was very eye opening, I think as well the interest that my, in how much my professors invested in me, in being successful was very eye opening as well, because you think about going to college, and oftentimes or thought about being a number or you're one person and a huge classroom size. But it was really that one on one attention. And they were just as invested in my success as my parents were, as I was. And to this day, I still have university professors that I can call for advice, or just to call and catch up with. And so I don't think that I would have gotten that experience or had professors who would have taken so much interest in and personally wanted to see me succeed. So I think that's the second thing that was very surprising for me. I think as well, like when people think of Historically Black Colleges or Universities, they think that Black people going there won't be successful because you're in a bubble, or you're going to a college where people look like you and it's not representative of the corporate environment. But even though it was a bubble, it was recognized by our professors, by the administration, that it was a bubble, enjoy it while at lasts. But also getting that knowledge and that coaching and support from the administration to know that this is not the corporate environment. But while you're here, we're going to prepare you for the corporate environment. So it was things like small things like etiquette classes that some of the administration put on, or some of the student organizations put on, or it was Dress for Success. And professors personally would give me coaching on, "Don't wear that, that doesn't represent the best LaToya. Wear something similar to this," and helping me, point me in the right directions for places to go shopping. And then also just instilling the understanding that when we go to the corporate environment, as a Black person, for every person that is there is happy to see you succeed and to pull you up, you're probably going to have an equal amount of people who don't want to see you succeed and think that the only reason you got the job was because you are Black. And so it's always having that mindset. And it's almost called the Black tax, unfortunately, that you have that burden that you feel like you have to work harder, that you have to be the first person there in the morning and the last person out, because you have to represent for the African American community. So that was instilled in us enjoy the bubble while you're here. Enjoy exploring yourself as a Black person, getting a better understanding of your history as a Black person, but recognize that you are here to succeed, and we are going to help you succeed as you matriculate and then move into a corporate environment.
Erica D'Eramo 10:17
That sounds so powerful. I think my experience going to a land grant school in the middle of nowhere, Pennsylvania was definitely very different. Not I mean, not good or bad, just very different in that regard. And I don't, I think in the in those environments, it's more like, weeding people out, right. They're trying to like weed people out and, and, and slim down the the classes and not necessarily trying to prepare you for the outside world. But like, I don't think I ever saw a compressor. I was like, "wait, a compressor is not a trapezoid on its side? I don't understand." like rules in real life. There was no coaching or anything like that. I mean, I got a great education. And also, I would say it, what you're describing sounds very different, and very supportive. So what would you say? Some of the myths have been that you encounter now.
LaToya Stallworth 11:21
Um, I would say some of the myths that I encounter are that, you know, Historically Black Colleges are second best or a second choice for individuals. As I said, it wasn't my first choice. But I'm so happy that it became my first choice. And I think just from, and I think it was because I wasn't exposed to a lot of people who went to Florida A&M or other Historically Black Colleges. But now I look at the company that I work for now, I look at some of the most successful African Americans in the company. And they all went to Historically Black Colleges or Universities, and I think it's support and development and coaching that I received, they received as well. So I think it's just opening, opening people's eyes that HBCUs are a preferred institution for African Americans. And we get the same, if not better, education there as other universities.
Erica D'Eramo 12:27
Yeah, it's like what you're describing almost sounds like, almost like immunizing you a little bit to some of those influences that say you're not good enough. You don't belong here, you're like, "Oh, my immune system recognizes this. I'm not going to internalize it," right? Like, I know what's happening here. And just like retaining that confidence, that and that self knowledge that it prepares you for,
LaToya Stallworth 12:53
Absolutely. And it's interesting, I had an experience after I graduated college, and I was working for a different company than I do now. And it was in the Midwest. And I remember a senior leader there, it was a area of the Midwest where a lot of people went to the same schools. And there were two pretty prestigious universities, actually three in that area that people typically went to. And they would kind of tease each other of "Oh, you went to this university, you didn't go to this university." And I remember one of the senior leaders met another recent graduate, it was like a cohort of recent graduates. And he was kind of there as like the executive speaker, and one of the gentlemen who was white male, and he was also a white male. They were talking kind of joking about the different universities that they went to. And I still remember to this day that the executive said, "You know, you went to the A&M of Indiana," and I'm thinking in my head, I went to the A&M of Florida. So it was clearly you know, supposed to be like, you know, a dis, insult very much an insult. And it has racial undertones as well, when you think about it is most A&Ms are Historically Black Universities. So it was just very shocking and it reinforced every message that I had been given and coaching and support from my professors that you have to show up. You have to be the best person you can be because there are always going to be people there who think that you came from a lesser University who think that you only got the job because you're Black, you're the diversity choice, not because you deserve to be there. But the company has a diversity target and your it. Tag, you're it. So that that story resonates to me, with me to this day, and I have that, that feeling, that burden of having to show up for not only myself for my family, but for my university, to show that as a product of an HBCU, we are the leaders of the future. And we will be the executives of corporations in the future. And as we are now.
Erica D'Eramo 15:22
Yeah, it's interesting to, to hear you talk about that, like spotlight and having a show up for that, because it sounds like for that period of time, at least, for that four years, that element of being in the spotlight, because you were representing an entire swath of people that were seen as some sort of monolith, like that went away for four years, and you could focus on school.
LaToya Stallworth 15:48
Yes, and just learning exploring yourself as, and I think those are like your most critical years that you're getting to know the person that you are. And to be able to do that in what felt like a very safe environment. I can't put a price on that, those were years that I needed that growth, I needed that support from my classmates from the University, and I received it and I'm so happy I did.
Erica D'Eramo 16:15
Yeah. So I think one of the reasons that it was, that I really wanted to talk to you about this topic was because you sort of have both data points in a way, and kind of at the extremes, I would say. So from that perspective, like, is there any insight that you took away then attending what we would call a PWI, or predominantly white institution, later for your MBA that you noticed, or like, new things were surprising to you? Or you know, you know, things differences came into more stark, I don't know, relief for you?
LaToya Stallworth 16:53
Yeah, I would definitely say that, it was an environment where you knew you were a minority, that you were not like the average student, not because of you weren't smart, or you couldn't perform but because you looked different. And I would definitely say it mimicked more of the corporate environment where the burden was on you to get to know your professors versus they took an interest in getting to know you, where you had to take as a Black person take the initiative more to get to know your classmates, because their initial thought or their initial comfort level is not to get to know you, it's to get to know someone who reminds them of them or looks like them. So for them, it's a burden to have to kind of go out of their way to get to know someone different versus, you know, you just gel with someone or you feel like you're not having to go out your way because the person looks more similar to me. I remember this one, one dinner. So at HBS, we have cohorts. So we have our different cohorts. And as part of coming into that cohort, and to try to get to know some of the members, we would have these small group dinners. And this was like in the first month, two months of starting HBS. And it was just really to get to know each other in a more intimate setting. And I remember going to the dinner, it was about you know, five of us, six of us. And there was one of my cohort members, who was a white male, at the dinner initially sat down next to me, and then maybe 10 minutes later, he was like, I'm sorry, LaToya, I'm gonna go sit by Eric, you know, it was just like, wow, like, he made it very clear that he had no interest in getting to know me and the burden of keeping him entertained and sitting by me and you know, keeping the conversation going, fell on me. And so that was a very eye opening experience that made me think that this is not my HBCU and so I'm going to once again have to work harder have to go you know above and beyond to build those relationships where it didn't feel like that safe and easier, comfortable environment where you know, you just meet people that you gel with.
Erica D'Eramo 19:26
Yeah, I mean that like cut through sort of, zero sum mentality that I'm sure exists in many an MBA program, of like, transactional "How are you going to help me?" like "what are what can I gain from this interaction or this conversation?" and if I can't get anything that I'm that is apparent to me right away, I'm gonna walk away. It's so unfortunate because the people that I guess for me at least speaking from my my MBA experience the people who were most unlike me and had the most, kind of, different backgrounds. I don't think that's proper English. But whatever, that the people who gave me insight into like the, the more expansive part of the world, those are the experiences I appreciated the most out of my MBA program, right, like getting to know people who weren't cookie cutters like me who weren't exactly like all the people I went to work with. In fact, I chose my MBA program specifically to get that diversity of background and experience because I wanted to get out of my bubble. So. So that's fascinating to hear that story of this person who's like, "Nope, I'd prefer to go back in my bubble, please," like,
LaToya Stallworth 20:47
Absolutely. And don't get me wrong, like Harvard Business, School is amazing university. And I definitely would not be the person that I am, or the success that I've had in my career without having gone to HBS. And having learned so much, and from my classmates and from my professors. But once again, it was just a different environment where there was more burden on me to get to know the people around me versus them taking an equal amount of interest in me and wanting to get to know me. So, but still a wonderful experience. But it just it I think you kind of wreck it or replicate it, what the corporate environment is for minority.
Erica D'Eramo 21:31
Yeah, yeah. That's, yeah, that's interesting. So based off of that, then that replication in the corporate environment, what do you think some, like? What would you say? Some areas are that companies should be thinking about in terms of both? I don't know, recruitment, sourcing their talent, what to expect when people come into the corporation? Like, what are your thoughts?
LaToya Stallworth 22:01
Right, I think a big point would be the importance of diverse universities. There was a point where I saw certain companies traditionally going to the same universities, and in that kind of reinforced that the same type of person was brought into the company, and then it was more likely to get, we were more more likely to get the group think because it was, you know, you want to stay within the pod and not to be seen as almost going outside of, of the pod. But I think that companies have seen, started to see more of the value of getting diverse people because it brings a diverse way of thinking. And it also forces people to not just, you know, groupthink, and to not just agree, but to be respectful of other people's opinions and experiences. So I think that's number one. Number two, I think that we have to recognize equity, and that not every student has the same experience. And in some cases, a student may have gotten better prepared for interviews, or for Dress for Success for interviews. So the way that they show up may not necessarily be representative of the person that they will be in a corporate environment, or that they may need a little more coaching when they come to the corporate environment. So I think that the importance of equity, and not expecting each student to think and sound the same, or in that case, you want robots. So I do think the importance of diversity, and then equity, but also inclusion. It's important when we have minorities come through the door, that they feel like they're part of the team. And if they don't feel like they're part of the team, they're going to check out and go somewhere else. And I can say that was my experience with one of the first companies that I worked with, and that's why I'm no longer with that company, is that I didn't feel that there was the value of diversity. I remember asking to attend, there was an annual conference for African Americans in the company, and it was for networking, but professional development, career development. And I remember speaking with my boss and say, you know, do you mind if I spend a day going to this conference? And his response was, "There's no value in that I don't see the importance of that with your career." And as a young engineer, right out of college, that was exactly what I needed. I needed that network, that support that career development. But for him as a white male, he didn't see the value in it. And so for
Erica D'Eramo 24:56
because he got to go to his white male conference every day.
LaToya Stallworth 25:00
Exactly. And I think that's just the importance of like there is importance of fellowship. I think that comes with Historically Black Colleges. You'll notice that with Historically Black Colleges, it doesn't just end when you graduate, we go back for homecoming. And it's like, you know, I went to FAMU and we call it the FAMUly. So you go back to FAMU for homecoming and you see your FAMUly. And it's like, you know, you just feel like you're home. With historically Black sororities and fraternities, it doesn't end once you graduate, it's a lifelong membership. And so we have alumni chapters. People joined, join the sorority as alumnis. So you can join a sorority, not just undergrad, but graduate as well. And I think that's what you get from like, Historically Black Colleges that it is not just for years, and you have your world. And as I mentioned, you know, I have professors that I can call to this day and now when I go back on campus, I'm going into certain offices just to say hello, and it's like I was just there yesterday, they remember my story. They know exactly where I've been they asked how my family is. And those are all things that I wouldn't have gotten if I went to a PWI. I would have probably been a number I may have stood out because I was one of few Black numbers. But I don't think that that interest would have been shown and I don't think it would be a lifelong journey after graduation.
Erica D'Eramo 26:37
Do you want to shed some light on Greek life in HBCUs? Because I don't think people really under, I mean, I don't know that folks understand.
LaToya Stallworth 26:46
Absolutely.
Erica D'Eramo 26:47
I mean, some people understand but like, it's not just yeah, I'll let you talk to it.
LaToya Stallworth 26:52
So I'm a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, and it's one of nine Historically Black fraternities and sororities known as the Divine Nine. It, I would say that the Divine Nine sororities and fraternities played a huge role in terms of civil rights movements. If you look at Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated, and Coretta Scott King was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated, and it became just having, being in the fraternity or sorority is an instant network is instant brotherhood and sisterhood. And it's a bond. And in, people always say you're stronger together. And that's exactly what the fraternity and the sororities represent that we're stronger together. And we are meant to uplift our community. So for Alpha Kappa Alpha, we are of service to all mankind. And that is what we strive to do to better our, our, our culture, environment, better our environment, and we know that we're stronger together to do that.
Erica D'Eramo 28:09
Yeah. And similarly, that lasts well past your college years, like you mentioned, so that is kind of that's, that's, as you talked about, it sounds almost like an identity, that becomes kind of, I don't know, integrated.
LaToya Stallworth 28:25
Yeah, exactly. And as I mentioned earlier, like, Black people are not monolithic. And you see that with the different personalities of the sororities and fraternities, they are so vastly different. Sometimes they can be a little stereotypical, like the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, is known for the pretty girls. So it's like, you know, "the pretty girls." So it can be a little stereotypical, but I do think you find commonality with people in your sorority because you're joining for certain reasons. So it just gives you that, that support and that network, even more when when you're in college, and after college, as well,
Erica D'Eramo 29:06
Wait. So I wanted you to come on the podcast and speak on behalf of all Black people, so you're telling me that's not possible?
LaToya Stallworth 29:14
Sorry, can't do that!
Erica D'Eramo 29:16
Darnit! So, we haven't mentioned it yet, but LaToya and I used to, like work back to back with each other for a period of time. Before we became friends, before we got to know each other, before she became a, an advisory board member for Two Piers, and part of my support network and in my close knit community, but we, I have to tell the story and we can always edit it out later if we want to but the fact that folks used to get us mixed up. They would switch our names around, will forever just stick with me as an example of how people put people into boxes, right? Like in that case, it wasn't about Black or white. It was like "American woman."
LaToya Stallworth 29:27
Very interesting experience. And I think that you hit the nail on the head that we were working in a totally different country at the time. But our identity was "American women." So Erica became Latoya, Latoya became Erica because they are, they're just "American women." So if we get a mixed up, but it's funny and
Erica D'Eramo 30:28
Interchangeable.
LaToya Stallworth 30:29
But if you come to the US, it's very obvious. Like LaToya is a traditionally a Black name. So no one would ever call you, mix you up for a LaToya at our workplace or for our former shared workplace, you know, but it's just a difference of your environment can really reflect on exactly what box you get put in.
Erica D'Eramo 30:53
Yeah, I know, that's funny. I think at least Erica, you know, can can that can easily work across cultures. But you're right. I haven't been called LaToya very often. Yeah, internationally. And I do, I do want to just say too, when you mentioned we were working in a different country, no one from that country mistook us, by the way. So, only other expats. Yeah, so kudos to everyone from that country knew our names. So, Okay, so then what would you say, you know, there's been a lot of talk lately about, well, Supreme Court decisions have happened, impacting affirmative action and the ability for schools to recruit diverse talent, and to make sure that they are creating that environment that many of us sought out to meet people who are different from who we grew up with. So, in that background and context, what role do you see HBCUs taking right now?
LaToya Stallworth 32:05
Well, I hope that when we look across the different universities, the PWIs, that we don't see a significant drop in minority representation, because I truly believe that the students and minorities that were selected there were selected on merit. So it's my hope that we don't see a decrease. But I think in the case that it unfortunately does, that Historically Black colleges will be there, like they have always been there to develop, nurture, and to educate minorities. So it's an unfortunate decision. But I think it's one that as a people that we'll overcome. We've overcome a lot as a history of Black people in America. And I don't think that this decision by the Supreme Court will be one that will, be one that devastates us as a community.
Erica D'Eramo 33:04
Yeah, you mentioned merit. And I think it's so fascinating, depending on who you talk to what constitutes merit, because for some person, merit is an SAT score, right? And like, a lot of us didn't have tutors growing up to, we didn't have the ability to retake the SAT multiple times. So like, what does that actually mean? And maybe, I've heard discussion about like adversity score, you know, using adversity scores as a way, but fundamentally, the experience at a university should be one of like growth and unlocking opportunity for people who have potential for that, versus some measure of something that we term merit that's based on like two metrics that are heavily influenced by how much money you have growing up, or how much racism you've not faced, or how much systemic privilege you've had access to, so, I'll get off my soapbox.
LaToya Stallworth 33:59
Exactly, I think that goes back to the it goes back to the thought around equality, that not everyone has access to the same thing. So you're measuring on, you know, what that person has access to. Are they showing that they have that propensity to learn? Can they be successful and just because they didn't get the highest SAT score for a number of reasons, like you mentioned, don't have a tutor, can't take it multiple times, doesn't mean that they will not succeed in your university. And so I think it is important to look at other factors because not everyone has the same opportunity or the same privilege to prepare themselves to compete. So I think as long as that person shows that they are curious, they have the ability to learn and to take on concepts and to grow and to be, become even more knowledgeable. I think that's what's important. So the way that it gets measured has to be outside of the traditional SAT/ACT scores. You can't see that in in those scores.
Erica D'Eramo 35:07
Yeah, I agree. And this is not about like a any sort of charity lens either this is about fundamentally, it's good for your university to have diverse viewpoints coming in. And it's good for your organization to have diverse viewpoints coming in. So, the, I feel like lately, yeah, the the thought that somehow DEI is like a philanthropy. I mean, this has been my pet peeve from day one, right, that DEI is a philanthropy, philanthropic effort, when really, fundamentally organizations are benefiting from that 100%. Yeah. So I hope that they start to recruit more heavily from HBCUs. I think that that has dawned on a lot of companies that they should be recruiting widely. What, what have you seen?
LaToya Stallworth 36:04
Oh, absolutely. So I recruit at my university. And in just seeing the number of recruiters they are, and I think it's because of the history of successful graduates of Historically Black Colleges or Universities, and they see that their executives, their senior leaders are coming from these universities, why are we not tapping into that, that knowledge base, so just seeing the increase in the number of recruiters from when I was there, there were a lot, but even more now, and I think it is that, that focus on DE&I, and to know that when you're going to an HBCU, you're not gonna get someone who's not as smart or doesn't work hard, you're gonna get the opposite, and get someone who was extremely smart, and who knows that they have to work harder. There's always a saying that I always think back to, and I repeat, repeat to myself pretty often, is when someone tells you that you can't do it, do it twice and take a picture. And so that's been my motto. And I have a lot of, I have a lot of pictures. And so I think that's the mentality that I think students from HBCUs have, and that's what we are taught is that we can overcome anything, we are going to get the skills at the university to be successful. And even though there will be, always be people who will doubt you, who don't think you deserve it, you deserve it. Take that seat at the table, because you earned it. And so that's something I continuously tell myself. If someone doubts you, take a picture, says you can't do it, take a picture, do it twice and take a picture. So it's definitely that motivation and makes me remember that I'm not just doing it for myself, I'm doing it for my culture, my people, my family, my legacy. And I think that that's not something that a lot of other people of other cultures may have that but that is the importance of what we see that we're representing not only ourselves, but representing our people, and feature Black people in the corporate environment or whatever environment that they want to be successful in.
Erica D'Eramo 38:31
You know, we did a lot of work on authenticity in the month of July. And one of the key findings that I kept finding in the research was around like part of authenticity, and the ability to show up authentically is rooted in origin, comfort with your origin story. And so as you talk through this and talk about community and this like affirming community, where you can see yourself in that community, and you can rely on that network and in situations where others are maybe doubting you or undermining you, and you can look to them and say like, "No, we got this, right." That that is core to being able to show up authentically and have comfort in your origin stories. So just I'm kind of like making these connections now as you're talking and yeah,
LaToya Stallworth 39:26
Yes, absolutely. And I think that's kind of going back to what I mentioned earlier, I think that was the value of going to a Historically Black College University is that it allowed me to truly get know me, LaToya, as a Black woman, and to not be ashamed of being a Black woman, but to be able to embrace it. And I think that was the difference between the LaToya I saw growing up and being the only Black person in a white school you kind of want to blend in and when you can't blend in, you kind of you know, take a step back, so you don't stand out too much, versus taking a step forward at an HBCU and being like, "Hey, this is me world. And I love who this person is."
Erica D'Eramo 40:12
Yes, yes. I love that. Okay, what are your key takeaways that you want to leave the audience with today? What are like any gems you want to leave us with?
LaToya Stallworth 40:23
Well, I think definitely the importance that Historically Black Colleges are for African Americans who are growing and developing, and that they are not second rate universities that they are producing the world's best leaders. And so if your corporation is not recruiting at a Historically Black University or College, shame on them, they should be now and they should have been 10 years ago. And I think as well, as you're working with people at your company of color, understanding that that burden that they play on a are they hold on a daily basis of not only representing for themselves, but rather representing for their people. And so they feel like, or we feel like we are representative, in that the way that you view us is how you'll view other black people. So it's that that Black tax almost in a sense, which is really difficult at times, to be honest.
Erica D'Eramo 41:34
Yeah. Well, you handle it with grace and style and overcome the odds. And I'm so glad to see all of the success that you've had and the growth that you've had just over the time that I've known you. And I'm really, really appreciative that you continue to lend your insights and support for Two Piers and what we're trying to do. So grateful. So thank you.
LaToya Stallworth 41:58
Thank you for having me. And it's so great to join you, Erica. And also to continue to support Two Piers on the Advisory Board.
Erica D'Eramo 42:07
and for anyone wanting to find more information about how we can support you, you can check out our website. And you can find all of the transcripts for all these podcasts in accessible format right there on our website at twopiersconsulting.com. And we again, thank our guests for taking the time to join us and share their insights and we look forward to seeing you next episode.