Race, Resolve, and Reinvention: My Story

I am a Black man. I am an immigrant. I speak English with a French accent. And my name is Mohamed.

Given these factors, success — or even a presence — in corporate America was far from preordained, to say the least.

During Black History Month, I have read stories written by people from all walks of life, and I am inspired. Their determination to overcome obstacles and discrimination overwhelms me. Their stories of perseverance energizes me. More than anything, they inspire me. That's why I'm sharing my story now, for the first time.

I grew up in Côte d'Ivoire, the Ivory Coast, on the southern coast of West Africa. I was the third of eight children raised in a family of both Catholic and Muslim faiths. At the age of 16, I moved to France for school on my own, knowing no one. That move brought a big shift: I went from being part of a majority racial group in the Ivory Coast to being a minority in France. France in the 1980s was not always an inclusive place, with encounters with far-right extremists and random ID checks for Black and Brown people.

I adapted to this radically new environment. I studied hard. I trained as an engineer and took the opportunity to head to Montreal for graduate school. I reinvented myself again in a new country. Eventually, I landed a job in Chicago. For my move to the US, l drove from Montreal to Chicago in my beaten-up Mitsubishi Colt. One of the happiest days of my life: I had immigrated to the US, and it was my chance to pursue the American dream.

This marked another period of adjustment, this time in a hard-nosed, heaving Midwestern city. I spoke English, but not well: I took extra-time re-reading emails to make sure I understood what was happening. In meetings, I comprehended about half of what was being said. As my English improved, it became important to understand what people said with their body language as much as with their words. After a few years, I enrolled in business school, and joined the consulting profession.

One day during lunch, an executive at a Fortune 500 client confided in me: I was the first Black person she'd ever had a conversation with. I didn't know how to respond, but I guess I was not too shocked to hear this. Often, I had to work hard to be included because I was different. I have felt slight but sharp jabs about my accent and my name, accompanied by quieter, larger unspokens about my skin color.

The more I thought about that moment, the more I realized that what seemed like a hindrance, might actually be an opportunity. Getting into the room was one obstacle, but once there, I could contribute more meaningfully because of my differences. I worked for a global firm, which took me all over the world. In order to best help our clients and work with teams in other parts of the world, you must be able to relate to them, to understand their culture, to put yourself in their shoes. These are all things I had to do time and time again as I adapted to new environments as a minority almost everywhere I have worked and lived since I was 16.

Today, I look back and realize how fortunate I was to get in the room and be able to make an impression. After PRTM was acquired by PwC, I did not know what the future would hold for me professionally. It was another sprawling, new place. While I did not know fully what was ahead, I was certain of the support and sponsorship I had from several executives in the business. These were senior leaders that saw potential in me and helped me learn the many areas of our business. They helped me grow and provided me with tremendous opportunities to advance my career.

So many people at PwC, at PRTM, and at my earlier company, Motorola, took a chance on me. But too many people never get to be in the room alongside decision makers, often because of their race or some aspect of their background. I try hard today to invest in people starting their careers, to look for their potential. I try to give the opportunities that others gave me. I try to bring them into the room, knowing that their diversity, their unique perspective is a strength and something to be valued.

We all must do better. 2020 has changed things — we can no longer turn a blind eye toward systemic discrimination. We all need to commit to strive to be inclusive: Inclusion is a must! I ask you: what are you truly doing to level the playing field for your team? How are you elevating the voices who are underappreciated? How are you confirming all employees have equal opportunities? All of them?

I was asked recently what people might learn from my journey. My answer is simple: Don't judge people, and trust in yourself.

We live in polarized times. It's often not fashionable to listen to or consider other opinions -- and we can have prejudices about people we've never met. If we had a bit more perspective and gave people the benefit of the doubt, we can create more common ground. Don't judge others because of the way they look, the way they sound, or because of their background. Resist jumping to conclusions and resolve to remain open.

And we all should begin to trust ourselves. Be confident in who you are and your capabilities. Know that you belong in the room. Know that your voice matters. Know that your story matters. Progress comes when each one of us commits to that progress. It is never a smooth ride; it is bumpy and uneven. We have much work to do, myself included. I hope sharing my story can contribute to further progress.

I am a Black man. I am an immigrant. I speak English with a French accent. And my name is Mohamed. I am a proud American. I am a global citizen. I am also a son, a father, and a leader at PwC.

I am one of many stories.