Impostor Syndrome, Speaking Your Truth, and Black Joy with Abimbola Oladokun | #79

Click here to access a written transcript of this episode.

My long-time friend from my law school days, Abimbola Oladokun, graciously agreed to come on the show to share some of her light and wisdom with all of you. I always learn a lot from Abimbola's rants and raves in her IG stories, and I wanted y'all to have the privilege of hearing her speak too.

In this episode, you can listen to us chat about the impostor syndrome we both battled in the legal field, how people have attempted to silence Abimbola by painting her with the Angry Black Woman brush, how Abimbola cultivates Black joy in the face of so much Black pain, and much more.

We discussed:

• How Abimbola and I first met back when we were summer associates at the same law firm.
• Her experiences with impostor syndrome in the legal field and feeling like she didn't belong.
• The ways in which people of color in the legal field have to work harder to have the same opportunities as white people.
• Why it's important to realize when it's your environment that's not working for you vs there being something wrong with you.
• What Abimbola has found particularly helpful when it comes to dealing with impostor syndrome.
• The ways people have attempted to silence Abimbola in her Instagram DMs by painting her with the Angry Black Woman brush.
• How we are quick to call women and especially women of color angry before we call men angry.
• Abimbola's prediction at the beginning of the Democratic primary that Joe Biden would be the nominee.
• Our frustration with Biden's rhetoric about being a President for all Americans.
• Why it's important for non-Black people to be mindful about sharing images and videos of Black pain.
• The necessity of Black joy and how Abimbola cultivates it in her own life.
• How the pain of marginalized communities even shows up in fictional spaces so those communities experience a drought of happy stories.
• The need for non-marginalized folx to pay attention to who's represented in their circles and spaces and why.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

Featured in This Episode

Abimbola Oladokun (she/her) is a Nigerian-American tech lawyer based in the Bay. In her free time, Abimbola plots her next international trip, seeks to decolonize her mind and actions, all while navigating the disappointment that is dating apps. You can keep up with Abimbola on Instagram, but you'll need to send a DM along with the request that explains you heard her on the show.