How Identity Has Influenced a Management Supervisor's Career at Tech Marketing Agency
Cameron's biracial identity significantly shaped their career trajectory, starting with a mentor who recognized their potential in a predominantly white company and encouraged them to use their voice. This experience led Cameron to prioritize mentoring others and advocating for diverse perspectives, believing "your perspective really does matter" and that a diverse workforce can only improve the advertising industry.
Mentorship, Diversity and Inclusion, Leadership, Communication, Overcoming Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Cameron Brown
Management Supervisor
Tech Marketing Agency
University of Tennessee
UCLA Anderson
Business Management & Admin
Advertising, Communications & Marketing
Sales and Client Management
Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Mentorship opportunities are crucial for career advancement. Seek out mentors who can champion your unique perspective.
2. Don't be afraid to share your unique viewpoint, even if you're junior or the only person of your background in a room. Your perspective is valuable.
3. The advertising industry is increasingly prioritizing diversity and inclusion, creating opportunities for professionals from diverse backgrounds.
Transcript
As someone who identifies as biracial, how has that impacted how you've navigated your career?
When I was an intern at [unclear], one of my mentors, who is Black and Russian, said he thought I had something and wanted to mentor me. He looked around, and noted that it was a predominantly white company, with not many others who looked like us succeeding.
He went on to work at an advertising agency, and the same thing applied there. There were many people who looked like us doing well, or who were even present at all.
So, I've found it's important to mentor people coming up. You have to recognize that you offer a different perspective, especially when conversations about diversity arise, or how you speak about certain things. It's important not to let your voice get lost, just because you're more junior. Your perspective truly matters.
Another thing is to not be afraid of being the only person who looks like you in the room. It might feel like you're an outsider, but many people are actually looking to you for a voice in those situations. They want you to bring your perspective, and it's not always about race. Sometimes it's about how or where you grew up.
Having perspectives from diverse backgrounds is really important. I look forward to seeing the advertising industry grow in that space over time, and it's definitely a priority now. As more and more people who look like me, whether biracial, Black, or of color, have more voices, it can only be a good thing for the industry.