How Identity Has Influenced An Attorney And Filmmaker's Career At Bailey Law Firm And YachtKlub Productions
Michael, a Nigerian-American attorney and filmmaker, describes how his height and race consistently lead people to assume he is a basketball player, even impacting interactions in places like Costco. This experience, shared with his even taller brother, has taught them to navigate such perceptions with "grace and humility," focusing on positive impact rather than letting societal biases derail their careers as attorneys and filmmakers.
Overcoming Challenges, Resilience, Motivational Stories, Achieving Goals, Inspiring
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Michael Erike
Attorney & Filmmaker
Bailey Law Firm & YachtKlub Productions
Loyola Marymount University
Sandra Day O’Connor College Of Law - J.D.
Finance
Arts, Entertainment & Media, Law
Legal
Scholarship Recipient, Greek Life Member
Video Highlights
1. The impact of perception and how to navigate preconceived notions based on appearance (e.g., being tall and Black and assumed to be an athlete). Michael discusses the importance of not letting others' perceptions define him and using humor and grace to overcome stereotypes.
2. The importance of being a role model and positive representation for other Black men, specifically those of Nigerian descent. Michael highlights the responsibility of using his position to inspire and make a positive impact on his community.
3. Balancing multiple career paths while facing unique challenges. Michael's experience as both an attorney and filmmaker provides insights into the challenges and rewards of pursuing multiple passions, especially as a person of color.
Transcript
As someone who identifies as African American, specifically Nigerian, how has that impacted how you've navigated your career?
First off, I'm a Black African American Nigerian US citizen. My brother and I are both Nigerian. I'm 6'5" and my brother is 6'11".
When people see us, their perception automatically assumes we're athletes. This is actually a perfect segue because our academy film partially addresses this very topic. It's funny that I'm discussing this now.
People in society often see us a certain way, regardless of what we do. There's a certain irony to that. For example, when we go to Costco, people frequently ask us for autographs and pictures. They assume we play for the Phoenix Suns, and this happens on a bi-weekly basis.
Even if we become major Hollywood stars in five or ten years, there will still be people who think we're on the Suns. The ability to live past that perception, not let it consume you, and not let it lead you astray is part of life. You can't control how others perceive you, but you can control your reactions to that perception. You can also control what that perception means to you, your race, your family, and people who look, sound, and are like you.
We strive to be a good example, not just for filmmakers or attorneys, but for Black men, Nigerian men, and tall people within various domains. I'd say this is especially true for my brother. While I'm tall, he's exceptionally tall, and he can never escape that perception.
He deals with it with such grace and humility. He's 31 now, and he's been super tall since he was about 13. He's spent approximately 18 years of his life in the public eye like that, and I've been included in that.
We just laugh it off and move on. We pass along the message that you have to live life with a certain amount of humor and grace. Again, no matter how high we climb in Hollywood, there will always be people who think we're just basketball players. And that's fine. We still strive to leave a positive impact on the world and not let that bring us down.