"Am I in the Wrong Place?"

"Am I in the wrong place?" I've asked myself that question before. Maybe you have, too.

After we moved to Atlanta, I joined a local gym and tried out different group classes: spin, Zumba, HIIT, barbell, Pilates. I liked almost all of them, but over time, I found myself sticking to just spin and HIIT.

Why? Because in the other classes, I was often the only man. Maybe no one was judging me, but I felt self-conscious wondering if people saw me as out of place, or worse, weird.

So I defaulted to the spaces that felt more balanced, where I could focus on the workout instead of questioning whether I belonged.

Now imagine the reverse — a woman stepping into a male-heavy environment. Not just in a gym class, but in a boardroom. A leadership meeting. The C-suite.

That's the thing about representation — it's not just about breaking barriers, but about making sure people feel like they belong.

And that's what I'm reflecting on this Black History Month. As someone from the African diaspora — or just an immigrant, for that matter — I'm deeply grateful to the leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.

Their fight wasn't just for Black Americans; it paved the way for people like me, who came to this country believing that, no matter our country of origin, we too could contribute to making America a better place.

They didn't just fight for a seat at the table. They fought so that when we got there, we wouldn't have to wonder if we belonged. That's the kind of representation I want to celebrate this Black History Month.