‘Who did you say sent you?’ … I remember being asked this question very clearly. A year or so into the beginning of my career, and barely out of the haze of finishing up my PhD. I had entered a part of the university where I needed to identify myself, which was certainly out of bounds to students. I confidently stated to the staff member asking me that I was the module leader and went on to present my ID as requested. Unfortunately, my words didn’t seem to register with them, as I was met with a clearly puzzled face in response.
It was then, after verifying that I was indeed a member of staff, that the ill-fated question was asked of me: ‘Who did you say sent you?’ Unfortunately, to them, I must not have fit their mental image of what a module leader was supposed to look like: hence, the only ‘logical’ conclusion was that I must have been running an errand for someone who did. I’ll admit that this experience stung. It made me wonder whether my colleagues went to the same lengths to prove who they were. I wondered whether it was because I looked too young or, dare I say it, young and Black?
