Slay In Your Lane: The Black Girl Bible. Yomi Adegoke

       Althea Efunshile CBE

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       Amma Asante MBE

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       Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE

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       Bola Agbaje

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       Charlene White

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       Clara Amfo

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       Dr Clare Anyiam-Osigwe BEM

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       Cynthia Erivo

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       Dawn Butler MP

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       Denise Lewis OBE

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       Estelle

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       Florence Adepoju

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       Funke Abimbola MBE

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       Gemma Cairney

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       Irene Agbontaen

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       Jamelia

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       June Sarpong MBE

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       Dr Karen Blackett OBE

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       Keisha Buchanan

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       Lady Leshurr

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       Lakwena

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       Laura Mvula

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       Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock MBE

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       Malorie Blackman OBE

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       Margaret Busby OBE

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       Melanie Eusebe

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       Dr Nicola Rollock

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       Patricia Bright

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       Sarah-Jane Crawford

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       Sharmadean Reid MBE

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       Sharmaine Lovegrove

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       Susan Wokoma

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       Vanessa Kingori MBE

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       Vannessa Amadi

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       VV Brown

       FOREWORD

      Teacher or nurse?

      These were the only jobs that my career advisor at school thought I would be able to achieve. Both vocations are admirable and worthy, but come on, just two career options for a working-class girl from Reading?

      I had several passions growing up in the UK as the second daughter of two Bajan immigrants. I loved sport, specifically athletics, and I loved travel. The excitement of going to the airport, getting on a plane and flying to a new destination was a very special and rare occurrence in my household. I treasured it. I also loved TV advertising as much as I loved the TV programmes. I would critique the ads, think about whom they were trying to talk to, and think of better ideas as to how they could get their message across.

      I ended up running for my athletics club, and I was good, but not good enough to pursue a career in it. When I was eight, I wanted to be an air traffic controller or an air stewardess, but I rapidly went off both ideas as I got older, when I realised that I would just be staring at a screen all day (or night), and I might not get time to enjoy the exotic places that I would be flying to. But my love for advertising never wavered. Back then, though, advertising was (and to a certain extent, still is) a very white-male, middle-class domain. So how would I carve out a career for myself as a young, black, working-class woman?

      My dad was a very wise man. He knew nothing about the industry that I entered, nor did he know anyone in this field. My dad wanted myself and my sister to be doctors, lawyers or accountants – vocations that had a high standing back home in Barbados. These were professions that would earn us respect and, most importantly, a salary that meant we could have a good life. My older sister became an accountant and is now a university lecturer. She inspires me every day; she is strong-willed, bright and has a joy for life. I am the black sheep of the family. I didn’t go into medicine, law or finance. I pursued my love of advertising.

      My dad knew how difficult it would be to be successful in the UK. It would be a marathon with many obstacles and challenges. He would often say,

      ‘You’re black and you’re female, you have to try twice as hard as anyone else.’

      I did. I worked extremely hard. My athletics training made me focused. I am naturally competitive.

      My dad would also say,

      ‘You have two ears and one mouth; use them in that proportion.’

      I listened, I learned, and then I spoke up. I progressed.

      I