Bozoma Saint John

Because to think that perhaps you were the catalyst. or something, and then nobody remembers your name. Nobody gives you the credit. And that's what it feels like when I'm in the room. You know, I'm thinking, this is gonna be so great for the people who come after, but will anybody remember me? Will they remember my pain, this moment, this choice I made? And if not, is that okay?

Am I all right with it? Am I okay with the sacrifice? And if I'm being totally transparent and honest, I'm not. I'm not okay with it. I don't want to be hidden. I don't want to be forgotten. And yes, people can say, oh, but how can you be? You're going to be in the Hall of Fame. You're this and you're that. And people know your name. No, no, no. I want the credit. Of course you do.

Am I all right with it? Am I okay with the sacrifice? And if I'm being totally transparent and honest, I'm not. I'm not okay with it. I don't want to be hidden. I don't want to be forgotten. And yes, people can say, oh, but how can you be? You're going to be in the Hall of Fame. You're this and you're that. And people know your name. No, no, no. I want the credit. Of course you do.

Am I all right with it? Am I okay with the sacrifice? And if I'm being totally transparent and honest, I'm not. I'm not okay with it. I don't want to be hidden. I don't want to be forgotten. And yes, people can say, oh, but how can you be? You're going to be in the Hall of Fame. You're this and you're that. And people know your name. No, no, no. I want the credit. Of course you do.

Yes. Because look, I think one of the most... obvious places and you know it happens a lot it happens every time but one of the most obvious i think for everyone who sees it will understand it was the moment i took the stage of the apple keynote wwdc where no other black person forget black no other black person had presented the software before. I mean, Steve Jobs stage, right?

Yes. Because look, I think one of the most... obvious places and you know it happens a lot it happens every time but one of the most obvious i think for everyone who sees it will understand it was the moment i took the stage of the apple keynote wwdc where no other black person forget black no other black person had presented the software before. I mean, Steve Jobs stage, right?

Yes. Because look, I think one of the most... obvious places and you know it happens a lot it happens every time but one of the most obvious i think for everyone who sees it will understand it was the moment i took the stage of the apple keynote wwdc where no other black person forget black no other black person had presented the software before. I mean, Steve Jobs stage, right?

You've got all of the known people on the stage, Eddie Cue and Craig Federici and Phil Schiller. They're the ones who present, right? And leading up to that moment, first of all, there was a lot of doubt that I should even do it, right? Because look, I'm a marketer. I'm not an engineer. I'm a Black woman, although nobody wants to say that out loud.

You've got all of the known people on the stage, Eddie Cue and Craig Federici and Phil Schiller. They're the ones who present, right? And leading up to that moment, first of all, there was a lot of doubt that I should even do it, right? Because look, I'm a marketer. I'm not an engineer. I'm a Black woman, although nobody wants to say that out loud.

You've got all of the known people on the stage, Eddie Cue and Craig Federici and Phil Schiller. They're the ones who present, right? And leading up to that moment, first of all, there was a lot of doubt that I should even do it, right? Because look, I'm a marketer. I'm not an engineer. I'm a Black woman, although nobody wants to say that out loud.

Yeah, I'm like, uh-huh. And that whole statement about like, oh, I don't know if they'll believe you. Yeah, uh-huh, I know why. But Abby, your point about the allure of just aligning to make things easier, that was my choice that day too. Where it's like, look, everybody showed up in their jeans and button down shirt. Like a literal visual.

Yeah, I'm like, uh-huh. And that whole statement about like, oh, I don't know if they'll believe you. Yeah, uh-huh, I know why. But Abby, your point about the allure of just aligning to make things easier, that was my choice that day too. Where it's like, look, everybody showed up in their jeans and button down shirt. Like a literal visual.

Yeah, I'm like, uh-huh. And that whole statement about like, oh, I don't know if they'll believe you. Yeah, uh-huh, I know why. But Abby, your point about the allure of just aligning to make things easier, that was my choice that day too. Where it's like, look, everybody showed up in their jeans and button down shirt. Like a literal visual.

I walked into the green room in the back of the stage and there were, it was just a rack of jeans. And... blue button down shirts and pink button down shirts and khaki colored things. And I just looked at it and I was standing there in my curly Afro, my very tight pink dress, my Louboutin stilettos with a little poof on the back too. How dare me, right?

I walked into the green room in the back of the stage and there were, it was just a rack of jeans. And... blue button down shirts and pink button down shirts and khaki colored things. And I just looked at it and I was standing there in my curly Afro, my very tight pink dress, my Louboutin stilettos with a little poof on the back too. How dare me, right?

I walked into the green room in the back of the stage and there were, it was just a rack of jeans. And... blue button down shirts and pink button down shirts and khaki colored things. And I just looked at it and I was standing there in my curly Afro, my very tight pink dress, my Louboutin stilettos with a little poof on the back too. How dare me, right?

A little poof on the back just to add insult to injury. And I was standing back there and it was like, you know, Tim Cook went first to start the presentation and then Eddie went and Eddie is supposed to introduce me. And I'm standing back there and I was just like, whew, one of these things is not like the other, you know, waiting for my turn.

A little poof on the back just to add insult to injury. And I was standing back there and it was like, you know, Tim Cook went first to start the presentation and then Eddie went and Eddie is supposed to introduce me. And I'm standing back there and I was just like, whew, one of these things is not like the other, you know, waiting for my turn.

A little poof on the back just to add insult to injury. And I was standing back there and it was like, you know, Tim Cook went first to start the presentation and then Eddie went and Eddie is supposed to introduce me. And I'm standing back there and I was just like, whew, one of these things is not like the other, you know, waiting for my turn.

And when I went on that stage, I know it would have been easier for me too, by the way, if I had just put on the jeans and the button down. If I had just tried to look like everybody else, maybe that would be one less barrier.