Black History Month is an annual celebration which recognizes the significant contributions of African-Americans throughout history, through their artistic, cultural, scientific and political contributions. The theme of Black History Month 2021 is “The Black Family: Representation, Identity, and Diversity.”
Intelex Technologies joins the celebration by launching a blog series that shares the first-person experiences of our employees and celebrating their accomplishments and contribution to Intelex. Our third blog introduces you to Racquel English, who implements product solutions for our clients.
What is your name, title and how long have you worked at Intelex?
My name is Racquel English, and I have working as a consultant for just under 2 years.
What do you do at Intelex?
I implement our product solutions for clients after configuring their purchased application(s) to their specifications.
What do you like most about working at Intelex?
I love my co-workers; I love my team. The people are what make the difference.
What do you like about working in tech? What are some of your challenges?
I have always loved approaching situations from a diagnostic perspective, and you get to do a lot of that in technology. My biggest challenge is that once the problems are diagnosed, fixing the problems can be hindered by the technology you have access to at work.
Are there challenges to being Black in tech?
Absolutely. Getting a foot in the door is generally more difficult. Names on resumes get filtered out before we even get an interview. LinkedIn profiles can get overlooked when they see profile pictures. Once you do get an interview or job, there is added pressure to prove that you belong there based on merit. And then navigating microaggressions and sometimes outright racism. It’s a gauntlet.
Did you have a mentor and if so what’s the best piece of advice they gave you?
I do. I have been advised to create my own table if I don’t see a seat at the table I want. Also, launch/step out now rather than waiting for “it” (whether product or opportunity) to be perfect.
What advice do you have for anyone looking to get into your line of work?
Keep applying. Find someone at the companies you’re interested in and see if they will make referrals on your behalf. Network; it is so effective for getting a foot in the door.
Do you have a quote that inspires you?
This isn’t related to technology, but: “None of us are free until all of us are free.” It helps me remember to always advocate and inspires me to do so.
Read other Black History Month blogs on Intelex.com:
Black History Month 2021 Celebrates the Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity
