In Review: The Other Black Girl by Zakiya Dalila Harris

The Other Black Girl, though fictional and set in a publishing house, provides a vivid account of the experience of working in predominantly white offices as a Black woman and the challenges that arise.

During discussion in our BCN book club, we all agreed that the moments described in the book mirrored some of our own experiences. Harris weaves in many familiar and relatable incidents – from getting in trouble with your boss for sharing relevant feedback about race with a client to not being credited for your work. 

When a new Black girl joins the office and the main protagonist Nella is no longer the ‘only’, things take a turn for the worse for Nella when it turns out that Hazel is the new ‘it’ girl who everyone seems to love.

Spoiler alert, stop reading now if you don't want to read the plot twist!

The plot twist in the book comes when Nella discovers that Hazel has been using a special hair cream, which allows her to be more amenable and relatable to her white colleagues. 

Zakiya Dalila Harris therefore invites Black female readers to consider their own personal experiences in the world of work. If there was a solution that would allow you to spend less energy and time trying to fit in at work and instead allow you to succeed, would you take it? Even if it meant losing yourself and your blackness in the process? The Other Black Girl provides an interesting take on this dilemma and the constant struggles that Black women face on the road to professional success.

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