“I’m sure you’ve suffered through a few uncomfortable moments as a person of color in the tech industry,” Samiah said. “What you’ve experienced? Multiply that by ten and it’ll give you a taste of what I face on a daily basis. Women in general have a hard time being taken seriously in this industry, but a black woman?” She huffed out a humorless laugh. “We’re not expected to be good at math and science. We’re not expected to understand lexical analysis, or method overloading or any of the concepts that we all work with every single day. It feels as if I’m living under a microscope, Daniel. As if I’m expected to fail at any moment.” She pointed to the ground. “And like that ant, I’m carrying the weight of so many others on my shoulders.”

“But why would you put that kind of pressure on yourself?”

“It’s not as if I asked for the pressure, but I can’t pretend it’s not there. If I mess up that gives Owen Caldwell the excuse he needs to ignore the résumé of every black woman that comes across his desk. He can simply say that they tried it, but the last one they hired didn’t work out. Why should they take a chance on another?” She put a hand up. “And I am not overreacting. I’ve seen it happen before.”

He wanted to refute her words, but how did he know if what she was saying wasn’t the absolute truth? Like every other industry, the tech world could be a shitty place. He’d had a few thinly veiled remarks hurled his way while undercover at various software companies. He’d brushed it off, knowing he wouldn’t be around long enough to make calling it out worth his time.

But he’d never had to consider how his performance on the job could affect the chances of those coming up behind him. He couldn’t imagine having to shoulder that kind of pressure day in and day out.

“I’m sorry to unload on you like that,” Samiah said. “My sister is the one who usually suffers through my venting. It’s just…it’s a lot.”

“You don’t have to apologize to me, Samiah.”

He was the one who should be apologizing. He was the one lying to her face. Confiding something so intimate required a level of trust he didn’t deserve from her.

“If you ever need to vent, I’m here,” Daniel said. “That goes for more than just venting. Whatever you need, just ask.”

“Thanks for the offer.” The grateful look in her eyes made him want to offer her the world. “You can start by throwing the next flash competition.”

He pitched his head back and laughed, grateful for the levity after their heavy conversation.