‘The Other Black Girl’ picks apart tokenism in white work spaces

For many people of color working in professional environments, the experience of being the “only one” is common. And being the only Black person or person of color in an otherwise heterogeneous office often comes with many burdens, such as enduring microaggressions alone or lacking allies or comrades to advocate for you or who understand your experiences.

Nella Rogers, the main character in Zakiya Dalila Harris’ debut novel “The Other Black Girl,” is no stranger to the burdens that come along with being the “only one.” An aspiring book editor, Nella works in a dull and