What it Feels Like to Zoom While Black

By Erica Gerald Mason

Taking care of business while Black goes back for generations; however, this modern incarnation of online work begs for a new definition of the word office.

On the job, I wear trousers, a short sleeve sweater, maybe a cardigan. My hair is always styled in locs, and I usually have my favorite matte lip color slicked across my lips. I come to work, Starbucks in hand, ready to do business.

But in a virtual space, with just me at my dining room table, my image in a black box, I feel more on display than I ever have in an office setting. Zoom offers a window into my sanctuary, a place I guard with the ferocity of a lioness.

Before the first Zoom meeting during quarantine, I took care to remove anything personal from my dining room. I moved vases, photos, and teapots until all that remained was an empty coffee mug stand and a few figures in the background. In the foreground were binders, pencil holders, a calendar, a stack of folders. Even at home, I wanted my personality to mean business.

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Erica Gerald Mason is an Atlanta-based freelance writer. Erica’s articles have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Serious Eats, Hey Alma, Byrdie, Vanity Fair, and more. Connect with Erica on Twitter at @ericapretzel or on Instagram at @erica.pretzel.