BRANDON.T.BANDE // ROGUE0015

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Black Tax

· 6 MIN READ · ·

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Hi,

I'm Brandon.

The things that are certain in life are death, taxes and another thing I don't quite remember. So today I talk about one of them. Taxes. Actually a different kind of tax - black tax. Black tax is one of the few things that holds us back as we try to push in our careers. I used to believe that it only meant the responsibilities and financial burdens that many responsible early stage professionals are introduced to after landing decent jobs and getting opportunities. Now, looking back, I believe there is much more to what black tax is portrayed as.

Responsibilities

Let's get this one out of the way. In a way I am grateful that my closest family members have shielded me from this burden. When I landed my first job, people assumed that I would automatically assume responsibilities (assuming assumptions, lol). And they were right in some way. Over the years our families invest in our futures and it's right to return the favours. But at times, we will not be in the right space yet. In my case, I had big dreams and I still needed to invest to max my capabilities, to support and to be in the right space. Like I said, my closest relatives shielded me from that tax and that freedom allowed me to invest more in myself. The ROI is minimal for now but in the future..... There is potential for bigger payouts. However, there is another tax they could not save me from because they were not even aware of it. Institutionalisation.

Institutionalisation

I first heard of the word in a Kendrick Lamar song and at first I could not even comprehend its meaning. Then I heard it in an Aspires leaders class. And then, as I started listening to hip-hop with a mature ear - I noted the patterns. Yet somehow I couldn't figure out the correct word for it until I heard the word again. Institutionalisation, a word as deep as its length in letters.

Without pulling a dictionary to get the official meaning, here is what I think it means (probably because I write offline - switching on the internet might lead me into a TikTok or X rabbit hole). But from what I get, it is the cycle of habits and beliefs passed on to generations, guided by systems and measures that are intentionally and subconsciously put into place by groups of people. Beyond its use to point out oppression, I firmly believe it passes on some good things too. Like identity. Resilience. Shared Values. And the dark side of it where I come from is black tax.

Identity

One thing that was passed to me from the systems I grew around was that silence meant obedience. In front of elders, children never spoke or questioned. Anyone with a title was never to be questioned or advised. Their words were wisdom we were supposed to feed from. Any opinions that disputed were signs of rebellion. Now, being in a space where my voice has some kinda informal (key word informal) influence, I find myself taxed when I find myself speaking. The tax is due every time I air an opinion. If I question a big organisation (sorry Econet), or a popular belief (sorry AI thought leaders), or a person (no names, still) - it's my name and reputation that are on the line. Last time it was Elon Musk and SpaceX lol, all techies were on my back. When the price hit 205, I was cooked. However, travelling around and sharing ideas and thoughts, I discovered that some, if not most, communities that are more developed have safe spaces to question and discuss these things. As a result, the kids do not hesitate to open up and discuss these things. And more often than not, I find myself in conflict as to whether I should raise questions or opinions (especially in AI) because my identity is rooted in cultures and environments where questioning is penalised. Phew... even writing this, I know someday shege will be delivered to my doorstep for this.

Confidence

When walking, pausing and thinking about your next move is okay. When riding on a motorcycle at 200km/hr (I always dream of driving a Ninja Kawasaki), hesitation can be fatal. At the bottom of the pyramid, self esteem and questioning yourself can be tolerated, but in some rooms we get into, a split-second of second-guessing yourself means you watch an opportunity fly past. Now we are in a space where our minds are cultured to question if we deserve these opportunities we come across. Sometimes we lowball applications because we have little faith in ourselves, conditioned by the environments we grew into. Since 2021, impostor syndrome has been something I have battled with. And probably the root cause of a few timeout periods in my career. As I sit with other people from other backgrounds, I realised some people had environments that boosted their confidence. My environment continuously taxes it. As much as I am almost used to that - it's a pity that it was a tax I had to pay to be where I am.

As I wrap this up (probably because I don't wanna bore you to death with a long article), I would like to highlight that this article is not venting lol. It's a result of a realisation that the black tax that we pay limits the heights that we get to reach. And sometimes the first step to fighting your demons is to recognise them. I am at a tie with mine but maybe, when you realise yours - you can conquer them. Go ahead, chump. You demon-slayer.

Let's connect via the following platforms: LinkedIn, on X as @Rogue0015, or check the Sessionize speaker profile if you want this signal live on your stage. And if you're new here, start with the talks — this blog is their echo.