Last week, I had the privilege of attending the 10th Annual ColorComm Conference in Miami. For years, I had admired ColorComm from afar, curious, hopeful, yet uncertain if I belonged in a room filled with such accomplished women. As a communications professional with over two decades of experience, I’ve often found myself in spaces where few, if any, looked like me. So, walking into ColorComm for the first time was more than a conference experience – it was a homecoming.
Attending ColorComm reignited my “why.” As a leader on Edelman’s Multicultural team, I have the unique opportunity to elevate underrepresented voices in a media and marketing landscape that often sidelines them. This conference affirmed that our stories, our insights, and our presence are not just valuable, they’re essential.
I met women at every career stage: bright-eyed newcomers hungry for guidance, seasoned veterans wrestling with complex challenges, and visionary leaders lighting the path forward. We shared strategy, yes, but more importantly, we shared humanity.
ColorComm was founded by Lauren Wesley Wilson over a decade ago, born out of a moment of reckoning: she looked around her workplace and saw no leaders who looked like her. From that insight, she created what started as a small luncheon in Washington, D.C., and grew into the premier annual gathering for executive women of color in communications. This year’s theme, Breaking New Ground, was both a tribute to that founding vision and a call to action for the road ahead.
The theme could not have resonated more deeply for me. As a proud daughter of Newark, New Jersey – one of the nation’s most culturally rich yet under-celebrated cities – I’ve lived the experience of being “the only one” in the room. I’ve carried the weight of duality: showing up confidently while quietly questioning if I belonged. At ColorComm, that burden lifted.
For a long time, I believed ColorComm was only for the most senior of executives. I wasn’t sure if I had “earned” the space, despite my own accomplishments. That hesitation was rooted in the imposter syndrome many women of color carry, not from lack of ability, but from navigating spaces not built with us in mind.
But from the moment I arrived and checked in at registration, I knew I was exactly where I belonged. The warmth of the smiles, the enthusiastic “hellos” from strangers who felt like sisters, it was clear this space was designed not just to affirm us, but to push us further.
Early in my career, I struggled to speak up in rooms where no one looked like me. I questioned the value of my perspective. Over time, I’ve found – and fiercely protected – my voice. Today, I view it as both a privilege and responsibility to speak for the women of color who are still finding theirs.
This experience was shared by so many women I met at the conference. There was a collective understanding, a mutual nod that said, I see you. I’ve been you. We showed up not to compete, but to lift one another higher.
Several sessions struck a chord with me, but none more than the Kickoff General Session: “Non-Verbal Cues for Million $ Moves” led by Linda Clemons, CEO of Sisterpreneur, Inc. With the precision of a seasoned performer and the warmth of a mentor, Linda revealed the science of body language – how our posture, gaze, and gestures communicate power long before we speak. She taught us the “Three C’s” of non-verbal cues and challenged us to examine how we command space.
Equally powerful was “Get in the Game”, a conversation with trailblazing women from the NFL, NBA, and NHL: Dasha Smith, Kimberly Davis, and Lauren Sills. Their candid stories of navigating male-dominated spaces reminded me that being a woman of color isn’t a barrier, it’s a business advantage. They spoke of “informal networks” that create pathways to visibility and power. One quote still echoes in my mind: “Courage is our superpower.” That line alone was worth the flight to Miami.
Growing up in Newark, a city once unfairly dubbed “the world’s most unfriendly”, I beat the odds. I’m a first-generation college graduate, the first in my family to pursue a career in marketing and communications. For years, I spent more time explaining my job than talking about my purpose. But deep down, I always knew: I wanted to help tell the stories of people like me. People whose brilliance doesn’t always come with a spotlight.
That’s why I do this work. And that’s why ColorComm matters.
Leaving Miami, I didn’t just feel inspired, I felt responsible. I want to help build informal networks that boost the visibility of women of color. I want to mentor more boldly, lead more intentionally, and speak up even when it feels uncomfortable.
ColorComm reminded me that we are not alone. We are a movement. We are a force.
If you’ve ever doubted whether you belong in the room, this is your sign. You do. And not only do you belong, but the room needs you. Your story, your insights, your truth. ColorComm reminded me that when women of color gather, we don’t just break new ground – we build it.
Tamisha Hallman is a VP on the Multicultural Health team based in New York.
