Stephanie is a champion of diversity and inclusion. Currently she is the Creative Operations Manager & Executive Assistant at TAXI. She can also out dance anyone on the dance floor, so watch out!
““There was a whole island and everywhere I went and everyone I saw looked like what it feels like to be at home with my family.”
Lets start with where you grew up. Tell us about your experience.
My name is Stephanie Small, I grew up majority in Oshawa but started in Scarborough. I’m English-Jamaican, first-child of immigrants. My mom was born in England and moved back to Jamaica with her parents when she was six and my dad is Jamaican.
The transition from Scarborough to Oshawa was a culture shock, to sum it up shortly. Coming from Scarborough, there was a lot of different ethnic groups, cultural backgrounds and even different religious affiliations. When I moved to Oshawa, it was the early 90s, so there wasn’t much diversity. I went from being in a school with kids that looked like me and resembled me to a predominantly white environment.
You didn’t see anyone who was black?
Not at all. No one. I literally was the only one. It was shocking at first because I didn’t know that there was a world that existed where I could be the only one. It felt a little isolating.
When did you first start dating?
I was thirteen. And I remember his name. First and last. His name was Justin Mood. We went to the same school.
So this was in Oshawa. Was he white?
Yes. I didn’t start dating people that looked like me until I went to high school because I didn’t realize that there were other people of colour in Oshawa until I went to high school.
What was it like in high school after coming from years of being the only black kid in your school?
It was another culture shock. Because when you’re that young, you don’t really venture outside of your neighbourhood. So I knew one other black girl that had come to the school the year after. She was Bajan. We’re still friends to this day. I remember she moved from Markham and Sheppard. She came up to me the first day of school, literally looked me dead in the face and said where is everybody? I remember just looking at her and saying “It’s just us.” So we kind of stuck together. When we went to high school, I remember I went home the first day and I said “Mom, you know there’s black people in Oshawa?” And she was like, “Uh...yeah.” But I didn’t know that because I didn’t really do much. I went to the mall with my friends, came home...The people that were in my direct vicinity were the people I knew. And they were predominantly white.
How would you describe your friend circle now?
Very diverse. I would say I make a point to spend a lot of time with more people of colour--more specifically, women of colour just because I’m trying to navigate and focus on my career and maybe even a different career path. I’m trying to find women that look like me that have also done the same thing or trying to do the same thing. I feel like our shared experiences would help us help each other.
Did you struggle with your Jamaican identity growing up in Canada?
My mom was very, very Jamaican even though she was born in England. She is very proud of where she came from, so she made sure that we were very proud to be Jamaican even though we weren’t born there. I never felt when I stepped out into the world, that I ever had to change that. I always stepped out into the world identifying as Jamaican. It wasn’t until recently when I was speaking to a Canadian--a born and raised Canadian--that there is a difference, but that I didn’t know what it was like to feel Canadian. Because to me, to be Canadian is to be Jamaican.
I still feel very much the same. And that is not to discount anyone that identifies as Canadian and can articulate what it means to feel to be Canadian. I identify as being a Jamaican person, although I was born in Canada. I feel at home there. I feel at home amongst its people, with the food, with the music, with the way of life and the culture.
You speak Patois at home. Is it just a natural shift into Patois?
It definitely depends on who I’m around. When I’m with other West Indians, whether they are from Jamaica or other islands, it’s a natural shift. It definitely comes out when I’m angry. Or when I’m excited. But it’s definitely the first thing I go to when I’m speaking to people from other islands.
When was the first time you went to Jamaica?
I think I was nine years old. Maybe a little big younger, but definitely before the age of 10. I would say yes. But maybe, I didn’t know to identify it as home. Though I definitely felt a sense of calm and belonging the first time I was there. There were people that looked like me. There were people that sounded like my mom and my dad and my grandparents--the people that I loved and still love most in this world. And there was a whole island and everywhere I went and everyone I saw looked like what it feels like to be at home with my family.
What does audacity mean to me?
I sometimes equate audacity with nerve, but not in the positive sense. Nerve can be interpreted as two things...like, the nerve of her to do that! A lot of it has to do with tone. But to me, audacity a lot of times means something negative.
When was the first time that you felt like you had a voice?
The first time I realized I had a voice was when I was working at a bank (that shall not be named) where I felt like I was being bullied by my manager. In conversation with my mom (who happens to be a union rep) I realized that as an employee, I had rights. Once I started speaking up and each time I spoke up, the more emboldened I became.
Do you feel like you are like the go-to person to ask “Is this racist?”
No, they don’t even ask! That’s the problem. I I wish they did! Because then we wouldn't have ads like the one with Kendall Jenner and Pepsi. We wouldn’t have those situations if people were coming up and saying “I don’t know if this is right or wrong.”.
What was the last time you did something you were so proud of?
I created a private group for People of Colour in (Canadian) Advertising & Marketing/POCAM on LinkedIn. The group has amassed a membership of just under 600 people. It's a safe space for BIPOC people to come together and network, share news/information, job opportunities, things they want to celebrate, etc. And, I also created Black TAXI out of the Toronto TAXI office. It's part talent incubator, part employee resource group and the goal of Black TAXI is to find, hire and retain Black talent in the Advertising industry. We just hired 5 paid interns and I can't wait to help them grow both personally and professionally. Both of these programs align with my passion that lies with taking steps to effectively making changes in creating diverse and inclusive workspaces in the Advertising industry now and for years to come.
Do you have a mentor?
I’ve never had a mentor. Not to say, I wouldn’t. I just never had the opportunity.
What do you want the world to know about you?
I would like the world to know that I can’t be put in a box. I know that sounds so cliche, but I think it’s because I’m so used to people taking one look at me and kind of trying to summarize who I am in 30 seconds before I even open my mouth. A lot of the times I find people say “Oh, I didn't know you were this nice.” or “I didn’t know that you were this welcoming.” or “I didn't know that you are so supportive of the LGBTQ community, that you go so hard for the black community at the same time”. There’s so much more to a person than just the first look.
Find Stephanie on the internet at: @stepha_ney