Learning Out Loud: The Courage to Be Seen

I've been reading Sonali Dev's novel The Vibrant Years. In it, two of the main protagonists—a grandmother, Bindu, and a granddaughter, Cullie—disagree on what the acronym LoL stands for. Cullie insists, based on convention, that LoL has always meant “laugh out loud.” Bindu makes the case—despite the fact that Cullie is a coding genius—that LoL should mean “living out loud.” While the idea has merit, I'd argue LoL could also mean “learning out loud.”

I've been thinking a lot about the principle of learning out loud since I saw the Cowboy Carter concert last month. While Beyoncé once again demonstrated unrivaled mastery of her craft, one of the concert's standouts for me was Blue Ivy.

TL;DR: Sometimes the only way to grow is to learn out loud—stepping onto the stage for the first time. Blue Ivy's evolution from tentative performer to commanding the Cowboy Carter stage shows the power of taking that risk. Three things make it easier: Clarity (know your goal), Groundedness (root yourself in your worth), and Community (find people who support and celebrate you). For Black women, the risk can be higher, but so are the rewards—and if you're looking for that kind of supportive community, I'm creating one. Book a call to share what you need most.

I first saw Blue Ivy perform in London in June 2023 during the Renaissance concert. She was eleven—adorable, poised—and doing well considering she was performing alongside professionals in front of 60,000 people. While I thought Blue was incredibly brave to step on that stage, parts of the internet tore into her, saying things no child should hear.

Two months later, when I saw Renaissance again in August 2023 (yes, I saw the same concert twice—mind ya business), Blue's improvement was remarkable. By the time she performed in Netflix's “Beyoncé Bowl” in December, and then Cowboy Carter, she was owning the stage.

We can debate nepotism, privilege, and opportunity—but the fact remains: Blue had the chance, and she made the most of it because she was brave enough to learn out loud.

Some roles we can study for, but we can't truly know how we'll perform—or where we need to grow—until we step onto the literal or figurative stage. For Black women, this can feel especially risky. Studies show we are disciplined more harshly for the same mistakes school, the workplace, and society.

But if we want to step into our full potential, we must become comfortable with learning out loud. Here are three ways to make taking that risk easier:

1. Clarity: Know your goal. What are you trying to achieve, and why? Sometimes it's about the experience itself—dancing in front of a stadium-sized audience, giving a TED Talk, or your professional equivalent. Other times, it's because you're uniquely positioned to be an agent of change if you take on a new role.

2. Grounded: Be rooted in your identity and worth. As I've written before, when you are, feedback becomes about performance, not your value. At eleven, Blue embodied this—taking criticism, working harder, and leveling up.

3. Community: Cultivate a safe space for practice, honest feedback, and celebration. Blue had Beyoncé's dance captain, Amari, her legendary mother, and a host of internet aunties (me included!) cheering her on. So, who's in your corner?

If you don't yet have that community, let's change that. I'm designing a group coaching program to offer support, accountability, and sisterhood for your professional journey. As I develop it, I'd love to hear how this community could support you. Book a call with me today, and let's talk about what you need most.