"Did you watch the latest podcast of Le Vrai Visage?" Paul asked.

"No, why?"

"Your supposed high school homie was on it."

"Sorell?"

Paul nodded, "the woman is a White Tiger, I tell you."

Ravan continued to check the accounts but made a mental note to watch the replay.

It had been four days since Sorell told him to stay away. Once appeased, he still found himself with the eagerness to see her. Sorell imagined all the man wanted was a job she could not suspect the man planned to find her even if they never met in the store. Her attitude didn't change anything to Ravan's resolution.

Le Vrai Visage [real face] was a popular urban podcast where people talked no hold barred. The show invited everyone and talked about any theme imaginable about them or subjects affecting society.

The guests were usually attacked and pushed back to the foundations of their ideology and opinions. Though unaware of most french trends, Ravan knew the show that people watched like a sitcom.

"So Sorell two years on C16, how does It feel?"

"Good, actually. I didn't think I would make it this far, but yeah, I'm still here."

"Why say that? You're good at your job."

"Yeah, but sometimes I wonder. "

"You can only blame yourself for the lack of support from the public," the other host said.

The main host picked up from the comment, "support, you're not very popular since the first interviews you did two years ago. Have your opinions changed?'

Sorell's waited for her right to answer. Here was her chance, "you know, at first, it hurt. I don't know why I expected more love or even understanding. I worked diligently to get to my position. I crushed and betrayed no one. I didn't particularly appreciate hearing people say the channel choose me for my color and that C16 just wanted to ride on the diversity trend wagon.

"First, diversity isn't a trend. I salute any institution that wants to take those steps, revise its recruitment policy, and work on inclusiveness. Second, I'm competent, and I feel some people forget my proficiencies. People in black or any minority communities should seek to be recognized for their skills and not wait for a give-a-dog-bone motion. My pride lies in the fact work got me here. The only way I can open a way for any minority is by setting the example work will get you there because we live in France, and it's our country leitmotif."

"You say our country. Do you consider yourself french?"

"Yes, I was born here. I mean, I do not deny my roots. I know what one has to know about my ancestor's history."

"And you don't feel like you owe or you have to do anything for other black people who'd like to make it like you?"

Joseph, the host, had to go there. The goal was not to roast Sorell but have her say her truths. Joseph Cohen, like Sorell, was a social ladder climber gold medalist. People thought he had it easy since he was a white cisgender Jewish man. When or how a Jewish person's or anyone else's life became easy was a question the man asked himself daily.

Like Sorell, he had to deal with the social misconceptions that consisted of saying Jewish people were wealthy or a form of empathy installed by history that made society closed its eyes on their transgressions. He created his show to break any wall or concept no matter how difficult it was for the ordinary mortal to hear.

"What do you want me to do? Give money to charity. I do that. Talk about police brutality, education within the ethical minority communities; our newsroom does that. It's not to give myself good consciousness. I mean, I am willing to help, but it gets to the point where one has to stand up for themselves. That helping hand might come for you, but if the mindset isn't, there's no point. If you walk into a room and you're the only person representing a minority, and you say to yourself, I will never be the chosen one. Then you won't."

"It's easy for you to say," the co-host said, "you got the education and the chance."

"No, I sought and seized every opportunity. I got rejected, but I bounced back until I made sure I was the best and only choice."

"Wow, aren't you the warrior? Peeps don't mess with this woman," Joseph said.

Ravan could not believe how Sorell held up in front of the host and aggressive co-host.

"Okay, let's get down to the questions. Our website got bombarded when the netizens found out you'd be here. So shall we?"

Sorell nodded.

"The first question is from Nicole. What advice would you give a black woman graduate in engineering who has tried to get a job for the last year and has failed every time?"

"Engineering is a real competitive field. There are only a few spots, and generally, they go to men. I would say think about the options abroad. Some countries need expertise they don't have on their territory. It's a good way to build that work experience, and before you jump on the money and funding wagon, they are scholarship programs for that."

"Okay."

"Do you see changes in the hiring process concerning minorities?"

"It difficult to give figures since we don't do ethical stats in France, but well, I'm here, and so are you, so I guess we can say there's advancement."

"We don't know what you did to get there, though," the co-host added.

Sorell ignored the comment and pursued, "for me, things won't change in a day. I believe companies are more meticulous when it comes to recruitment. I think people should not be afraid to apply. Sometimes we look for translators, and all we get are french candidates who majored in the language. It's rare to have natives; I don't know why people don't try their luck."

"We have a more personal question here from Frank, why did you move from Saint Corbeil Essonne?"

Sorell smiled, "I got accepted in the journalistic school in Paris."

"You fled the ghetto."

"Yes, tell me who doesn't when they can. Footballers, rappers, everyone leaves when they can."

"Another personal question, why don't you date black men?"

Sorell flexed an eyebrow.

"Don't look at me like that. It's from Rudy93 in Val d'Oise."

Sorell waddled in her seat. Here was the eternal stake. A wrong answer, and Twitter Ville would be in flames, "Okay, let me put it another way around." She turned to the salty co-host, "am I your type?"

"Nah, that ain't the question," the co-host replied with a cynical lopsided quirk one could tag as a smile.

"No, seriously, am I your type? You see, I'm a dark skin black woman. For most of my life, people called me tarmac, and black attack, okay. Never in my whole life has a black man approached me."

"Perhaps you should revise a few things. Reality checks are still a thing," the co-host added.

Sorell flexed a brow, "like what? Tell me, I have diplomas, I speak five languages, I make money, I might not be your flavor, but I don't consider myself unworthy of any man."

Joseph's stare switched from Sorell to his colleague. He mentally rubbed his hands as he thought about the show's ratings.

The co-host tilted his head to the side, "you prefer white men?"

"Oh gosh, I feel like I'm back in middle school. What are you going to say next? In all my life never thought someone would say this to me. This is justㅡ," Sorell wanted to scream she'll sue them and cuss them down to the ground where they belonged, but she held back, "it's not about preferences. It's about," Sorell stopped as she realized he sought to make her stoop low. She regained composure and put on her 6 AM smile, "my love life isn't my preoccupation."

"What preoccupies Sorell Nkechi?" the co-host said.

Joseph cocked a brow. Everyone knew how it went down when Kwan did the questioning. Water, coca-cola, a punch or slap, Kwan Alai Yékaye was the black sheep, no pun intended for all shows.

For the first time of the evening, Sorell took a look at the man. He had a perfect cocoa dark chocolate complexion and the most beautiful hazel. Sorell had to admit the man's eyes deserved a u-turn. High cheekbones, chiseled jaw, aquiline yet thin nose gave off seriousness while his head screamed havoc with a complete set of dreads with their auburn and honey-colored tips.

Sorell let herself go to stereotypical thought as she presumed the man probably spent his time howling black rights only to go home to dream and drool about women blackfishing on Instagram.

Behind his screen, Ravan was going nuts. This was anything but an interview. It was of public notoriety the podcast banged nails and crucified. Those who survived the trial saw the public opinion change positively. Guests who lost control, left, or aggressed the host committed career suicide.

Sorell's tamed reaction kept her afloat. Ravan could not be prouder of the woman.

Hi guys,

I just wanted to give you a slice of information.

In 2006, Harry Roselmack became the first black man to present the evening news on France's first national channel TF1.

All this to say, it takes time.