When We Are Seen by Denise Young Summary
Overview of When We Are Seen
From Apple's first Black female executive comes a transformative guide to visibility and power. Praised by business titans like Ron Johnson and featuring a memorable encounter with Dave Chappelle, "When We Are Seen" offers the secret to authentic leadership: seeing others while being truly seen yourself.
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Key takeaways
A Dance of Recognition in a World That Looks Away
In the gleaming Fifth Avenue Apple Store on opening night, Denise Young Smith stood as the only Black woman executive who had helped shape Apple's revolutionary retail vision. When comedian Dave Chappelle approached her and simply said, "I see you, sis," those four words crystallized what had been missing throughout much of her professional journey: true recognition. This moment of authentic connection stood in stark contrast to her 2014 feature in Fortune magazine, where despite eighteen years at Apple - thirteen in leadership - she was bizarrely characterized as "Apple's New Voice," erasing her extensive contributions in establishing over 425 Apple Stores worldwide. The difference between being truly seen and being overlooked became the foundation for understanding how belonging works in spaces where difference is often misunderstood. Growing up in Colorado Springs, Young developed strong observation skills by absorbing adults' stories, watching their body language and tone. Unlike many Black children raised to be "barely seen and not heard" (a protective cultural remnant from post-enslavement), her parents encouraged her to develop her own viewpoints. These early experiences shaped her ability to see others deeply - a skill that would prove invaluable throughout her career, yet one that wasn't always reciprocated in professional settings where she was frequently "the only one."
The Transformative Power of Being Truly Seen
Communities of Belonging: From HBCUs to Trinity Baptist
Navigating Professional Isolation and Building Networks
Building Human-Centered Cultures in Corporate America
The Burden of Cultural Translation and Intelligence
Seeing Each Other Whole: The Path Forward
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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