More from Beyoncé

I had to go and chop down that wood and build my own table. Then I had to invite the best there was to have a seat.

B

Beyoncé

Dear Class of 2020 Virtual Commencement, 2020

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The Story Behind This Quote

Beyoncé describes her decision to build her own company — owning her masters, her art, her future, and writing her own story. The entertainment business, she says, is still very sexist, still very male-dominated, and she didn't see enough female role models given the opportunity to do what she knew she had to do: run her label and management company, direct her films, produce her tours. Not enough Black women had a seat at the table. So instead of waiting for an invitation, she built her own table — and then filled it with supremely qualified people who had been turned down at major corporations because of their gender or race. The metaphor of chopping wood and building your own table transforms the familiar 'seat at the table' conversation from one about inclusion into one about creation and ownership.

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