In conversation with Gisela Wedina Maria, founder of Black Women in Tech Lisbon (BWIT Lisbon). Hosted by Johnas Chami.

There’s a particular kind of loneliness that comes with being the only person who looks like you in a room.

You might have the qualifications. You might have the ideas. You might even have a seat at the table.

But do you feel like you belong?

For Gisela Wedina Maria, that question became more than a personal reflection. It became the beginning of a community.

Born in Angola, raised in France and now living in Lisbon, Gisela knows what it means to move between countries, cultures and professional environments.

But it was her experience navigating predominantly white corporate spaces, often as the only Black woman in the room, that helped inspire her to create Black Women in Tech Lisbon (BWIT Lisbon).

In the second episode of The Ripple Effect, Gisela joins host Johnas Chami to talk about representation, belonging, career transitions and why building a community sometimes begins with solving a problem you know personally.

When being the only one becomes exhausting

During our conversation, I asked Gisela a simple question:

What does it feel like to be the only Black woman in the room?

Her answer was immediate.

“To be honest, it’s exhausting.”

She described the pressure of constantly having to prove yourself, be bold, find creative ways to communicate your experiences and navigate environments where others may not fully understand your perspective.

But she also acknowledged something important: those experiences can be rewarding when you remain connected to your values and purpose.

For Gisela, the challenge wasn’t simply about being visible.

It was about finding people who understood the experience without needing it explained.

From isolation to community

When Gisela began looking for a community of Black women working in technology in Lisbon, she struggled to find one.

She also encountered conversations and research about imposter syndrome, underrepresentation and isolation among Black women in the industry.

Rather than wait for someone else to create the space she needed, she decided to build it.

That decision became BWIT Lisbon.

The community brings Black women in technology together to connect, exchange experiences, celebrate their identities and support one another’s professional growth.

Its activities include monthly gatherings, with ambitions to develop mentorship opportunities.

And for Gisela, the cultural dimension matters just as much as the professional one.

The goal is not simply to network.

It’s to create a space where women can show up as themselves.

A career doesn’t have to follow a straight line

One of the most interesting parts of Gisela’s story is that she didn’t begin her professional journey in technology.

Her academic background is in management, international strategy and tourism, with experience and interests connected to languages, culture and marketing.

Her interest in technology emerged later, when she began questioning the direction of her career.

She wanted work that gave her more room for creativity, empathy and understanding people’s needs.

That search led her toward user experience.

And perhaps that’s what makes her approach to community building interesting.

She isn’t only thinking about technology.

She’s thinking about the people experiencing it.

As our conversation turned to artificial intelligence and the future of work, Gisela raised another question: Who gets to participate in the decisions shaping new technologies?

She doesn’t want Black women to watch those decisions being made from the sidelines.

She wants them at the table.

The hardest part of building something new

When I asked Gisela about the biggest challenge of creating BWIT Lisbon, her answer surprised me.

It wasn’t funding, logistics or finding a venue.

It was herself.

She hadn’t planned to become a community leader. She had to learn how to step into that responsibility, manage her doubts and keep going even when things felt difficult.

Building trust was another early challenge.

A new community needs more than a good idea. People need to understand why it exists, what they can gain from it and how they can help shape it.

Gisela is learning that leadership isn’t always about having every answer.

Sometimes, it’s about being willing to begin.

The ripple effect

What stayed with me from this conversation was the connection between Gisela’s personal experience and the community she’s building.

She knew what isolation felt like.

She knew what it meant to look around a room and struggle to see someone who shared her experience.

And instead of accepting that as the way things had to be, she decided to bring people together.

One person’s search for belonging became an opportunity for others to find it too.

That’s the kind of ripple we’re interested in exploring.

Because meaningful change doesn’t always begin with a grand plan.

Sometimes, it begins with a question:

What if I created the space I wish had existed for me?

Watch or listen to the full conversation

The Ripple Effect — Episode 02

The Reality of Being the Only Black Woman in the Room

Johnas Chami sits down with Gisela Wedina Maria to discuss representation in technology, the creation of BWIT Lisbon, career transitions, mentorship and the courage to build something new.

Watch on YouTube:

Listen on Spotify:

Connect with BWIT Lisbon

Gisela and BWIT Lisbon welcome people interested in connecting, supporting the community, sharing knowledge and exploring partnerships.

Find the community on Instagram:

@bwit.lisbon

Whether you’re a Black woman navigating the technology industry, a potential mentor or an organization interested in supporting greater representation, there’s an opportunity to be part of the conversation.

About The Ripple Effect

The Ripple Effect is an original Tembea Uyaone podcast hosted by Johnas Chami, exploring the people, experiences and decisions that shape lives — and the impact they leave on others.

Every life creates a ripple.

Tembea Uyaone — Discover More. See Differently.