The Real Ones

Top political strategist Maya Rupert reveals how, for people of color, being real comes at a cost and authenticity is a privilege the marginalized cannot afford—that is, unless we change the system that keeps sending us the bill. . . One of Maya Rupert’s earliest memories was learning how to be in authentic. That performance—the ability to make white people feel comfortable about race—has brought her everything from safety to success. As the third Black woman in history to run a presidential cam