Faith is the cornerstone of D’Janae Robinson’s life, shaping both her personal journey and professional endeavors.
From our first conversation on LinkedIn, it was clear that her belief in God shapes her outlook on life and drives her decisions. Robinson has always felt a higher calling, though she admits the path forward wasn’t always clear.
Raised in a family rooted in spirituality, Robinson grew up under the influence of her praying great-great-grandmother. This gave her an early understanding of God’s presence in her life. However, like many, her faith journey has had its highs and lows — a testament to the complexities of staying grounded while navigating life’s uncertainties.
Through it all, Robinson’s unwavering trust in a higher purpose continues to guide her as she discovers how to align her life with her calling.
“It wasn’t always easy being a believer, and I can say with my chest because I’ve been delivered from it. I didn’t always believe. I didn’t always believe that I was called to be the light. That’s what I didn’t believe,” she told AFROTECH™.
In her adult years, Robinson became a true “jack of all trades,” carving a diverse career path that included roles such as field operations coordinator at Facebook, diversity and inclusion at Mio, recruiting support specialist at Google, and director of alumni affairs at Huston-Tillotson University. Alongside these accomplishments, she established herself as a public speaker, addressing signature topics like the power of perspective, intersectionality, first-generation experiences, and empowerment. Her expertise has earned her speaking engagements with organizations such as SailPoint, Tribaja, and the Essence Festival of Culture.
Despite her impressive resume, she candidly acknowledges the barriers she overcame, highlighting that these challenges were integral to her journey.
“The ability to work at a Fortune 500 company and being the youngest person on my team and the only woman of color on my team created the understanding of how honored I was to be in this space, but also how disappointed it was to be the only one in this space. So, I made it my mission to never allow what I thought I didn’t have, what I thought I didn’t deserve, what society told me I would never be, what I would never become, who I would never be,” Robinson expressed. “I never allowed that to limit me… I think it’s empowering because I push past glass ceilings…I was going to apply for the job. No matter what society said, I would never become; we shouldn’t be in the spaces that we’re in, but God called me for something different. He said, ‘You spent so much of your time trying to fit in when I’ve called you to stand out,’ and that is a testament to why my resume looks the way that it is because of the versatility.”
On Oct. 31, 2024, Robinson experienced what could have been viewed as a stumbling block. She faced the challenge of being laid off from her job while serving as a financial pillar for her family. This was her fourth layoff in a five-year period. In search of new opportunities, networking, and potentially a new role, she turned her attention towards the AFROTECH™ Conference, dubbed the “Black tech mecca,” a hub for staying informed across sectors, networking, and securing job opportunities.
Robinson purchased a general admission ticket, intending to leverage the expo floor. While it was difficult to fund her ticket, she credits God for making the journey possible.
“Going to AFROTECH™ was a faith purchase,” she said.
While attending a mixer hosted by Google and Water Your Plants, Robinson networked with a woman, solidifying her intention to expand her speaker clientele and land her first retainer client at the conference.
Robinson ultimately secured 56 speaker leads.
“I believe that this woman was a diving connection,” Robinson recalled. She was the missing variable that God knew I needed to navigate the purpose of the expo hall… That is why I left with 56 leads because this was a purpose trip. It wasn’t about the bag. I’ve had the bag. But when I’ve had the bag, I’ve been out of alignment of what God has called me to do. So I surrendered the bag, I surrendered the worldly expectations, and I say, ‘God, put me in alignment with purpose.'”
Post-conference, Robinson has since moderated two panels by connecting with individuals at the AFROTECH™ Conference. That also led to her receiving a sponsored ticket to a women’s empowerment brunch, which led to two additional speaking leads.
On Jan. 8, 2025, she spoke at Hart HS in New York, and is slated for additional opportunities at the Amplify { Women of Color, and The Academy Group’s Tech Roundtable.
Robinson offers some advice for those heading into conference season: “Surrender what you thought your journey was supposed to look like. Surrender what you thought the job title was going to be, the revenue. Surrender it all and watch and watch God do exceedingly and abundantly in your life.”
