Surprise, surprise—I’m writing about Beyoncé’s Grammy win, right? I said to one of my best friends, there is no way the Recording Academy is going to give her Album of the Year (AOTY).

I guess my thinking was that, like most black women, Beyoncé is often penalised for outshining her white counterparts. We know as black women in the working world, we tread a tricky line—needing to be twice as good as our white colleagues, but heaven forbid our work outshines anyone else’s or sets the standard for excellence. That accomplishment isn’t revered or celebrated; it is ridiculed and condemned, leaving our work ignored or unfairly critiqued.

Some of you may read my last paragraph and feel that Beyoncé is unrelatable due to her level of wealth compared to the everyday black woman. But there is no amount of wealth that can shield you from being denied your dues. So I do believe there are many lessons to learn from her overdue Album of the Year win last week. One key lesson is the power of persistence.