Thinking Out Loud: The Art of Code Switching

October 2, 2026 - 7:30 am

Smiling man in a home recording studio sits beside a microphone and pop filter, creating a warm, friendly podcasting scene.

Kevin P. Henry

Many of you might have heard the term code switching. First of all, all of us code switch from time to time. The language I use at a pickup basketball game with my guys is going to be a lot different than the language I use if I’m in church.

We all adapt, but as a Black man, the weight of code switching on a regular basis can be significantly heavier.

So your Black friend might appear completely comfortable being the only person of color in a social setting or in the workplace. What appears to be comfort, though, may actually be their proficiency in the art of code switching.

For many of us, this has become second nature. We have learned to adjust our language, our tone, appearance, body language, humor, and even our emotional responses to navigate predominantly white spaces.

Sometimes we don’t want to make white people uncomfortable, so we don’t bring up topics about race or other controversies. A long time ago, I learned to read the room carefully and manage myself like tiptoeing through a minefield.

But being skilled at navigating these spaces doesn’t necessarily mean that I feel safe or that I belong.

I set my code-switching meter to a high level when I visit rural areas where I can literally go days without seeing another person of color. In those environments, code switching is tied to survival instinct.

I have spent time in places with documented histories of racial discrimination and hate crimes. Now, I know not everyone in those places shares those attitudes, but history and present-day racism keep the subject in the back of my mind.

Studies show that ongoing code switching can cause emotional and psychological harm to people of color. One article worth reading is “The Costs of Code-Switching,” published by the Harvard Business Review.

So when you see your Black friend smiling and appearing to be at ease in a social situation or at work, it may just be a case of them adapting to the social environment like a chameleon, showing that they have perfected the art of code switching.