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Vote on Desiree Davidson's Story
Were they afraid we were planning a coup d'etat?
I spent my first summer during Columbia Law School at a firm in Philadelphia described as one of the best places in the city for black lawyers. I believed that if there was any place where I would have an equal chance at opportunities, be treated fairly and succeed, this would be it. There were three black female summer associates out of sixty that year but any time all three of us were in an office talking, one of the partners would knock on the door to see how we were doing. It happened too often to be a coincidence that sometimes we would purposely agree to meet in so-and-so's office to test our theory that we were being monitored. Like clock work, ten minutes after we would get together a partner would stop by.
Kevin Rhee's Experiences
One-on-one it was easier to control your identity and I would feel my identity was more respected. In a group setting, sometimes stereotypes would come into play.
For Asian women it's kind of gross but they fit into a sexual comfort zone for white, male managers. So it puts women in a compromising position of having to play that up in advance. But for Asian men there is not that option. There is this automatic stereotype that you aren't assertive and you are not masculine. The stereotype is that we aren't strong, assertive leaders and that doesn't fit your gender and you get placed outside of the supposed male advantage.
I want to advise people that they may not be crazy. If you go into a meeting and you are getting weird vibes from people, the impulse is always to think, "I'm crazy.