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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.
What am I? Chopped Liver?
- Workplace Unfairness
- Female
- African-American
- Insurance
- Left & is now a Small Business Entrepreneur
- Management Consulting
- Exclusion
- Social Networks
- Uncredited Responsibilities
- Unwelcoming Environment
The other thing I noticed was the male manager would go around to the other men's offices to visit and chat and to build the informal relationships. I said, "What am I? Chopped liver? Why don't you stop at my office like you do you so-and-so's and so-and-so's?" He said, "Oh, I do that." I brought it to his attention, but it didn't change anything. So I started going to his office to try to build that relationship. But it never really felt the same. I had to go through all the extra steps. I had to call it out. I had to go to his office. You have to assert yourself just to be seen.