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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.
No, I'm not Clair
- Workplace Unfairness
- Female
- African-American
- Banking - Investment
- Considering Leaving
- Health Care
- Bad Boss
- Humiliation
- Mistaken Identity
- Rudeness
- Stereotyping
Audit time came and the records of the white man I was replacing were all disorganized. Numbers didn't balance. Thing didn't add up. Because I replaced him, my boss was coming to me to find information for the auditors. Every half hour he would come to me for something that the auditors needed. By 1:00 PM, I was nickeled and dimed out. I said, "Okay, wait a minute. Can you just get me list of things you need and I can get it for you all at once?" He looked at me and said, "Come with me." I said, "Where?" He said, "Upstairs." "Why?" "To discuss your job." I said, "To discuss my job?" Everyone in the department is watching this. I was like, "Is this real or am I back in middle school being marched off to the principle's office." He got to the vice president's office and he paced and ranted and raved that the audit was going the way it was as if it were my fault - all in front of the vice president. He was going on and on about how I couldn't even use a calculator. I figured that he was just upset that the audit wasn't going as well as it should. So I sat there and did my deep breathing as he did his ranting and raving. Finally, the Vice President asked me, "What do you think the problem is?" I said, "I know my boss has some problems with a coworker of mine and I think he is getting my personality confused with her. Sometimes when he is talking to me, he thinks he is talking to her." As soon as I said the word "her," he said, "Claire! Oh SHIT!" I said, "No I'm not Clair, I'm Vanessa." He kind of smiled and said I could go downstairs.