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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.
Just to be clear
- Workplace Unfairness
- Male
- Arab/Arab-American
- Banking - Retail
- Considering Leaving
- Cultural Differences
- Flexibility
- Personal Response
- Religion
At my first interview, I said: "Just to be clear, on Fridays I take a two hour lunch because I need to go pray. Just so you know. I can compensate by coming in early or leaving an hour late. I can work how ever much you want. But on Friday I take two hours so I can get something to eat and go pray." I have another co-worker who didn't address it that way and he is always trying to sneak a half-hour here and there. And it becomes an issue with his manager.