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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.
This was the cycle
- Workplace Unfairness
- Female
- Arab/Arab-American
- Information Technology/Internet
- Considering Leaving
- Bad Boss
- Benefits
- Human Resources
- Mentors
After I left, the HR person sent me an email about mentoring. This was the cycle. They don't offer me much, but when I say I am leaving or complain they tell me there was a mentoring program. I asked for an ergonomic evaluation and they say they filed the request. But when my manager sees me, he harasses me about it.

