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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.
Pulling the Rug From Underneath Me
- Workplace Unfairness
- Female
- African-American
- Information Technology/Internet
- Left & is now Self-Employed
- Double Standards
- Glass Ceiling
- Promotion
I worked in the sales division of a popular entertainment and media company. I was there for almost 10 years before I left because I was being overlooked for promotions. I had an excellent track record, great work experience and a MBA but I was losing out to people who had less experience and education because I was a black woman. Then suddenly after years of doing great work and with no change in my output, people were having problems with my performance. When I spoke to a black vice-president mentor of mine I realized this had happened before to other black employees. They wanted to pull the rug from underneath me before I got to the point where I would expect and deserve promotions.