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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.
It's Not What You Know But Who You Know
- Workplace Unfairness
- Female
- African-American
- Biotechnology/Pharmaceutical
- Double Standards
- Mentors
- Stereotyping
Out of college, I went to work for a multi-national manufacture of pharmaceuticals and personal hygiene products. During the period I worked there I had a white male boss who wasn't even a college graduate. Meanwhile, I had a college degree, a great GPA, I had received sales achievement awards...but, I was a black woman. When he joined the company the other white males took him aside and taught him what he needed to know to succeed. They mentored him but I think they were afraid to even approach me. They just didn't feel a kinship with me.