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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.
You're Not Needed Here, We Don't Have Any Minorities
- Workplace Unfairness
- Female
- African-American
- Banking - Investment
- Management Consulting
- Stereotyping
- Unwelcoming Environment
As an assistant director of my alma mater, I traveled to several high schools in the South for recruiting purposes. When I arrived at one school and introduced myself to the receptionist she had this look that made it obvious she wasn't expecting an African-American. When my contact at the school came out to meet me she said there must have been a mistake because they didn't have any students of color. She assumed I was there only to speak with minority students. Even when I think about this now I get chills.