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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.
Passed Up For Another Promotion
- Workplace Unfairness
- Female
- African-American
- Biotechnology/Pharmaceutical
- Health Care
- Bad Boss
- Double Standards
- Personal Response
- Promotion
I had been with this particular company for almost eight years when I was told that the director of the department was planning to retire and I was next in line. However, before he retired, he hired a young, white man. He was clearly under qualified even for the role he was hired for but he was soon crowned the heir apparent of the director position. I found another job and went to this same director to tell him I was leaving. He asked if I had already accepted the new job offer and when I replied yes, he said, "Well, thanks for nothing."