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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.
My boss actually said that black people can't lead teams
- Workplace Unfairness
- Male
- African-American
- Banking - Investment
- Left & is now Self-Employed
- Bad Boss
- Stereotyping
- Unwelcoming Environment
Once, in a meeting the owner of the mutual fund company I worked at said "Every one knows black people can't play quarterback." I spoke up and replied, "I can't believe you have the audacity to sit there and say that." I knew that by saying that my days were numbered.