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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.
A good indication of their philosophy and culture
- Workplace Unfairness
- Female
- Caucasian
- Information Technology/Internet
- Non-Profit
- International Experience
- Stereotyping
- Unwelcoming Environment
Once our off-shoring team in China came into our office and worked with us for several months. When one of the Chinese employees told my boss that they needed more time to finish a project he replied, "Don't you fucking tell me you aren't going to get it done. If you don't fucking get it done I'm going to send you to the slum you came from." It was said so loud that everyone in the office heard. More than 3 or 4 people complained to our HR representative, who was unqualified to handle such matters since she was the Vice President of Finance. Having to listen to people being treated like that was really awful.