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.
Heterosexual
They said that Brad had a better way
I was adding stories to the database, and they assumed that I was inept.
I was working as in-house counsel in a small investment company in which the President of the company also owned a small stock brokerage firm. Apparently, years before I was hired the President and his "business partner" used the broker-dealer subsidiary to artificially inflate the stock prices of companies in which they had invested.
I was an executive consultant for a company in California. I worked for them previously and brought in great accounts for them. When they re-hired me they offered me a lesser compensation plan than the new hires who were white men with no experience.
As the Director of a community health clinic part of my job was to change the clinic culture and bring it in line with corporate culture. The community was supposedly a progressive, liberal inclusive community. The corporation located in a different city, was a conservative, white woman dominated reproductive health care company.
I was at the top of my game: included in the top performers bracket, eligible for bonuses reserved only for top performers; traveled all over the world conducting negotiations and evaluating businesses for the company.
I have a pretty elaborate skill set in the high tech industry. My skill set is very diverse. My father had his own computer business. I was always involved in computers growing up. No matter how much I knew, I was NO'ed at the end.
At my work, flexibility is available when needed. I have not experienced any negative experiences in my department. I guess I meditate and excerise before I go to work. Overall I tell myself life is
How dare he...
After working 3 or 4 full weekends I came in for a check-in with my boss. He hardly looked up, blurted out the response which was hardly helpful, waived his arm at me and then said, "Go do whatever it is you do..." Well, that sure did make me feel lousy for the rest of the day.
