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.
Flexibility
I worked at a tech publishing company when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I was sick a lot and I got freaked out.
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
Mine is a complicated story. I had been a math teacher for 5 years, got into high tech next, at a financial software company which was #2 in the market, great company. The industry was booming, every year I would get a promotion and get more money, I was climbing and initially I was a programmer but pretty soon I realized that I was "too extroverted" to sit at a computer.
At my first interview, I said: "Just to be clear, on Fridays I take a two hour lunch because I need to go pray. Just so you know. I can compensate by coming in early or leaving an hour late. I can work how ever much you want.
I've been very fortunate at my workplace. When I started, I had a very operational job. I was getting my MBA so I didn't care much. When I was almost done with my MBA, I got an offer from a strategic think tank and I was really happy about it.
I was in the corporate world for 15 years. I lost several family members in a two-year period. I had a wonderful boss who offered to keep me on the payroll and let me take time off. After losing so many close to me, I realized what was important, and I didn't want to die at a desk.
