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.
Glass Ceiling
People's experience varied depending on where you were in the agency and how enlightened your manager was.
Out of 2,000 employees, I was the only Asian American engineering manager. There were a lot of bamboo ceiling issues that were hard to overcome.
You can work at a predominantly Asian firm like I did, but it's still a part of the glass ceiling, because you will never make as much as the lawyers in a big firm.
I worked in the sales division of a popular entertainment and media company. I was there for almost 10 years before I left because I was being overlooked for promotions.
My previous job was with a consulting firm. I was there for about six years. I left because the company I was consulting for was going through reductions and consultants were going to be the first cut.
Always in the back of my mind I knew that I was going to venture off and do my own thing. But it normally it takes something; there is always a catalyst that pushes you to go out there and try to do something on your own.
