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.
Hair
I have a co-worker whose office is next to mine. We both have braids in our hair and are dark-skinned.
My peers made comments about my braids and even touched my hair without asking. My hairstyle was very professional and not out of the ordinary in anyway.
I left when the company got bought out. The new company was not going to value my work. I didn't think I could do it again. I was always educating people. Whether it was people asking they could touch my hair or if I had gotten a hair cut, I'd have to explain, "No.
I remember a woman coming up to me and touching my hair. She said, "Oh, it's soft." I was like, what did you expect? Brillo?"
