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.
Standing Up
I would've had some real recourse to report what was going on and wouldn't have had to fear for my job.
Stay your course and fight for what is right. Even though there may be people who may want to put you down, walk with your head up.
Prove yourself early on . . . do not let anyone walk on you when you first start, or they will continue to do so.
I would tell someone to have a clear idea of where they see themselves within the company. I would have them firmly take that stand and use other resources, such as HR and other departments to help them make their work experience more to their liking.
I was groomed to ascend to executive status in a fast track management program for an international financial institution.
My internal client told someone he didn't think he could work with me after what I did. What did I do? I challenged him in front of 600 people. And I got an award for it the next day. But as my friends would say, challenging him was a career-limiting move.
When my boss said, "I hear you're a lesbian." I just looked at her and said, "So?" I was in management already. I wasn't a worker bee - I had a title. It was the first time I stood up to something in
