- A coworker sees you and several Black colleagues at a casual lunch. Back at the office he/she later asks, "What was that meeting all about?"
- You arrive at work on time as usual. Your boss, making her rounds, peeks in and remarks with surprise, "Oh, you're here!"
- A colleague says with a broad smile, "You know, I really like you. When I see you, I don't see color. I don't think of you as Black."
- After a staff meeting, your boss suggests, "you need to work at making others more comfortable with you...why don't you smile more often?"
- You tell your manager about a problem you are having and the response you get is "You've got to be exaggerating! I find that hard to believe."
- You are told you are "rough around the edges" despite your completion of many professional development programs and it is suggested you emulate the behavior of a non-person of color colleague.
- You continually get more responsibility, but no authority.
- You are being recognized at a company banquet. As you approach the stage to receive your company's highest achievement award, your corporations' top executive exclaims, "Yo homeboy, congratulations".
- You arrive at an offsite business retreat dressed in business casual attire. Your non-persons of color peers approach and ask why you are always so dressed up?
- You are told you are decreasing your effectiveness with your aggressive style.
- You are frequently asked why you change your hairstyle so often.
- Your first name is arbitrarily shortened to one or two syllables without your permission.
- You are asked every summer if Black people tan.
- After a coworker returns from a weekend in the sun, they run to you on Monday morning and extend their arms to touch yours and say, "Hey I'm darker than you".
- Walking through the hall with colleagues, you exchange greetings with two other Blacks you pass along the way. Your colleague says in amazement, "My you know so many people."
- You are told your attitude is affecting others. You are asked to..."lighten up, not be so serious about the work. Smile and laugh more often, to make others more comfortable working with you".
- You realize that at times you must "dumb down" appearing to be dependent and unaware, so that your manager and peers feel they are helping you...
- You have to perform at 250% just to stay even.
- You have to document everything. You've learned the hard way.
- You assumed that all that was required of you was to work hard and get the job done.
I left Corporate America in 2002 to start my own consultancy.
However this list brings back so many memories. Do any of the items on this list resonate with you? Do you have any other suggestions to add to this list?
