It’s hard to
imagine racism being alive in America in this day and age; especially when you
see so many faces of color. You see people of color within the media, Hollywood,
on TV, and even in office. But, with all the attacks, systematic
discrimination, setbacks, and the downfall of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE)
fraternity, it is hard to ignore the fact that racism is very much so alive.
As a south
Floridian, I have had a firsthand experience of racism. I decided, a long time
ago, that the entertainment industry would be the safest place for a person of
color to work. I say this because over the years, I noticed more and more that transgenders,
homosexuals, and non-Caucasians were being accepted within the industry… or, at
least I thought. The Los
Angeles Times (2012) quickly set my presumptions straight, explaining that
Oscar voters are still predominately Caucasian (94%).
Have you ever
qualified for a job, had all the credentials, educational level, and skills in
order to properly do the job, walked into the interview, and never received a
courtesy call afterwards? I have.
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After receiving
my bachelors and having two years of experience within the management industry,
I decided to apply for a higher paying job elsewhere. I received a call that
week and was asked if I could do a phone interview. I completed the phone
interview and was called back to come in. I was asked to dress casually, and
told that the spot needed to be filled quickly.
I arrived 30
minutes early. I reviewed all of the subjects they told me would be mentioned.
I met with the store manager who spent less than 15 minutes interviewing me.
The last question she asked me was when I could start. She even told me that
she only had one more person to interview and that she would call me later on in
the week to discuss the next steps. To make a long story short, I never
received a call.
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I factored out
everything I could have possibly done incorrectly. There was absolutely nothing
I could think of to throw off my chances of employment. And, that’s when it hit
me… it wasn’t me that caused my own demise; it was the color of my skin.
This was not the
first time a situation like the above happened, and I am sure it will not be
the last. According to a 2011 BET movie
consumption study, “81% of the movies seen by black Americans do not
feature a black-American cast, storyline, or even a lead black star”. What does
that tell you? It is time non-Caucasian entrepreneurs start building corporately
successful businesses.
Do You Suspect You're
Being Discriminated Against? Seek Help:
