"When I was asked to write a blog post for the diversity and inclusion blog about myself and the committee I founded and my story was completely white-washed and edited to be more “corporate”.
"As a young female producer I needed to bring an older male producer into a conversation with a union representative in order to have enough credibility to have the conversation we needed to have — despite being the lead producer on the project."
Post my 30th birthday party I returned to work the coming Monday with the same hair-do. A creative director interrupted me in the meeting and said "You look like a million bucks. You could easily work for — what is that Arab Middle-eastern news channel? Ahh — Al Jazeera".
"You tell me that my direct, honest communication style works great for the global account that I lead. But then you tell me that I need to change it for American audiences."
"As an executive pursuing an Ivy League MBA I mentioned to the founder/CEO that I was very excited to be graduating soon - he asked if I was getting my GED."
"Every time we have a pitch meeting where there is an Asian person in their side - I get pulled into the meeting as if me being Chinese American would create an instant connection with the other Asian person regardless of nationality or cultural background."
"My colleagues tell me that I don't have any commitments at home and therefore have the ability to stay late at work to pick up the slack from others. It hurts because I didn't choose not to have children - it's how life turned out for me.
"
"A senior male coworker frequently belittled me - specifically by repeatedly telling me how to do simple tasks that I'd shown proficiency at for years (and that frankly a child could learn). He turned to this tactic mainly when called out for his incomplete / incorrect work."
"Three leaders created a disreputable narrative about my communication skills. A less experienced peer played into their narrative and was promoted over me. I never had communication issues in seven years, and it seemed to only come up when I was getting close to a promotion."
"English is my second language. I am an educator. I have been the Equity Committee’s chair for six years in my school. During this time, four other people have taken intermittently the co-chair position. All of them assumed that I am uncomfortable taking notes during meetings.
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"I was an early employee at a startup. When investors came to the office - I and my other female coworker were asked to leave the office and wait in the common area of the co-working space until the investors left."
"I voiced disagreement or pointed out potential issues with ideas in team meetings. I was told I was being negative and aggressive. One particular coworker would cry whenever I gave constructive feedback on their work or performance. I was essentially asked to smile in meetings."
"The firm removed me from a long-term corporate client and placed me with a nonprofit one solely to present a 'Black face' after another police killing."
"During a salary negotiation for an offer I was going to accept the recruiter tells me I'm 'greedy' for not taking a salary that is less than what I made at the time. But then offered a white male friend of mine a higher salary for a role I would have been supervising."
"I am capable to fulfill the roles I am applying for, but I don't get callbacks. One career coach told me it was because my artwork shows up when they search for me and they decide not to call me back."
"In college, I received a service award for my inner city work. During the award presentation, the presenter kept saying how nice it was when affluent white students help poor children of color. I was never affluent, and those 'poor children' helped me more than I did them.
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"My manager told me that he didn't understand why I would want a pay raise (to bring me in line with my performance and experience) because my husband worked...so why would I need more money?
"
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