Just another story from a black woman working in Corporate America

Ya, I bet your company had a brochure with a picture like this on the front of it with lots of words like “diversity,” “inclusion,” and “value” in it.

They were at your NSBE conferences, NBMBAA conferences, all smiles, shiny displays, the best giveaways.

You were hooked, weren’t you?

Gym onsite. Nice walking path around the building with picnic benches and maybe a little pond with a fountain.

State of the art applies to every aspect of your work experience, right?

Then your first reality check hits you and your diversity utopia, comes crumbling down like a thunderstorm on what was a beautiful day.

I don’t generally like to use this blog for me, me, me stories but I’ve got to share this with you. After a work meeting the other day, a few of us were hanging around and the subject of politics came up. Generally, that’s my cue to head for the door especially when we do have a black man running for president. I just don’t want to be around for some shit that’s gonna piss me off. Well, I was trying to finish my green tea and stuck I was.

…and then it happened….

The lady sitting right next to me found her only contribution to the conversation, “I don’t know. I’m just don’t like to vote for a president whose middle name is Hussein.”

A few people didn’t catch it (or maybe couldn’t believe their ears) and asked her to repeat it…several times, to which she did obligingly.

Shit! I just was not in the mood for getting pissed off or having to school anyone. I’ve already been tagged the angry black woman. Besides, I was chillin’, sippin’ my green tea y’all!

So, to my rescue comes a West Point grad who has traveled the world with the military and speaks a cazillion languages. The white guy who on the surface would appear like someone who would embody entitlement, but I find him intriguing. He’s well read and always brings depth to the conversation.

I went into childlike mode, literally covering my ears after she first said it and yelling (literally), “la la la la la la, I don’t want to hear this.” She still chose to repeat herself, again and again, sitting right next to me.

So Mr. West Point replies, “Well, that’s racist,” and I look at him with a thank you in my eyes for him being the one to call that out.

The rest of the room did what most people do which annoys me, try to throw a bath mat over the giant elephant of a comment by weighing in on their more “sound” political stances. One even tried to make me “feel better” by saying, “Well, I think it’s time.”

Like someone set some appointment on their Outlook calendar and they just got their 15 minute alert saying, “Remember that appointment you made to vote for a black president? Well, your time is now.”

WTF????

The Hussein-phobe eventually closed her argument with what she felt was a light hearted joke, “I guess there are ignorant people out there like me,” with a smile almost smurkish in nature.

Now for some history (this is the bonus track. you can move on with your reading of other web frivolity or read some more.)

I have been telling my husband that this lady never speaks to me and we work so closely together. She literally just doesn’t say anything to me, unless she absolutely must utter a word. I even approached her a few months back saying that I’d like to talk sometime because I feel like perhaps I’ve rubbed her the wrong way and I’d like to know what is concerning her. You know how women get (and I am a woman). They find one random thing to not like and hold onto it and justify it ’til kingdom come.

I never went back to her to talk about our rapport. I get enough of a lashing for being so vocal at work that I didn’t want to invite another opportunity. My husband immediately said she’s racist just based on the fact that she wouldn’t talk to me, but I didn’t want to believe it. You know, I’m the dreamer. A Pisces. Everything is rainbows and butterflies, but I have a tender heart and I just couldn’t bear another dose of that bitter pill that is corporate America.

Of course, I tell my husband the Hussein story and he gives me the, “I told you so.” I’m just so over it. I rejoined corporate America after going to grad school and having had my own business (that paid way more but just wasn’t fulfilling) and will likely return to my own gig (maybe this blogging will pop off) or get with another entrepreneur and work something on a smaller scale.

Not that this sole comment has tipped me over, it just comes at a time where I’m weary of all the bullshit that comes with corporate America.

Stupid racist mutha fuckas! (aaah! that felt good. and i can say it because it’s my garsh darn blog!)

p.s. you should do a google image search on “angry black woman.” the results are entertaining and actually might make you an “angry black woman” after you scroll through a few pages and see how many times Michelle Obama’s photo comes up.