Are you an Engineer or a Nigger?

6 points by n008 12 years ago | 3 comments

From 12 years a slave..

I can relate with that question even in modern times. With the occasional stare I get from my superior during brain storming sessions. Like how could you possible get such insight being Black? Followed by refutations that defies logic.

It does have an awful effect on your morale, and in most cases one has to persistently prove one's competency to break down the walls of prejudice.

I wonder if other Software Engineers of African descent or other ethnic minorities in the West have similar experiences.

How do you scale through such hoops?

dylz 12 years ago |

Not black but: I'm a teenager (and I look 13/14), so getting anyone at all to listen to me is a PITA and in my last job [helpdesk], I've had multiple veteran employees outright tell me "who the fuck are you and who do you think you are blocking my facebook use", things like that.

Dunno what to do ati that point other than go to HR/their superior and file a proper complaint. Assuming your coworkers aren't some best-friends-5ever thing and your HR is competent, you could always claim hostile work environment

n008 12 years ago | |

I have done that before in a previous job, the end result is I was further alienated. Members of the team distanced themselves from me for fear of saying something wrong or reported. In the end, I had to change jobs because I couldn't fit in.

I suppose its not a problem of race, but a problem of just being different from others, like Age in you case.

subverting 12 years ago |

Lol victim mentality give me a break.