I'm the only minority in a conservative town, with an even more conservative workplace.
I'm Mexican, and I been working for a couple years now in 2-3 office jobs now and I have a bachelor degree.
And I have NEVER, NEVER, been asked if I am from Mexico (aka if I'm here illegally), where every single paperwork on my resume states that I am a citizen. That my elementary, middle school, high school, college and university has been in United States! But the manager wanted to clarify, he said "I understand you were born in Mexico". No! Read my resume it says United States citizen!
Then everyone in that job is white! No blacks, no browns, not anyone from different religion other than Christians. Nope. Absolutely no diversity whatsoever!
I have never been asked if my accent would be an issue! I worked in reception for 3 years! Never an issue. But I lived in a bigger more diverse city, but I moved to this conservative place because of my boyfriend to save money until we both can go back to live in a bigger city.
I can't stand my job. Everyone is closed minded, the costumers are racist. And is not like I feel comfortable to address it to my manager if I felt uncomfortable by his interview too! But I took the job because I needed a job to pay the bills!
Can't stand being the only minority. I said happy independence day to my coworkers before walking out and they said happy 4th of July. Then said will you watch the movie independence day. asked where I can go see it. And she gave me a look of "what" so I said will it be on Netflix or Amazon. And she said yeah I'm sure Netflix with will Smith. Then another coworker was like "she will ask who is will Smith" and both laughed.
Then when I express things of my culture or language (or my boyfriend since he is Pakistani/Muslim). Then is the ignorance that I get from them. And I let it pass because I can tell they live in their own small small worlds that they think some comments are okay to say when in reality is kinda offensive. (Like acting if me or my family are the exception to the rest). They act sometimes when I speak or when I ask questions like I'm an idiot, by their tone or look. Yet THIS JOB IS SO DISORGANIZED THAT THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAD ORIENTATION FOR NEW HIRES OR EVEN A BOOK WITH THE RULES OR PROCEDURES OF THE COMPANY. So I'm learning as I go and it really bothers me that I get this treatment and I feel I cant speak up about it.
Literally another manager said this in front of me, "this country is getting worse. And I don't want to leave to a third world country like Mexico. In tourist areas is beautiful but I do my want to be in the bad areas. Like I don't want them (Mexicans/Latinos) coming over here and being a threat to my safety."
Is a small company so they have no HR....
Is suffocating. I'm just counting the days till I finally leave this job and place.
@amiablePerson5008 Hey there, I hope that things are doing better. Understandably it is infuriating when people make comments that they are confident that it is harmless but the world works that way. I would say don't try to hold these feelings in because they can explode out of you someday, I would recommend talking about it to someone your close with just to vent. Anyways I hope that you can someday leave that toxic environment as soon as possible and that every thing will become better. I hope that you'll have a great day.
Update: a coworker was playing a video of how immigrants are the reason why there is high inflation. And immigrants (aka Mexicans or Hispanics or brown people in this person eyes) bring diseases, we are the reason people can't find jobs, we are rpist, violent people ext.
I tried so hard to not have a panic attack.
@amiablePerson5008 Oh hun, I am so so so sorry!! This is outrageous. Please think about creating and utilizing some type of a daily self-care plan with self-care strategies and techniques to support your mental and emotional health. Being in a position where you are not seen and appreciated for who you are, and only where someone categorizes (judges) you, is a very stressful and usually damaging place to be. Unfortunately I have a similar experience and eventually led to a nervous breakdown at 36 because I let them whittle me down and nearly put out my light! You are worthy. You are beautiful. You are loved. You are exactly who you were meant to be! You are not alone!
I cannot stand people who are like this. These type of people who are doing and saying these things to you are the people who really screw up my "love fully and fully love" purpose in life...because I do not have love for them in my heart for them, but I know that I should. I don't understand this type of behavior! I realize how people get this way, but I don't understand how a grown adult can really think acting this way is ok in any way! I guess the shadow will always try to hide the light.
Again, I am so sorry that you are dealing with this. I know it must be extremely difficult and frustrating to go to your place of employment each day to be judged and dismissed, and treated as if you are "less than", and you don't deserve to be treated this way! I wish you light, love, and laughter along your path, even through the tough times that are often lessons in disguise. I will be thinking of you during prayer and meditation this evening, and I am sending a beautiful white healing and purifying light to your heart with the intention that it fills your heart and washes over your entire self to help protect you from the words and actions of these low vibrational individuals and help you to remain in a high vibration full of love, so that you may be able to look at their behavior as an obstacle along your life path and a growth point for you to learn from, thus taking their shadows and transmuting it to light energy. The dark will always try to affect the light, but don't dim your light for anyone! Shine bright in a world of darkness!
