Black women struggle to find their way in a job world where diversity is under attack

True story. On Saturday 7/27 before being fired by Sandia Laboratory Federal Credit Union (SLFCU), I bit into a pretzel and dislodged my back-left molar. This created so much discomfort, that I could not eat; my face eventually swelled and went numb from the pain.

Because I had been given a pseudo-Wednesday 7/31 deadline on “busy work” by my (2) supervisors—they were clearly already planning to fire me—I did not schedule a dental appointment until the morning of Thursday 8/1. This was 5 days after my tooth emergency and only after I had met my Wednesday deadline. I was fired by SLFCU on Friday 8/2.

The “critical” work I submitted that required my “head down” to complete, was never even acknowledged or reviewed by my supervisors.

Adding insult to injury, when on Friday (before the call from my Robert Half recruiter) I read in a TEAMS chat my direct supervisor’s father had been hospitalized, I messaged her personal phone to extend support and ask how I could assist with any pending work activities.

She never responded to my text.

“The IT leadership team concluded that you did not have the skillset to perform the work needed.”

Imma be honest. If it were not for the loss of my income and the immediate “domino effect” it’s created in our lives, the words of Carol Manzanares, VP of Human Resources at SLFCU, might be the most painful punch landed from this entire experience.

The Tiring Reality of Being a Black Woman in the Workplace: Overcoming Stereotypes and Biases by Moyosore Ale

Wielding an unquantified [rarely challenged] broad stroke to question a professional Black Woman’s competency and to place doubt in her ability to perform her job is the Systemic Racism “kiss of death”.

Competency Bias is page #1 in the How To Successfully Target Black Women in the Workplace playbook utilized by biased and abusive leaders to frame the argument for our not being promoted, to justify paying Black Women less than their peers (who we often have more work experience and education than), and in too many actions to tally, to support the decision to fire us.

Industry speak refers to this as Occupational Segregation as it relates to me as a Black Woman working in Technology.

A purported deficit in our “skillset” is the go-to language of workplace oppression and always [yes, ALWAYS] gets attached to the hip of UNDERPERFORMANCE.

I was not approved to support any of the SLFCU Technology teams as an IT Project Manager, the position I had been vetted and hired by Robert Half to fill. The single time I was invited by the Director of Cyber Security to join a project kickoff call [and accepted with excitement], I was blocked by my supervisor from attending. I was not assigned to a single project among the 85+ technology initiatives in progress.

When my role as IT Project Manager shifted to JIRA Platform Administrator, “the single responsible source for all things JIRA”, I questioned until my last week of employment why my credentials continued to be removed (I had no Admin access for 75% of my time at SLFCU), why team members were not being directed to me for support, why I was excluded from meetings where my work was the discussion topic, and how could I be solely responsible for an environment that had 15 other JIRA Administrators.

My requests to my supervisor for a Scope of Work (SOW) and a Role Sort went unanswered, even after being blamed for a JIRA mishap that impacted Executive Leadership and had N-O-T-H-I-N-G to do with me.

In my “temporary” (coded, weaponized word strategically used to infer, “we never intended for you to be here”) capacity with SLFCU I was also expected to address a 2023 NCUA audit finding that was nearing its deadline approximately 45 days from my hiring, that NO WORK had been completed on. I was expected to wrangle white, male, Technology Directors (employees), with varying degrees of JIRA experience—ranging from some to none at all—to get the job done.

I was informed by the SLFCU Chief of Technology (CTO) on a call with my supervisors and the new VP of Technology, that he had been attempting to get his Directors “on board since last November” and was out of patience.

Okay. So the new Black, female, temporary contractor was expected to accomplish what the CTO had not been successful in making happen in 8 months; and I would complete this feat in 45 days or less.

What’s the difference between the “underperforming” Directors who were not responsive to their boss’ 8-month old ask and Luckie? PRIVILEGE and BIAS.

Did SLFCU Leaders set me up to fail? HELL YES.

Are Your Bosses Setting You Up to Fail?

Allow me to share the email sent on 8/16 (15 days post being fired) to SLFCU VP of Human Resources, the Robert Half International Market Director “managing” my discrimination complaint escalation, and my attorney.

I was fired by SLFCU on 8/2 and the reasons for my firing could barely be, with a clear conscious, articulated to me (never documented) by Robert Half’s HR representative.

Carol in her leadership role, had the privilege and power to ignore my legal counsel, chastise me for a nonexistent “back and forth” (because this experience isn’t humiliating enough), and offer a wrongly terminated, unemployed 58YO Black woman in crisis a chance to provide her “side of the story”.

Carol is also the SLFCU resource expected by Robert Half to conduct an “ethical investigation” of my discrimination complaint.

I and too many Black Women like me, have been historically expected to be complicit in keeping corporate secrets. The real fear of losing our jobs and being unable to provide for our families is used to methodically mute our voices.

I have already lost my job; so many of us have. If we (Black Women and Allies) want Workplace Trauma to stop happening we must do (2) things immediately:

1. Find Your Voice. Stop keeping experiences of Work Trauma secret. Silence leaves Black Women vulnerable and unprotected. It doesn’t matter if you are the target or the witness. Workplace Trauma is abuse. The only thing you have control over in toxic workplaces is your voice. Please use it.
2. Seek Support. If this is happening to you and you don’t know what to do, we got you. There are credentialed, empathetic folks HIGHLY skilled at supporting Black Women through their experiences with workplace trauma. If what I’m sharing resonates with you, contact Jacquie Abram (Employee Workplace Discrimination Consultant), Dr. Carey Yazeed (Work Trauma and Employee Well-being Psychologist), and Attorney Michele Simon (Workplace Trauma Attorney and a damn good Advocate/Accomplice!).

Jacquie, Dr. Yazeed, and Michele are Work Trauma GAMECHANGERS. These Women are Subject Matter Experts in supporting you through what’s happening to you at work. Run, don’t walk.

PINNING DOWN THE JELLYFISH: THE WORKPLACE EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN OF COLOR IN TECH

For readers and peers not impacted, do what SLFCU and Robert Half have failed to do up to this point. DO THE WORK. The Black Women struggling to survive their and your workplace need support today.

Do The Right Thing. Be Gritty. Be Better, Every Day.

Keeping the conversation 100. Here’s Luckie’s Story for review. What skillset do I lack again, Carol? Will SLFCU or Robert Half please share receipts?

Move the needle.

Luckie
Queen of Gritty / #FlipTheTable4Equity