Several years ago, I had a friend who was going through a hard time. I wanted to make this friend feel better so I went to buy him a card from Hallmark. The Hallmark store I went to was in the new neighborhood my mother recently moved to. This was a different side of town for us. This side of town was predominantly Caucasian. The Hallmark was in a small shopping center. This shopping center looked like one that receives the same customers time and time again. There were two people working in this Hallmark at the time. One was a young lady around my age (18) at the time, and the other was an older lady, approximately in her 60’s. Both ladies were Caucasian. As I walked through looking at cards I noticed the older lady on every aisle that I was on. She did a great job at making herself look busy so I did not think too much of it. Once I found my card and a few other items, I made my way to the register. The older lady reluctantly took me since the younger employee was busy with another customer. I put the cards on the counter as I looked in my purse for money to pay with. When I tried to hand her my money she lightly tapped on the counter, confused I said here you go and she made no effort to take the money. The younger employee was now finished with her customer and was watching from her register. I placed the money on the counter realizing that she was not going to take the money from my hand. She took the money off of the counter and proceeded with the transaction. I put my hand out to receive my change. Sadly she went around my hand and threw the money on the counter looking at me with the meanest look ever. I had never been so humiliated in my life. I realized the she was refusing to have direct contact with me because I am black. She did everything in her power to make me feel inferior. I looked her back in her eye and told her that she needed to prepare herself for the future. I was not the last black person she would encounter and her actions need to change before she meets someone who will take this disrespect to another level. Before I could make it to my car the younger cashier had chased me to the car and with tears in her eyes apologized from the bottom of her heart. “She does this all the time” she said “she does not like people like you and it’s just not right. I am so sorry, we are not all like her.” I hugged the young lady and proceeded to get in my car.
This lady followed me around the store as if I were a criminal. She watched me to see if I would steal cards that cost no more than $2.00 a piece. She belittled me by refusing to touch anything directly from my hand and refused to engage in conversation with me. These actions all diminish equity. I was made to feel like I was not good enough to shop there. Her actions were a horrible representation of Hallmark as a brand. She would have to change her attitude and behavior for equity to be restored. Because of her behavior I never returned to that store.
Hi Monique,
ReplyDeleteWhen I was reading your post, I could see the scene happened to you in that shop. I bet it was really unpleasant to be there. Racism is getting better in nowadays than it was in the past, but it is not gone yet. We still need to work on it to make people realize that is not a big deal about the skin color. My husband's dad was conservative before, and had his opinions about Asians, and Africans. Since I married his son, he got the chance to know more about me, he came to China to visit to know more people here, and he started to change his mind. I could tell that he has become more open-minded than before. From that experience, I only could say, only if those people who have prejudices or biases are exposed to the opportunities to communicate with others who are different from them, they will stand a better chance to practice equity in their lives.
Hi Monique,
ReplyDeleteYou must be applauded for your ability to restrain yourself from behaving like she was. I could feel your pain through your words. Times have changed a little since then but it still exists. We have to make people aware of their prejudice even if it is not going to change how they are. We have to be accountably of our actions because we only have the power to control ourselves.