Thread by @ValeriaBrownEdu

Y'all. Y'all.

I'm talking to one of my former Ss, a Black woman, and the micro and macro aggressions that she faces everyday at work...

1/

She's the marketing manager for Fortune 500 company. Youngest manager and only one of 10 black people in a division of 100. 2/

Exhibit A:

Her hair is in braids. A white man pulls the bottom of the braid and says:

"What horse you brought that from?"
3/

Exhibit B:

On one of the floors in the building, it is primarily works on international trading. The middle managers call the floor, "South America." 4/

Exhibit C: They have "Southern Potluck Day.

Someone said, "Save the watermelon and chicken for (my former student)." 5/

My girl is in the Lion's Den! 6/

She has to travel the country with these men. I'm sick to my stomach. 7/

She's complained to HR manager, who happens to be the only black male in a top leadership role. Now they are having "diversity training."

We waaaaaay past diversity training. 8/

Educators, I implore you to start these conversations now. All grades. If your Ss are saying hateful rhetoric, tell them they are wrong... because they are wrong. 9/

Now someone has to try to "fix" 50yo white men. Nah, homie. Nah.

"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."

Frederick Douglass
/End

I'm giving her all my #blackgirlmagic right now. She's alone and the only way we can help her is by making sure your Ss don't grow up to be those men.

Y'all could hire her too. Hit me up if you can make a competitive offer.