Plenty! This one has been bothering me for a long time. Today there are names in the black community that rely heavily on certain sounds like "esha" and "ita." In my day we had "etta" as in Charlesetta or Jamesetta or "lean" as in Pauline or Emmaline. As a kid those names meant nothing unusual to me and still don't as do the names that are popular today.
However, several years ago it occurred to me that black people might be doing themselves a disservice picking these names, not because anything is wrong with them, but becaue it made them readily identifiable. I was watching a segment on 60 Minutes showing how an equally qualified black and woman were turned down for jobs that less qualified white men and women received.
I was not surprised by the interviews, but it made me think. How many blacks never see an interview because they are identifiable because of their name? A resume could quietly be disqualified if the personnel manager was biased against blacks and the only notice the resume owner would get is a rejection letter.
I don't know that this that this happens, but I suspect that it does more than we know. It is one thing not to get the job after an interview, but it is entirely something else when we don't even get the chance for an interview. This strips us of legal means because there is little way to prove it without an interview.
So, what do we do? I often mentor younger brothers and sisters and when they have an unusual name or spelling, I warn them of the potential for discrimination. Sometimes I suggest using initials, but that is little comfort for those who run into the prejudices of others and lose an opportunity without ever getting a chance.
Ra
However, several years ago it occurred to me that black people might be doing themselves a disservice picking these names, not because anything is wrong with them, but becaue it made them readily identifiable. I was watching a segment on 60 Minutes showing how an equally qualified black and woman were turned down for jobs that less qualified white men and women received.
I was not surprised by the interviews, but it made me think. How many blacks never see an interview because they are identifiable because of their name? A resume could quietly be disqualified if the personnel manager was biased against blacks and the only notice the resume owner would get is a rejection letter.
I don't know that this that this happens, but I suspect that it does more than we know. It is one thing not to get the job after an interview, but it is entirely something else when we don't even get the chance for an interview. This strips us of legal means because there is little way to prove it without an interview.
So, what do we do? I often mentor younger brothers and sisters and when they have an unusual name or spelling, I warn them of the potential for discrimination. Sometimes I suggest using initials, but that is little comfort for those who run into the prejudices of others and lose an opportunity without ever getting a chance.
Ra