“Fair you entered before my son?”
Heidi Adelsman,
Minneapolis, MN.
Working for 12 years as a Pipefitter in Minneapolis and St. Paul Minnesota, I saw few to no people of color or women working in the construction trades unless a large contract required “minorities” to get the contract. One father of a Dunwoody trade school classmate asked if I thought it was fair that I got into the union apprenticeship a year before his son did. And one morning on a job a co-worker commented that an apprentice, “just jacked off in your jelly roll,” when the two returned from a parts run bringing us donuts.
People ask how I got into pipefitting. In 1987, I took a class to learn about higher paying jobs and took the GATB, the aptitude test for vocational career advising. I filled out the exam as a male and scored high in areas suitable for working in heating and air conditioning. I graduated from Dunwoody Technical College in 1990, the second woman in 85 years to graduate from their HVAC program. Not all were rude but the overall climate was abhorrent with pin up calendars and radio shows reinforcing the hierarchy. White men find work for their own and if measured a very large percentage have relatives in the trades. Nepotism reins unchecked.
I then moved on to work in health care. As a Nursing Assistant for five years in Minneapolis at Fairview University Hospital I could count less than five African American Registered Nurses working in the hospital. These jobs in construction and health care are some of the best paying in the state.
“High-skills, high-wage, technical training programs continue to be dominated by men as less than 3% of all construction training programs include women at two year technical programs.” “While fewer than 5% of the total Minnesota workforce did not have a job 15% of black workers were unemployed in 2013 which is a gap nearly twice as large as the national gap. And while only 6.9% of white residents did not have health insurance in 2013, nearly 33% of blacks were uninsured.”
1. http://www.mnwesa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/WFM_SWGM_Eco_Web-1.pdf
2. http://247wallst.com/special-report/2014/12/09/the-worst-states-for-black-americans/#ixzz3Ry2TopGd
Latinx didn’t come to steal job
Jeysi Guillen,
New Orleans, LA
Aspen X
The stereotypes that a lot of people have about Latinx in America.
All the Mexicans here are Black.
Jessica Laursen
San Diego, CA to New Orleans, LA
When moving from San Diego to New Orleans as a teenager I realized the jobs held predominantly by Mexican-Americans in Southern California were performed by African-Americans in the south. Jobs such as janitor, yard maintenance, cook. I began to realize how incredibly complex social “status” is. That it is an intricate mixture of culture, environment, education and opportunity; not race alone. And in that, how we are more similar than different.
Is the scrutinizing of ideas racist?
Joey Klein,
Lakeland, FL.
Why is it that if one disagrees with the claims of a feminist, or an SJW, that the one disagreeing is sexist, or racist? The claim that women make less money than men in the US because of systemic patriarchy can be used as an example. I’m not entirely bought into that claim. Does that make me sexist? Not necessarily. After the research I’ve done, I actually think that the issue is a pay gap, not a wage gap. As a collective unit, women do make less money than men in the US. But does that mean the system is based upon sexism? That depends upon the reason for women making less money. Also through the research, I’ve done, I think that the reason women, as a collective, make less money is not because they’re being paid less, but because fewer of them are working in certain jobs, such as stem fields. But why are fewer women working those jobs?
Is it because their applications are being rejected due to systemic sexism? Or is because they’re merely deciding either not to work those jobs, or not to work at all, so that they could take care of other things? For me, I think the latter question is the answer. Does my rejection of the first claim make me sexist? If you read my reasons for rejecting the claim, no, it doesn’t. But what about racism? For that, let’s look at the claim that police brutality on blacks in the US has gotten worse due to systemic racism. I reject that claim. Does that make me racist? Like the last claim, the answer is: not necessarily. See, again through research, I’ve done, I think that police brutality on blacks in America, as horrid as it is regardless, hasn’t gotten worse. Rather, I think that it’s just a few bad cops painting a bad picture for the rest of the force due to either their mistakes or their individual prejudices. In actuality, most blacks in the US suffer most of their deaths from other black people. At least according to most of the statistics I’ve seen and/or heard of. So does my rejection of the police brutality vs. black America claim make me racist? If you look at my reasons, no. But quite a few feminists & SJWs would, and will, label me as racist & sexist regardless of my reasoning. But why? Well, based on everything I’ve seen, I can only assume that it’s because instead of discussing their ideas with an open mind, they’d rather do their best to censor me by labeling me racist & sexist. That way they can discredit me & avoid my criticism. So I’d like to apologize to anyone if I’ve invaded your safe-space. I know how much those mean to you… (Note: This is the second time I’m submitting this exact memoir due to not being able to find it once I submitted it the first time. If how submitting a memoir could be explained better, that would be appreciated.)
You are smart to be Mexican
Teresa Gonzalez,
Weslaco, TX.
Many people say expressions like this one without taking into consideration its being offensive. They don’t think or recall that being smart or dedicated to your job, school etc has nothing to intervene with your knowledge or nationality. Not because your Mexican they will treat you how they want. This is an example of many “maids or housekeeping” have to go through, because the people think that if they are doing those kind of jobs it’s because they don’t know anything, and just ” because they are Mexican. From my point of view they will be the ones being ignorant people who don’t even know what they are expressing.
Being Latina doesn’t make it easier
Zulema Peralta-Saltos,
North Hampton, MA.
People believe that being Latina gives you a higher advantage at getting into college, graduate programs, internships, and jobs. I didn’t get into college to fit a quota, I got in because I am as smart as everybody else.
We are not taking your jobs
Layleen
Providence, RI
Most Americans say that immigrants ae taking over their jobs but we are all equal its all about the effort you put in
Mexicans take unwanted jobs; Why Complain?
Carlos Rodriguez
Oakland, CA
I’m a typical Mexican-American teenager, who eats beans and tortillas every day. When I hear people who are unaware say, ” We should just deport the Mexicans, they’re taking our jobs.” I can’t help but say something. Mexicans work hard everyday with low wages. If you notice, Mexicans work as janitors, cashiers, and work in the fields. I know that you don’t want that job. Mexicans take those jobs nobody wants and works hard to take care of their family. They don’t complain. While they work, you complain. All they want is a good life.
Hire best person for the job
Angie Balderrama
Reno, NV
My husband is white and lost out jobs to blacks and hispanics, or due to nepotism. I am hispanic but do not speak Spanish so I lost out jobs, even though I understand Spanish. We are both college educated. Very frustrating to lose out to someone you know was not as qualified as you. Hire the best person, period.
Is “McDonald’s CEO Black” racist statement?
Anonymous
Franklin, IN
It seems that this wouldn’t have been pointed out if he were white. It is an important milestone, but with a ?Black President, Black Coaches winning the Super Bowl, and lots of Black Executives at all levels it seems that this is not a necessary statement or headline. I can see that he is Black from his photo. I was more interested in his qualifications for the job and how he made it there.
Black women freedom; black men suffrage.
Jerry Bonds,
Rancho Cucumonga, CA.
However, black women are advancing in education and achieving more high power position in the work force. Consequently, black men have to compete with Asians, caucasions, and sadly spoken uncle tom’s. The deck seem to be stacked against true black men.
