The Other Side of the Game
What do you know about it? Let me tell ya...
Remember when I was glowing about the story I wrote for this local magazine? The two glossy, full pages with nothing but my words sprinkled on them? Yeah, that one. After contacting the editors about my dough, I was told the checks would be distributed on the 31st of July and my name was just added to the list. Ok, great.
August 1, 2, 3, 4 fly by and the mailbox is still checkless. Beauceup sales paper, but no check. Did someones steal it out of my janky-lock mailbox? I doubt. I proceed to call the admin office back to speak to the "check-cutter" and he sounds about as clueless as they come.
"Uhhhh, let me seeee......I think she sent me an email the other day....hold on."
WTH? I should have gotten my money the other day. There was no sense of urgency (like it would be), just a blatant lack of concern. Eventually, he found my information and said the check would be sent the next day. I'm checking that mailbox today and if it's empty, they'll find me at their front door.
And you know I'm serious.
On to the next.....
I love my job. I work with and meet all kinds of people teaching my classes. From 6 figures to minimum wage. High rises to public housing. The job does not discriminate. Bottom line: everyone faces financial problems, no matter what they do, where they live, etc. Sometimes people can't help the choices that they have to make. But the key is to better yourself and clean up the mistakes you made.
Try explaining that to some of my co-workers though. Those who just don't understand the dynamics of poverty or persons who live in public housing or Section 8. Who are we to judge a person because of their situation? And who are we to assume a person's situation and mindset just because of their color?
I get so tired of some ppl who shall remain nameless having pity on "poor Black people." Looking at them in disgust and thinking that they are less than everyone else. That they aren't as smart as anyone else, so my classes "may have to be dumbed down."
Some days it's more than I can take. I cannot "teach" my co-workers to understand what they have never seen or experienced. It's true ignorance, which isn't a terrible thing. Yet, sometimes it really sad.
Remember when I was glowing about the story I wrote for this local magazine? The two glossy, full pages with nothing but my words sprinkled on them? Yeah, that one. After contacting the editors about my dough, I was told the checks would be distributed on the 31st of July and my name was just added to the list. Ok, great.
August 1, 2, 3, 4 fly by and the mailbox is still checkless. Beauceup sales paper, but no check. Did someones steal it out of my janky-lock mailbox? I doubt. I proceed to call the admin office back to speak to the "check-cutter" and he sounds about as clueless as they come.
"Uhhhh, let me seeee......I think she sent me an email the other day....hold on."
WTH? I should have gotten my money the other day. There was no sense of urgency (like it would be), just a blatant lack of concern. Eventually, he found my information and said the check would be sent the next day. I'm checking that mailbox today and if it's empty, they'll find me at their front door.
And you know I'm serious.
On to the next.....
I love my job. I work with and meet all kinds of people teaching my classes. From 6 figures to minimum wage. High rises to public housing. The job does not discriminate. Bottom line: everyone faces financial problems, no matter what they do, where they live, etc. Sometimes people can't help the choices that they have to make. But the key is to better yourself and clean up the mistakes you made.
Try explaining that to some of my co-workers though. Those who just don't understand the dynamics of poverty or persons who live in public housing or Section 8. Who are we to judge a person because of their situation? And who are we to assume a person's situation and mindset just because of their color?
I get so tired of some ppl who shall remain nameless having pity on "poor Black people." Looking at them in disgust and thinking that they are less than everyone else. That they aren't as smart as anyone else, so my classes "may have to be dumbed down."
Some days it's more than I can take. I cannot "teach" my co-workers to understand what they have never seen or experienced. It's true ignorance, which isn't a terrible thing. Yet, sometimes it really sad.
posted by Southern_Lady @ 9:12 AM
4 Comments:
At August 13, 2007 at 11:09:00 AM PDT,
Charreah said…
girl, not getting paid for freelance work is the WORST! i still look at clips I didnt get paid for, and get a little frustrated, then chalk it up to experience. I learned this lesson myself, be sure to always get it in writing!
At August 13, 2007 at 11:31:00 AM PDT,
Southern_Lady said…
Yep, live and learn. Thanks for stopping by!
At August 13, 2007 at 11:34:00 AM PDT,
Anonymous said…
I'm so feeling you on this post. I think sometimes people use status as a way of determining what authority they have in life. As if money and class give them a soapbox to judge the world. As if!!!
Thanks for this one sis :-)
At August 29, 2007 at 7:13:00 AM PDT,
yummy411 said…
oh my.. i'm so not trying to stand up on my soap box about the last half of your post.. but i will say it abs kills me when ppl say that they didn't have that experience of the black poor and destitute, but still feels knowledgeable enough to judge those 'beneath' them, their ills, their solutions, and how he/she him(her)self can stay away from 'those people'... THEN get fired up when they are treated and judged the same way by whites.... grrrrrrrrrr! it makes my blood curdle!
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