
Feature Article
“Jamie is a young, ambitious African-American woman who is a new mid-level employee at InfoTech. She is the first black person in her workgroup and one of only a few women. She works long hours, produces high-quality products, and works well with her coworkers. Her supervisor is always very pleased with her work and has told her that she is going to do great things at InfoTech. But even though her coworkers are nice to her, she can’t help but feel different from them, and she’s certain they see her as being different too. It’s not that they treat her poorly, but sometimes there is a disconnect between her and them. Jamie remembers the day after Barack Obama was re-elected US President, when one of her colleagues patted her shoulder and said “Bet you feel good today!” She—and half of her coworkers—had voted for Obama, but not because of his race, and she felt uncomfortable being singled out.”