Being Black at Work: Guest Post by Rachael Marissa Edwards

Rachael Marissa Edwards is an art activist and college student who also works at University of Baltimore as an office assistant. This is her account of the work she’s done within a system that protects whiteness at all costs. I am convinced that her experience, like my own within a racist system, is far more common than some would think. I’m sharing this to promote this oft-ignored narrative. This is shared with permission from the author. It was originally published on her Facebook wall. — Kelly, Founder & CEO of Being Black at School

Last week, I quit my job at Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s OrchKids. Let me tell you why.

Before you think this is just a messy diatribe, let me tell you how the last nine months working for this organization at HEMS OrchKids Program looked like and how higher leadership did nothing about it.

On numerous occasions, a hostile racist environment was cultivated and encouraged at Highlandtown Elementary/Middle School by current management; in this case, a white woman.

Dating back to January of this year, a particular teacher and site manager called students, “monkeys”. Let me be clear in what was said, “You all are coming in like quiet little monkeys” — “They (the Black, Latinx) steal things like little monkeys.” Consequently, I wrote a long email about how the racial slur that…