Black History Month
We Don’t Allow Your Kind Through the Front Door
While in Paris for a multi-million-dollar negotiation, I experienced an ugly case of racist mistaken identity
“Education is important because, first of all people need to know that discrimination still exists. It is still real in the workplace, and we should not take that for granted.” -Alexis Herman
Business Negotiations
I was a six-figure C-suite executive in France to negotiate a deal worth $231 million. After three long days, it became apparent that we would reach a common ground to allow both parties to declare victory to their Boards of Directors and move on. We could relax a bit. I spoke to their team leader, and together, we cut the fourth day short at lunch. Our team would leave late the next day to return to the US.
Our hosts invited us to dinner at a very exclusive black-tie Paris restaurant. Being Parisians, they wanted to show us a perfect time. I wore a dress that I brought after I saw it on Whitney Houston. It was a gorgeous black velvet number that left my back and shoulders out. Beautiful and classy. I took time with my make-up, put on my expensive perfume and wore my red bottom black shoes. I believed I looked like the…
