Independent
Software Developer
HR Manager
Team Leader
Accountant
Copy Writer
Customer Service
Virtual Assistance
Ok, I’ve calmed down.
A bit.
I don’t think I’ll ever calm down completely from the racism and micro-aggressions I experience every day.
But it is NOT OKAY.
Especially not in the eCommerce world where I work…
There are so many digital nomads and laptop warriors that have lowered the proverbial boundaries between countries.
Who’ve found success and acceptance from behind the anonymity of a computer screen.
Why is there still room for any racism?
The internet is full of color!
😠😠😠
Today, a customer was annoyed that the only time she could speak to me was late at night her time.
I told her that the time zones were a challenge because I was based in Manila.
Instead of asking for a compromise or a reschedule, she replied…
😮 “I hope I’m not being scammed!” 😮
🤬 EX F*CKING CUSE ME? 🤬
I sincerely hope I misunderstood her.
I sincerely hope she’s just a shitty communicator, and that our eventual face to face will clear the air.
But I couldn’t stop myself.
I replied snappily, “I assure you, I am not a Filipino scam artist.”
But you know what, it’s not just her.
It’s the guy a few months ago that demanded a refund because “I don’t want to speak to a Filipino.”
It’s clients who lowball prices because “hey, it’s not like you live in a 1st world country – your standard of living isn’t as high.”
It’s people who say, “Oh hey you earn pretty well – FOR A FILIPINO.” Why? Does my race automatically dictate my salary range? Funny, I thought my experience and knowledge did that, not my passport, the lottery of where I was born, or where I happen to plant my ass at this particular point in time.
🤦♀️
In my spare time, I mentor Filipino copywriters.
They ask me all the time how to level the playing field.
It’s a valid question.
An African American reached out to me online and asked where he might find a Filipino copywriter. The rate he gave was so abysmally low, I was actually embarrassed for him. He asked me, “how much do your writers charge, then?” I gave him the ballpark, and he replied, “I could hire an American for that price.” I shot back that I knew how much American copywriters charge, and my rate is still 50% of what an America-based writer would charge.
Why do I mention that he’s African American?
Because his name – at least from his social media account – was ethnic.
Beautiful, in fact.
He could have ostensibly been an immigrant himself, but here he is, lowballing other minorities as well.
😥
I’m speaking out.
I speak out against all would-be clients who say they want native English speaker copywriters – when my copywriters are the creme de la creme – and, yes, fluent in English.
(At the very least they know the difference between your and you’re, which is more than what I can say for many Westerners I encounter.)
I speak out against all narrow-minded people that judge capability from skin color, last name, or eye shape.
I speak out against all unfair practices in and out of the work place as they pertain to any type of discrimination – sex, nationality, sexual orientation, etc.
🙌
Am I racist? Am I bigoted? Am I prejudiced?
Heck, yeah.
I’m human.
But here’s what I do, when I find myself being prejudiced…
I CHECK MYSELF.
We all have a piece of this world. It don’t belong to nobody, it belongs to all of us.per
Question for your business
People are instinctively cautious about the ‘unknown’, and about things that are ‘different’. Are there any assumptions, or prejudices, holding you back in your business?
This passage is re-posted with the permission of Ana Warren González at AWG Copy. Ana is a freelance content writer, and proud Filipina.
