A Tech Down Memory Lane

I'm glad I did not grow up in this generation of young kids today. I may have forgotten a lot of things I grew up with, but sometimes, all it takes is a little hint for me to remember, and suddenly I'm reminded by how fast technology has advanced in such few years.

A while ago I scrolled through my Tumblr dashboard, and I saw a photo of a device that was all too common, but vital to my learning experience all through elementary to H.S. I couldn't remember the name of it, but what I found funny was the caption, which mentioned that the existence of the device would fly over the heads of a lot of kids on Tumblr—which is true since Tumblr's users mostly seem to be made up of teens.

I eventually remembered the name of the device by the way, and it was an overhead projector. I don't even think kids born after 2000 even know what this is.

From elementary school up until H.S., this was one of the primary preferred multimedia device used to teach. Nowadays, more and more school children are being taught with tablets and eBook readers.

It got me thinking just how much technology has impacted and changed my life. I work in digital and social media; but it is not something I saw myself doing if you asked me five years ago. But an average work day consists of me being on a laptop, PC, phone or tablet, everyday to keep tabs on daily tasks.

Technology has facilitated my life in so many ways, and I don't know how I'd function without it this day in age. And the older I get, the more technological gadgets I add to my life. It's going to be interesting to see what's to come in another five years from now.

Job Search: To 'Self-Identify' or Not

Image: BrandonSigma

Job searching can be stressful. Even with the latest technological advances that facilitated the process, there's no feeling like the uneasiness that comes with putting yourself out there to find work. You're putting yourself to the test, reading job descriptions, and becoming self-critical of yourself as you wonder if you're over-qualified or under-qualified.
 
Aside from credentials, experience, or education, another factor people may worry about in applying for a job is their race and ethnic background. I occasionally hear or read interesting job hunt stories from close friends and others, and this is something I think about, but not something I have much experience in.
 
Discrimination is a common practice in the employment industry and even with laws against it, it occurs all the time. It usually has negative effects on marginalized people, specifically those of color. Every year I'm sure thousands of discrimination lawsuits are filed, and a majority of those lawsuits are typically filed by people who are, or have worked at the place of employment. But what about discrimination before getting a job? The tricky thing about discrimination in the job application process, is that you are not aware if someone is discriminating against you. I mean how would you know when so many factors are up to the plate?
 
You may think you're perfectly qualified for a job position, but the recruiter may not think so. And what is the reason why? And one can't say candidates aren't judged by their appearance or how they look, because why else is 'dress professionally' a commonplace stance for in-office interviews?
 
Perhaps that is why I'm hesitant when it comes to self-identifying myself on applications.
 
A few months ago came across an job opening that I wanted to apply for. I clicked the link and was directed to the company's website. I scanned the entire webpage before I entering any information and glanced at the job description again, and saw the details of the application as I scrolled. It was your typical job application page, then I got to the very bottom, and I saw not one, but two questions about self-identification.
 
So upon uploading, entering, and submitting information for the job position, it asks the applicant to voluntarily include their gender, ethnicity, and race. Keyword: voluntary.
 
I thought nothing of it until I wondered how much does this information really matter? I know that self-identification can be used for statistical purposes, and is even used to prevent discrimination, specifically against minorities. Still, I'm not so naive that this need to know an applicants self-identification isn't used to also prevent certain applicants. It reminded me a job interview I once had. The interview was a phone one and the process went great. The recruiter was very interested in my skills and blah blah, and asked me to come into the office for a more formal interview. I accepted and went.
 
Now I'm a very observant person, so when I got there I took note of my surroundings particularly the people there—I noticed something (explained below).
 
Long story short, the face-to-face interview went well and I never heard back from the recruiter or the company. It wasn't until a good month later after reading an article about job discrimination contributing to unemployment did I wonder....hey, it's possible. I will never know for sure, and in no way would I say my race or ethnicity was the reason why I never got a callback, but the likelihood lingers. Out of all the interviews I've ever went to, that was the first time I even had the thought. Whose to say the recruiter didn't think I was qualified for particular reasons? Is it possible I was judged by other things? This is an answer to a question one can never know, and I'll never know why I didn't get the job.
 
I mentioned previously, that in my observations I noticed something—it was the employees. Many of them looked the same; a good percentage of them shared the same gender, race, and so it seemed—religion. I fit neither three. It's possible the recruiter thought I just would not have fit in with the crowd.
 
Self-identify? Let them know who you are by your most easily identifiable physical descriptors, or don't tell them at all? I'm indifferent.
 
Everyday I'm reminded of the stereotypes and misconceptions that plague my race. I get the microagressive reminders from everyday people like doctors, store clerks, random strangers, or co-workers. So when I send in an application detailing who I am from my gender to my race, who is to say a preconceived notion isn't signaling an unfavorable assumption in that recruiters head? I'm not blind to what is out there. Just type black + women on any search engine and see what comes up, or is suggested for that matter. Do you really know if they're taking your self-identification information into account for positive reasons or negatives ones? One can wonder.

What the Verdict Means to Me and Some Others

The George Zimmerman trial came to a with a not guilty verdict. The high-profile trial watched by the world was finally over, but the result came as a shock even though there were plenty of signs that he would walk. The decision to acquit Zimmerman came as a blow to many, reviving the horrors many parents of color fear when a loved one is murdered. 

I wrote about Trayvon Martin last year. I shared the outrage a lot of people did when his killer was out free, meanwhile his family was burying him. I signed the petition to have Zimmerman arrested, and I supported the activists and the parents of Trayvon. But just a few days ago I spoke with my father about the trial, and he said to me "he's not going to jail." As the trial progressed, I shared the same sentiments. Even though I knew this, for some reason I still had a bit of hope that justice would be served to Trayvon. As I listened to the verdict come in that night, I found myself nervous and reawakened when the verdict was read. I changed the channel and tried to occupy my mind with something else.

What happens now, based off the reaction to the verdict, is a continuance of distrust between a lot of people of color (Blacks in particular) and the justice system. 

When the racial makeup of the jury was revealed, some felt immediately that Zimmerman would walk—five White women and one self-identified 'Hispanic' (which can be any race) woman would make the final decision of this case. The jury of all women was unusual to some, but there was some hope that these women, five of whom are mothers, would somehow resonate with grief Trayvon's parents. But that was not the case. In acquitting Zimmerman of all charges, the jury believed Zimmerman's self-defense claim and believed Trayvon Martin's death to be justifiable. With the evidence provided to them, this is the decision they came to. But the decision could have been many things. 

Much could be blamed. Did the prosecution fail to show ill-will given the charges they filed against Zimmerman? The real problem is we only got to hear one side of the story. Zimmerman was bruised and Trayvon is dead. It's a tragic end for both, and they're the only ones who know what really happened that night.

The issue now is the shifty Stand Your Ground Law in Florida and other variations of it in other states. It also means possible death for young men presumed suspicious, which also means profiler's have weight. While it's not a crime to profile someone based off a preconceived notion you hold, sometimes there is punishment if your profiling leads you to attacking or approaching someone in a hostile way because who they are—it's called a hate crime. Racial profiling has been a practice since the abolition of slavery.

The case also revived the calls to free Marissa Alexander, who was prosecuted by the same law for firing a warning shot at her abusive husband who admitted to domestic violence. She was sentenced to 20 years. But this is same law that allowed Zimmerman to go a free man. What does this law mean, and will there be more to come?

The law will be up for debate again when Jordan Davis' killer starts trial in Jacksonville, FL. He was another teen that was killed by a man who fired shots at a car because he didn't like their music. In that scenario, the shooter was arrested immediately. A stark difference in what happened with Zimmerman the weeks after Trayvon's death. In regards to statistics, while one may believe race is irrelevant in this case, please take a long and hard look at this graph and conclude if there's a disproportionate number of justifiable crimes as pertaining to race.