I didn’t believe I was going to write about this topic but as a latino developer I’m already starting to experience racism. But not the overt kind which is blatantly obvious and socially stigmatized. I’m talking about the covert more mystified sort. The one that leaves you with a weird feeling or questions.
It’s not what is said, but what is not said. What deviates from the baseline reactions. Like expressing ideas and instead of receiving feedback on it there’s only silence and/or timely change of topic. Or them talking and engaging with each other during a problem solving process and pretty much ignoring your presence. And if they do respond, noticing the slight differences in tonality and wording.
Some people that live in denial say it’s just imagination. But after having experienced same or similar kind of interaction with white people all of ones life it rather becomes an ability to detect fine deviations of behavioral pattern.
If we live in the west it’s inevitable that we’re going to have to live with it. The real issue is what we do with it? People have to direct the feeling and thoughts somewhere. Some people try even harder to get acknowledged, slowly compromising who they are in order to be accepted. Some people reflect the attitude. But none are really constructive in the long run.
The best thing to do short term is really to just keep focused on the goal and study the situation. Long term the best thing to do is network with people who share the experience, a social context can buffer against any potential mental health effects of racism.
This is also a part of the solution, it’s just a matter of time before people on receiving end of racism found a billion dollar company with an alternative work culture.
