Racial Profiling in the Workplace: My First Job Experience

I’ve reflected a lot on my first job, and one thing is clear: I was racially profiled from day one. My supervisor, who was also Black but lighter-skinned than me, constantly commented on my appearance—my hair, my body, my frame. She once told me I had “good hair,” even though I had a perm. She remarked on my petite frame, as if I wasn’t allowed to be anything other than the stereotypical “curvy Black woman.” These comments weren’t compliments—they were judgments rooted in centuries-old stereotypes.

Her guidance on my future was no less telling. She consistently encouraged me to work at Chrysler—a plant job—rather than supporting college or professional opportunities. This wasn’t casual advice; it was an expectation based on what she assumed a Black woman should do. Meanwhile, during employee performance reviews, she described me as “okay”—not top-notch—as a janitor. The implication was subtle but clear: Black women are expected to be messy, inferior, or “just okay” in the workplace, not to mention the overall stereotype that black women are nasty/don’t clean up their homes!

Every comment, every piece of advice, and every evaluation was filtered through racial stereotypes. I was not being assessed as an individual with potential, but as a caricature of what society expects Black women to be. The experience was frustrating, limiting, and deeply unfair—but it also taught me something vital: we have to recognize these patterns and call them out.

Racial profiling doesn’t always come in the form of overt discrimination. Sometimes it’s hidden in the casual “advice,” the backhanded compliments, and the assumptions about your abilities or body. Speaking up and sharing our experiences is the first step toward dismantling these toxic expectations.