Time to Listen: Real Life Stories
In a series called “Time to Listen” we hope that by sharing personal stories from different members of our Preiss Company family we can all better recognize and understand some of the hardships our fellow employees of color have had to endure.
It’s time for all of us to step up and show our solidarity and support. We need to listen, we need to learn, we need to act. People of color shouldn’t have to fight this battle alone. This is a movement that needs all of us.
Tati R. Jorge is a Junior Graphic Designer in the Marketing Department at the Corporate Office in Raleigh, NC.
Here is her story.
Growing up as a half-Dominican and half-white biracial woman in a predominantly white community in southeast Georgia, I have experienced racism countless times in my life. Not only have I experienced this when people directed racial slurs at me, but I’ve also been exposed to covert racism through casual conversations or subtle interactions around me.
All my life I’ve been misidentified and commonly referred to as other Hispanic or Latinx groups. To some, this may not be a big deal, but this is a thoughtless error that strips away my identity and simplifies me as only one thing.
I’ve been told to "go back to where I came from” even though I was born in the United States.
I’ve had my car searched for weapons and illegal substances with no probable cause.
I’ve been told that I should take being called "ethnic" as a compliment.
I’ve been given nicknames because my actual name was "too foreign" or "too difficult” to pronounce.
And more recently, I’ve been negatively affected by voter suppression in Georgia's 2018 election.
This doesn’t even include the discrimination I’ve encountered for being a member of the LGBTQ+ community nor does it represent the uphill battles or missed opportunities to advance my education and career. The saddest part of all this is that these types of experiences became normalized to me and so many others who were brought up in similar environments.
So often, I felt I lost my voice and even worse, I gave it up willingly because I’ve been constantly told people like me don’t really matter.
I empathize with my black brothers and sisters, because I see them, hear them, and understand them. All of the hardships I’ve experienced and learned from have helped me want to support them without any question or hesitation.
There is absolutely no reason that people of color should be more likely put into dangerous situations and fear for their lives. No person should have to worry about a routine traffic stop or have to fear how their behavior is perceived.
Right now and moving forward, it is important to see and recognize color, acknowledge privilege, and educate each other by speaking up, expressing emotions, and correcting the wrongfulness of others. Take the steps during this time to listen, support, and believe in those who are lending their voice. This is not a political issue, but simply a human issue.
Tati R. Jorge
We encourage any member of the Preiss Company family to share their personal story. Please email Joe.Woo@tpco.com if you’d like to do so.
