Watercooler: throwing gang signs at black co-workers
by Carmen Van Kerckhove
Watercooler is the section of the blog in which we share with you real-life horror stories from the frontlines of race in the workplace. 
This week, we have a story from Erica:
A manager in my company has a reputation for being a very jovial guy.
While he’s certainly very professional and well-spoken when the situation calls for it, he’s always otherwise joking around. Always.
He’s never been less than friendly to me. For the most part he’s very respectful. And he did have a hand in getting me into the position I’m in today. However a couple things he’s said have given me pause.
My company is not very big, nor is it very diverse. Not amongst the professional ranks, anyway. So it stands out quite clearly to me when this guy sees me in the hallway or stops by my cube and acts like he’s throwing me a gang sign.
The first time he did it, I was so surprised I just kind of blinked at him. The next few times, I either told him that he can’t do that, or just to stop. I did not go so far as to tell him that I found it offensive, nor did I ask him if he realized that he only did that to
me and the other black engineer.He stopped doing that after a while. But then a month ago when I cut my long hair very short, he took to calling me Tracy Chapman or Macy Gray. I don’t resemble either of them. At all. My hair’s not even close.
I don’t think he realizes what he’s doing. I know him well enough that I could probably have a “courageous conversation” about it. But I do not like having to be the one to be the teacher all the time, I do not merely want to encourage him to hide, and I don’t want him to feel like he has to tiptoe around me. I’m not really sure how to handle it.
But seriously. Macy Gray? Try Halle Berry.
Please email team@raceintheworkplace.com if you’d like to send in a story, put “watercooler” in the subject line, and let us know what name we should use for you. Pseudonyms and first names are totally fine. You can read more Watercooler stories here.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of 
Sara Garza wrote:
Wow, I would definitely take that offensively. This man, like many others in the world, is very ignorant and his only perception of African Americans is from the media. Why does he think that all African American people are in gangs or throw up gang signs. Or that since you cut your hair short you must be Macy Gray?? I think that you should talk to him because he is most likely offending many others too.
Posted 11 Oct 2007 at 11:57 am ¶
Karim Davis wrote:
Sounds like he is a stupid–if innocent guy–trying to be cool (down, sista… you feel me, right?) He knows what gang signs are and has HBO! Tracy Chapman and Macy Gray… Maybe he watches BET (is there still a BET?).
Okay, dear… he probably likes you, admires you, obviously wants to know you better… but this race thing is really complicated. I don’t know what to say… make a joke if you can, indulge their ignorance, and see if it’s mean-spirited or not. Hindsight is 20-20, but wouldn’t it have been fun to give him a (”black quiz” just to see him jump through hoops trying to prove he’s down, and then hitting him with the truth about its offensiveness?)
Keep ya head up. Me, I think they’ll never get it as long as there are “white” people, “black” people, “asians,” “hispanics” and whatever else… they’re too jealous of one another’s successes to look beneath skin and learn from them. Thanks for sharing, dear.
Posted 07 Jan 2008 at 4:30 am ¶