Beyond samboism: confronting racial misidentification in the workplace

What it means when colleagues think you’re that other black girl

“Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future, and renders the present inaccessible.” — Maya Angelou.

A few years back, I took a moment to address an issue with a white colleague who had, on more than three occasions, mistakenly referred to our South East Asian colleague by the wrong name. Since my white colleague and I were on good terms, I felt comfortable pointing out that she could prevent such mistakes by double-checking the name displayed on the screen, rather than assuming they all share the name “Raj.” By the way there was no Raj on our project team, which made it more embarrassing. And each time she did so, I noted my colleagues discomfort but he said nothing.

Granted, I might have remained silent, but this was not an isolated incident. On a previous occasion, she had mistakenly referred to my Chinese colleague and very dear friend as someone else — I expect another person of Asian heritage. This recurring oversight, on her part, was unsettling and created discomfort, particularly for those of us who have felt overlooked or undifferentiated by colleagues we…