Everyone is white?

[eacue]

I am posting this because I need some feedback. I work at a SW Florida hospital and well just like the title says, everyone is white lol. The entire executive team, all the board members, and to be honest, in a department with over 50 employees, I am the only minority. The hospital has this website where staff can post questions to upper management and then they post an answer. I am tempted to ask why the disparity however to be honest I am afraid that I will be terminated if I do so. Has anyone else experienced this kind of discrimination and if so did you speak up about it? Please don't ask me what hospital or what department as I have to be anonymous for fear of retribution.

[mindofmidwifery, ADN]

What discrimination are you facing? Yes, I have been the only minority in a workplace and no, I never felt discriminated against or treated differently because of my race.

[Naturally Brilliant, BSN, RN]

I'm going to echo the above commenter - what discrimination are you facing?

Personally, if I were going to stay in a hospital system for the long-term career and wanted to go up a ladder (I won't), diversity would be a factor in my decision-making. Years ago, before I was even a tech, I worked at an HCA facility and all the corporate people were middle-aged white guys (note: I am not a white guy). Then I did some research on the company and found out that the HCA CEOs ended up Republican U.S. Senators (note: I am not a Republican). So I decided long ago that should I choose to go corporate, HCA was not the place for me. But since I'm not doing that route anyway, it's a moot issue.

[caliotter3]

I started out working in long term care facilities and faced discrimination from the very beginning, until I left that venue, because I did not belong to the favored majority. As a matter of fact, before I took my first job as a CNA, the hiring/training manager made it a point to warn me about how I would be treated and why. I thought that was odd when it happened. At that point in time, and for a couple of reasons, I had not had contact with the majority who work in LTC in that area. How did I deal with it? I left long term care permanently. I entered a venue where I can take steps to avoid people who make my work life that difficult. And I also keep in mind that my work life would not be that difficult if any of the people up the chain would insure that discrimination and other negative behavior were not a factor in their facilities. You can't blame people for taking advantage of the circumstances made available to them.

[Sour Lemon]

Where I work, everyone is Asian. There are a few other white people, but it's rare to see one working the same day and shift that I am. I can't say anything horrible has happened to me as a result. Is there some sort of actual problem, or are you just lonely?

[Rionoir, ADN, RN]

Unless you are aware of a bunch of qualified minorities applying and being turned down I’m not sure what the actual problem is? Instead of thinking of it as a disadvantage, use it as an opportunity to stand out.

[Ponymom2]

Discrimination? Where the discrimination? What minority/majority/color/Creed/religion/gender/shirt color/hairstyle/shoe size?...

Ain't seein' nuthin'....

[Asystole RN]

"White" is a pretty loose term. I am a minority who currently lives in a Caucasian dominated area of the country but there are strong European roots. There are Germans, Norwegians, and some Irish. They take offense if they are pooled together because there are distinct cultural and heritage differences.

I used to work in an area where there were a lot of Africans. The Africans HATED the term African American because they generally only thought those who are from or who still hold cultural ties to Africa should be called "African American." The Dominicans I worked hated being called African American because they were Dominican.

Point is, painting a broad brush of "white" and assuming cultural or ethnic homogeneity is close to the same racism you fear.

Look beyond the color of someone's skin and see them for the unique ethnocentric person they are.

[thinbluelineRN, MSN, NP]

"white" is not very descriptive. For example, mu husband, looks Caucasian but in actuality is Mexican American. So just because people look like a particular group of people does not mean they are.

Also what discrimination are you referring to?

[beekee]

Ok, discrimination need not be overt to exist. If there are over 50 white employees and only one POC, chances are this isn’t an environment that’s accepting of POC. Being the only anything (woman, POC, LBGQT+, etc) is hard and uncomfortable.

Sure, there are some areas of the US where this might be the norm because POC don’t live there. But as the OP, mentioned a pretty large corporation, it seems suspicious that the OP is the only POC.

i have no words of wisdom for the OP, but I do get it. I wish you the best! (I wouldn’t ask the question in an open forum, FYI. I’ve been vocal in the past and people don’t like being told they are racists so it ends poorly for me, you know, the troublemaker).

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

51 minutes ago, beekee said:

Sure, there are some areas of the US where this might be the norm because POC don’t live there. But as the OP, mentioned a pretty large corporation, it seems suspicious that the OP is the only POC.

And south Florida is definitely NOT a racially homogenous area, that's for sure.

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Not seeing anyone that looks like you achieving things in your company can definitely impact your ability to envision yourself moving up. Perhaps seek out a more diverse employment situation? I recently was on an executive interview panel where I was the only white person at the table, including the job candidates. Diverse employers are out there.