shopping while black
Hi. I recently had a bad experience in the Pacific Place store, downtown Seattle Washington. I know the Ferguson riots are happening right now and it happened on Black Friday and this happened that following Sunday. Everyone is on edge but this is still unacceptable. Let me give you some background on me. I am a black young women 31 years of age. I work in retail. I have worked holidays for LUSH cosmetics at Bellevue square mall so I know the drill. I know how employees are supposed to act, how they are supposed to greet customers and I have never had a experience like this in this store. I have a love your body card. I have bought hundreds of dollars worth of product in this store in question. My outfit that day was pretty nonthreatening. It just snowed so I had on my REI black jacket and a red knitted cap and my Seattle University sweatshirt on with denim leggings The following statement is one that I posted on Facebook. It has no alterations. The replies and outrage that I have gotten has been enormous.
"Ok so I am going to share this story with you guys. I was at pacific place mall yesterday going to see Mocking Jay Hunger Games and I had time to kill so I decided to do some window shopping and maybe real shopping. I walked into the body shop and I was browsing around and smelling things as usual and was really surprised that no retail sales people came up to me nicely. I had the sneaking up behind me, whispering " I love that smell" behind me and walking away. I worked at Lush Cosmetics in Bellevue square mall. We are encouraged to talk to people about the products. when I was looking at a display I got a " do you have any questions about tea tree oil?" I was no where near the tea tree oil in question. I was on the opposite side of the store looking at a completely different product. I HAD looked at the tea tree oil in question to check if it was 100% ( It was not) I said no and then moved on to Barnes and noble. as I was about to enter, security came up to me and said that the body shop ACCUSED ME OF STEALING I was floored. and I said I didn't have anything and he could check everything on me. The security guard was really nice about it, very apologetic and kept saying sorry. I was angry as I should have been. I went back and tried to get a email for the district manager and maybe a corporate number and their names. I said I was going to file a complaint. I got the 1800 number that's it. As I left the SECOND time, security came up to me AGAIN and said the employees felt THREATENED and I had to leave the mall completely. I was forced to refund my movie ticket and leave"
Am I angry? Angry is not a right word. More like disappointed with humanity and frustrated that people are not having accountability for their ignorance. We need to be the catalyst for change and stop the ridiculous stereotypes. I have been there! worked in stores where they told us that these are the types of people that normally steal and watch out for "these" signs. Was it right? No. Absolutely not.
I do not know how big this will get. I do not like confrontations or even picketing because I think that it disrupts businesses and takes hours away from hard working people when stores are forced to be closed.
let us be the change in the world.
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