Mia’s plea

On my Google+ page a young woman, who works for one of my clients, and who is working on support for minority' issues, reports on how a black woman called her a racist.

The young woman was indignant because she works so hard as an antiracist activist.

I'm sorry my dear, that's the way the world is. More than 40 years ago I was the instrumental figure in the most significant anti-employment discrimination case in the history of America. It resulted in massive long-term employment gains for minorities and women in the entire financial services area. Was I ever thanked by anyone?

Actually I was. Thirty years after my legal victory, the lawyer in my case explained my role and the importance of the case to a black minister who is a mutual friend.  When I was on the dais at his church for a different reason, he described my role in the antidiscrimination history to the Sunday black congregation. I got a 5 minute  standing ovation. Wonderful.

Considering the dozens of other historic successes I have had in helping minorities, for which I have never been thanked, it would be foolish of me to expect thanks or to expect beneficiaries of my activism to even know my role.

I have always done what I do to satisfy an internal moral code. If additional appreciation were needed nothing I did would have been done.