Dear ham radio community,
I am an avid ham. I am a ham of color. I love ham radio and love Ham Radio Outlet.
I have an extensive proven sales background, and retail store management experience (5-years, Radio Shack).
Over the past year I have shown up at HRO Sacramento and dropped off resumes and spoken with the manager. He said they would keep my information on file and contact me if they have any openings available.
At the time I was responding to a help-wanted listing on HRO Sacramento webpage. I also submitted my application on the HRO website as instructed. I have never heard anything back from HRO Sacramento or corporate HRO.
Today, I decided to change my approach. I put on my best business suit, resume in hand, and decided to try and speak to the manager again and show him that I would be amazing at this job. I don’t care what you pay, I don’t care how many hours you promise. I really just want to work at Ham Radio Outlet.
I arrived and saw a “help wanted” sign on the door, part time sales associates.
GREAT!
I walked in and asked the manager if he remembered me from before. He said he did not. I explained a bit of my background and my accomplishments in retail sales, corporate sales for a very well known computer company (~20 years) as well as my passion for ham radio.
Every accomplishment I pointed out was rebuffed almost immediately.
"I was number one in sales in the business sales department for a huge multinational technology company year-after-year."
"Thats not retail"
Pointed out Radio Shack Store Manager background...
He didn't acknowledge that.
This was about the time he started looking out the window and never looked at me again.
He said if I had already submitted my information, they’d contact me if they need people.
I pointed out the “help wanted” sign on the door.
He pushed my resume back to me, and told me that doesn’t really mean anything.
For the remainder of the conversation, he made no eye contact.
I asked him if there was anything else I can do. He said no. I left.
On the drive home it hit me what had just happened. I came back, approached him near the back room and asked him “When a person of color walks through the door asking about a job, and you try NOT to acknowledge that there is a help wanted sign on the door, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO THINK?
I then advised him that this is not OK, and it can not continue. I will not let this go.
I cried on the drive home.
Racism hurts deeply. It’s like a serrated knife pushed slowly and deeply in your back. When the racist won’t even look you in the eye while discriminating against you, it feels like they’re twisting the knife.
Ham radio is not about racism. It’s the complete opposite. Ham radio enables people from all over the world to communicate and exchange ideas and promotes friendship.
I ask the ham radio community – how should I proceed?

