No. I went to regular ol’ Florida State University, and my name isn’t “Tywannika.”

The article mentioned people omitting organizations that identify a cultural group. In some states, such as MI, the applications intruct applicants NOT to include these organizations.

There are other cultures that change their names to make themselves more westernized. This is not just a “black thing”

This is a dumb subject!

I never had to do this ever.

No, I don’t think it’s necessary to “whiten” anything on my resume. I do things to add to it, not change it.. I wouldn’t want to work for anyone who holds someone’s name or college against them.. It should be about competence and professionalism.. And Candyboxxx is right, it’s not just a Black thing.. I know plenty of Asians who do it all the time.

Only a sister would think its not necessary to “whiten your resume,” as THEY’RE the ones who generally tag our children with them idiotically ridiculous ghettoized names that they convince each other “sounds cute” and that “we just like to be ‘different.’” People from other ethnicities tend to engage in changing their names…but they do so to assimilate, not “stand out.” It’s simply not smart to telegraph your ethnicity before you even show up in person…like we don’t have ENOUGH problems, now we want to adopt unpronouncable names that our kids cant even spell until they’re well into 3rd grad! LOLOL

The Chairman of Bank of America, Walter Massey, graduated from an HBCU, Morehouse College, and Bank of America just paid the United States back 45 billion dollars of bailout money. A company that discriminates against someone because of their name and ethnicity is robbing itself of real talent. Black people are talented. A company that doesn’t want to move forward would continue discrimination policies. Black people pump 1.2 trillion a year into this nations economy. Companies better get on board when it comes to hiring talent. Black people are the future of America. The private sector better recognize and stop its flagrant discrimination policies against black people. It is amazing how all these years black Americans have extended the olive branch and all we get back is the same old bulls**t. Black people are talented in all industries. We shouldn’t have to alter our resumes. A black person that alters their resume is just an Uncle Tom looking for an easy job where they can suck up. A company that discriminates against someone because of their name will not be around very long. Black people must work for companies that simply don’t discriminate and let the companies that do discriminate die off. We need to kill hate. Stop spending your money on people that hate you and exploit the companies that discriminate. Let the world see them for who they are.

Black people are just as talented as everyone else and in many cases even more so. We shouldn’t have to, as Paul S. Dumbar wrote, “Wear the mask that grins and lies.” We are black people. We are strong people. We were the first and we will be the last.

Monte_Brown,

I do not know if you have ever had to prove yourself and your abilities to an employer or even a prospective one, but it is an up-hill battle many blacks (and other non-whites)face every day. Many of us work in cities that are racially stratified, where the perception of blacks are negative–especially if we are applying for positions in industries where black people are scare in number.

I myself have altered my resume to conceal that I lived in the City of Detroit (proper). Why? Because I know that there is a negative stereotype associated with living in Detroit, which is 85% black. It also ensures that people are looking at my talents. No, it does not eliminate tokenism, discrimmination when I get my foot in the door. However, it certainly helps. It shows that I am can assimilate, be a team member and have a broader scope of experience than just dealing with black people.

You wrote that black people should not work for companies who discrimminate. Okay, so that eliminates HUNDREDS, IF NOT THOUSANDS, of companies. So in effect, what black people will have done is to cut off their noses to spite their faces. That is, deny ourselves an opportunity to move ahead and help ourselves and our families–and perhaps our communities–all for the sake of not looking like an “Uncle Tom”…? In the words of my favorite cousin, “quit trippin’”.

Unless YOU can put food on my table, or on the tables of anyone else you claim is an Uncle Tom for concealing their ethnicity, don’t even judge.