International Student's Experience of Racism and Unfair Treatment at US Service Agency
A Ghanaian international student studying in the USA has shared her experience of facing alleged racism at a service agency where she worked as a server. The student, known as Mabel on TikTok, revealed that she was assigned to serve at an awards show by Exquisite Staffing, the agency she worked for. Despite being well-liked at one location, she felt discriminated against when scheduled to work at another location, particularly during the Gotham Awards event.
During the awards show, Mabel was asked to step in as a waitress for a colleague who fell ill. As the event was winding down, some of her coworkers took videos of American singer Rihanna and her partner, a situation she did not participate in, despite being present with her phone. Mabel recounted her experience of being singled out by a supervisor, who instructed her to clock out and leave, while her colleagues were allowed to finish their tasks and pack up after the event.
Following the incident, Mabel received a notification of her dismissal from the agency without any explanation provided. She expressed her frustration at the lack of clarity regarding her termination and questioned the reasons behind her firing, especially when the individuals who were involved in taking videos were not reprimanded. The student sought answers from the agency's HR department and management but did not receive a satisfactory response.
The student's account of facing discrimination and unfair treatment at the hands of her employer highlights the challenges that international students may encounter while working abroad. It underscores the importance of addressing issues of racism and discrimination in the workplace to create a more inclusive and equitable environment for all employees.