Name of Person Reporting Incident:
Sonia BasSheva Mañjon
Location of Incident:
The Westin Bonaventure Hotel Downtown Los Angeles
Time/ Date of Incident:
August 1994
Circumstances of Incident:
- Discrimination based on: gender, skin color
- Event by type: harassment in a public place
Description of the Incident
Attending a conference at The Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles, pre cell phones, and I was waiting just outside the lobby area by the row of phone booths to use a phone. A white man who looked to be in his 20s was in one of the phone booths and as he finished his phone call and was exiting the phone booth, he looked at me and said, “What are you looking at you Black Nigger Bitch”. In my moment of being shocked my thoughts were 1) do I jump him, or 2) walk away. I decided to go find hotel security and tell them what happened. The security guard I sought out was the Black man who I assumed would understand the racist, misogynistic nature of what just happened. He immediately handled the situation by throwing the man out of the hotel and told him he would never be welcomed in the hotel again and would be arrested if he entered the hotel or harassed any guest again, especially me. As he was being wrestled out of the hotel, his eyes were pierced on me and the look, more so than the words, would forever be etched in my mind.
What have you thought about since the incident took place?
I have been the receiver of many microaggressions throughout my life, both covert and overt, but this incident was the first and probably the only one that actually scared me. It happened 25 years ago, but I remember every single detailed like it happened yesterday. It was the first time I saw pure hate in someone’s eyes. Someone who didn’t even know me. Someone who hated me because of my race and gender. It still haunts me.
How were you affected by what happened?
Absolutely! From that moment on I walked differently in the world. More aware of my surroundings and especially how white men approach me.
Who else was affected by what happened and how?
I think the security guard who came to my rescue was affected as he was also stunned at what happened and had to physically remove the man and threatened to arrest him for harassment if he returned. I never told anyone about this experience until now as I write about it for the first time.
What do you think needs to happen to make things as right as possible?
I fear these types of situations are now increasing with the type of leadership we have in the White House. My youngest son has been called the N-word in the 2nd and 4th grade on the school playground and on the school bus when we lived in Connecticut, which lets me know people are still teaching their children to hate. The fear of the other is so great. We need to continuously lift our voices and share our stories and break the silence. Speaking/writing about this for the first time in 25 years is making it as right as possible.
What do you need for your healing?
To break the silence!
