I graduated from Pennsylvania State University “With Highest Distinction” with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Professional Writing, May 2008. I suppose in the grand scheme of world events, this was no big deal, but to understand the significance of this event to me and to my family, you’d have to know a little bit about my background: I grew up in the Bronx, NY, in a tiny one-bedroom apartment which I shared with my mother, father, and two elder sisters. Both my sisters graduated high school then went on to get married and have children. After I graduated high school, I was unsure of what path I should take. Because I have many humanitarian interests, for a time I actually considered joining a nunnery, but instead, I simply ended up in a series of dead-end jobs: childcare, retail, bartending. Then one day, I saw a brochure from Westchester Community College sitting on my kitchen table—“Junk mail,” I thought, at first. But I picked it up and began flipping through: it advertised a list of classes the college was holding at an extension site just a few blocks from my apartment. Working dead-end jobs takes a toll on one’s sense of self worth and I figured enrolling in a college course might give me a much-needed creative outlet; it would exercise my mind, and improve my self esteem. I walked to the extension site, proudly plunked down the money, and signed up for the college’s Composition and Literature 1 course. I was so excited! I did so well and enjoyed the course so much, I enrolled in the college’s Composition and Literature 2 course the following semester (all the while working full time and attending class part time in the evening).

My parents divorced when I was nine and I worked to help support my mother and myself; we were a team. As time went on, I continued working full time and going to school part time, all the while doing my best to maintain a 4.0 GPA (I figured if I kept my grades up, I’d qualify for scholarships). When it came time to transfer to a four-year institution, Pennsylvania State University was one of the last schools I considered (my mother and I had relocated to Pennsylvania by this time as a means to save money). I was intimidated just visiting the campus! All the young people walking around looked so intellectual, so cool, so…young. What were the odds of a simple, black girl from the Bronx getting into a prestigious school like Pennsylvania State University—despite her 4.0 GPA? Nonetheless, I applied…and was accepted. Seven years after enrolling in Westchester Community College’s Composition and Literature 1 course, I walked down the aisle at Pennsylvania State University’s graduation hall and collected my bachelor’s degree, “With Highest Distinction,” becoming the first college graduate in my immediate family. I was also the recipient of Pennsylvania State University’s 2008 Professional Writing Program Achievement Award and I received an invitation into Phi Kappa Phi, the “Oldest and largest collegiate honor society dedicated to the recognition and promotion of academic excellence in all disciplines” (I didn’t join simply because I couldn’t afford to).
Having made such a splash as an undergraduate, I figured I’d take the world by storm as a writer/editor at some illustrious publication. However, I soon discovered that, despite my glittering resume, writing and editing jobs at the New York Times and Vogue magazine were a bit hard to come by. Nevertheless, three months after graduating, I managed to secure a job as a technical writer with a software company: noHold, based in California. I was to work out of their client’s office (Comcast) in Philadelphia, PA.

A few weeks after I was hired, my company’s VP of Professional Services, Mike Savage, flew out to Philadelphia to train me on the company’s software; the second day (August 27, 2008), he grabbed my body three times, kissed and nuzzled my neck, and propositioned me, stating “You’d definitely keep your job,” if I fulfilled his request. I was stunned: I had studied hard for seven years, labored day and night, sometimes to the point of complete physical and mental burnout, so I could maintain a 4.0 GPA and get scholarships so as not to burden my family. I’d graduated top of my class, been the recipient of numerous scholarships and awards for my academic abilities; now, I thought I was beginning my career as a respected professional writer. Yet here, my married boss, who I’d only met the day before, was soliciting me as though he’d just picked me up on a street corner in the red light district. Was I not being taken seriously because I was a woman?

Of course, I rejected Savage’s advances; when I went home that night, I told my mother what had happened and sent an email to my friend and fellow Penn State graduate detailing Savage’s assault of me. From that day on, things were tense between Savage and I, and over the course of the next few months, he, I believe, embarked on a course of action to make things difficult for me, creating a hostile work environment. I ended up becoming physically ill due to my interactions with him and I was placed on antidepressant/anti-anxiety medication by my doctor. I wrote to the CEO, Diego Ventura, in California, shortly after the incident, and told him what his VP of Professional Services had done to me on his “business trip” to Philadelphia, but I received no reply from Ventura. I also reported the incident to my on-site supervisor, Davon Ortega at Comcast (Comcast is one of noHold’s software clients; as an employee of noHold’s client, Ortega was involved in the hiring process and she and I worked together utilizing noHold’s software for Comcast’s customer service tool, “Ask Comcast”). Ortega, to my knowledge, also did nothing. I eventually reported Savage to the EEOC and to my company’s human resources department, led by one Julie Campbell, the office manager and human resources person (conflict of interest (?)), and a pseudo investigation ensued. noHold assured me, in writing, that my contact with Savage would be severed during its investigation; shortly thereafter, noHold went back on its word and Ventura insisted that I participate in a conference call with Savage and Comcast. I did not; I broke down and was hospitalized. After a couple of weeks, I was notified by Campbell that my claims could not be substantiated; this, despite several company witnesses to at least some of his verbal abuse (Savage had berated and humiliated me on several conference calls at which several noHold employees were present; Comcast’s Ortega also witnessed me crying on the job on several occasions. I also emailed Ortega and had several conversations with her about Savage’s treatment of me). When I received this notification from Campbell, I broke down and was hospitalized again, December 2008. My doctor recommended that I not return to the job at this time. Meanwhile, EEOC notified me that it would be months before my claim could even be reviewed.
Luckily, I have been able to secure some help from a lawyer (though, apparently, the EEOC requires that a company have a certain amount of employees in order to pursue legal action against it. So basically, if a company, like noHold, manages to stay small, its employees can commit the crime of sexual harassment and the company can pretty much circumvent the law! Crazy huh?), but the battle is ongoing and has been physically and mentally draining. I am still taking anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication, I cry on an almost daily basis, I have nightmares, my nerves are frayed, I physically shake; due to my stress and depression, my relationships with my family and friends have been negatively impacted. Meanwhile, it’s business as usual for Savage and Ventura at noHold. I still can’t believe that all of this has happened simply because I am a woman and because I got a job! I didn’t do anything wrong…I just…got a job…

Most recently, April 2009, Diego Ventura/noHold threatened to have me arrested for theft: noHold sent me a laptop so I could connect to their server for projects. Apparently, I haven’t mailed the laptop back fast enough and now they’re threatening to file criminal charges against me! This is ironic for two reasons:
1. noHold also sent me another letter asking if and when I’d be able to return to my job duties (if they suspect that I might return to work, why would they need the laptop back?)
2. Mike Savage physically assaulted me and I seriously doubt he was ever threatened by noHold with criminal charges.
I wish Ventura was as passionate about protecting his female employees as he is about protecting his computer equipment.
If this letter can serve as a warning to future female noHold employees, then so be it: If you’re considering working for noHold and you’re a male—great! If you’re a female—good luck. Just some advice:
1. Stay away from Mike Savage, if at all possible,
2. Know that noHold’s Human Resources will not protect you if something does happen.
If this information somehow manages to reach Mike Savage’s wife (I think her name is “Amy”), then I would also wish her the best. At one point, during his stay in Philadelphia, I’d asked Savage if I could see a picture of his wife (he’d stated that she was a biracial mix of Irish and Korean; I thought that that was an unusual mix and I was interested to see what that mix looked like). I think my exact words were, “Wow! She’s really pretty” as soon as I saw her picture. I’m not sure why a man with such a beautiful wife would feel the need to cheat on her. Well, if Amy Savage discovers her husband’s behavior, I hope she realizes that she deserves better.

Because the law seems very limited in its ability to help me in this situation and to help victims of sexual harassment in general, my doctor suggested that, rather than relying solely on the law and my lawyer, I should seek outside help and support. Thus, I am writing this letter for one major reason: I need the truth of this situation to come to light. I have nothing to gain by doing this; this kind of unsavory publicity is not something a recent college graduate wants to be associated with. I also realize that I might simply be dismissed or written off as “a disgruntled ex employee” (actually, despite any claims to the contrary by noHold, I have reports, which verify that I did, in fact, do a good job while I worked on the Comcast project; the “Customer Helpfulness” percentage rating, a system in which customers rate whether the technical information provided was helpful, went up while I was there). All I can do is state that my parents raised me to be a decent and honorable person; I would never, ever accuse someone of violating me if he hadn’t. I’m hoping that people will seriously consider what I write. I don’t know what will happen to me at this point—I am out-monied and out-powered by noHold. I am now regularly receiving threatening letters from their lawyer. I feel like they are destroying me—physically, psychologically. I am no longer the animated, confident woman who danced down the aisle after accepting her degree “With Highest Distinction” from Penn State. I am no longer the bold, feisty woman who once dressed up as Shakira and sang in Spanish for a class project; or the fierce, passionate woman who sought to start up a campus petition/rally against crushing student debt. I am no longer the happy woman who regularly received compliments on her smile. Instead, I can see the wear of this situation on my face every time I look in the mirror; I can see the strain of this situation on my relationships with my family and friends. But…I am still a writer; if nothing else, I can write about what has happened to me. If noHold does end up destroying me (psychologically, financially, physically), I can at least have the satisfaction that I, indeed, did put the truth out there and if at least one person believes me, it would have been well worth it.

Thank you.