In 2004 I started working for this small (15 Employees) Laboratories after leaving a Huge Competitor, in the beginning things where normal, I arrived at work did my job and went home, just like everyone else.

After increasing the Customer base and making an impact in the growing industry of Drug Testing for local treatment center in MA, the company (Calloway Laboratories) started to gain a notoriety, one important piece that seem to go unnoticed was the fact this company, Calloway laboratories was also giving Opportunities to Recovering Addicts and Convicted Felons, whom most company would not even consider their application. Although this thoughtful opportunity was good for many, it also had its critics. Like most of society would believe, once an addict and or convicted Felon, always an addict and can’t be trusted.

In 2007 a columnist from the Boston Globe caught wind of what was going on and decided to interview and write a column that featured my Redemptive Story of overcoming a major obstacle of Drug addiction “Land of Second Chance”   Although Calloway had taken this chance and gone against society’s perception, it catapulted the Company reputation as being an up and growing company that was not afraid of taking risk. However, not everybody saw it that way. Upon publication of the Article, and as I returned from a Business venture in Atlanta, the company had made some major changes in Management, and some of those critics had been promoted, That’s when the funny looks as if I didn’t belong, as well as the Stereo typical Comment first began, There was questions about what it must have felt like (Prison) and how long was I incarcerated and for what. do not have a clear job description, or have one that is exceedingly long; set unrealistic goals and deadlines which are unachievable or which are changed without notice or reason or whenever they get near achieving them

I started to notice; I was being isolated and excluded from what's happening; denied information or knowledge necessary for undertaking work and achieving objectives, in some case, given "the silent treatment":  refused communication and when I did have the chance, eye contact was usually avoided (always an indicator of an abusive relationship); instructions were received only via email, Constantly undermined, especially in front of others. Concerns were raised, or doubts expressed about my performance or standard of work, but the concerns lack substance or were simply false; humiliated, especially in front of others by being teased where the intention was to embarrass and humiliate Even denied, sickness leave when the emotional stress became overwhelming, I was told the current insurance did not have an underwriter for emotional stress. When be at home, on vacation, or holidays, I would receive calls from upper management regarding work. I could never turned my phone off, fearing i would miss a call and that would be the reason needed for termination. It quickly became very obvious I was being overlooked for positions that I was more than qualified for, when I inquired, I was told “you didn’t want that position, it doesn’t pay more than what you are currently making “then there were company meetings being held that I was not invited too, again it was down played, “ it had nothing to do with your particular job duties” when in fact, it had everything to do with my Current Position( Sales Executive)  and Job duties, the subliminal messages and remarks of comparing me to Negative African American Subjects started  becoming so frequent, it started to affect my quality of work.

There would be times I would walk into the Office and no matter what clothing I had on, I would get stares and comments “where did you get those Pimp shoes from Pimp Daddy, i suddenly became P-Diddy or comments that suggested I may have still been engaging into my old lifestyle, the feelings of Being targeted/Bullied became almost expected. What became even more challenging is I had to deal with this and pretend it did not bother me “Grown Men Don’t Cry or Show pain” that’s the way I was raised, the old saying “Sticks and Stones may break my bones, but words would never hurt me” started to take on a whole new meaning, because words do hurt, they even hurt so bad, my family became affected, my house was filled with tension on a daily bases when I was at home. The pain eventually became mentally exhausting, because of Panic attacks and episode of anxiety. It affected my social life so much; it was more comfortable staying at home where I felt safe and less stressful  I know it must be very difficult for someone who has never experienced being bullied to understand how much of an impact this can have on One’s Life….Trust me, it’s real.