Thread by @samswey

I moved to a new apartment last month and I’ve already been asked to show ID three times to prove I live here. A thread. #EverydayRacism

First time, I was carrying groceries from Trader Joe’s. I come up to the building, doorman opens door, looks at me and says “service entrance is in the back.”

“Bruh, I live here.”

Then he demands ID and makes me sit there while he looks me up to get into my own damn apartment.

Second time, I’m walking into the building and I get stopped again.

“Can I help you?”

“I live here Apartment number []”

“Hold on, hold on let me have your name and ID.”

“I just moved, trying to get home.”

“Yea, yea but we gotta get to know each other, right?”

Third time, another guy stops me. “Can I help you?”

I’ve been through this twice and not having it. I breeze past him, “I live in apt [], look it up.”

“Hold on, I need your ID.” Now his voice is raised and he’s walking to me. I de-escalate & stay pissed off the rest of the day.

Fourth time, it’s a black doorman (the other three were asian, white, and white/Hispanic). I walk in and keep walking.
“Can I help you”
“Yea, I live here.”

He looks at me. Processes for a sec. Then says “Aight, I hear you” and lets me go.

And that made all the difference.

The next day I talked to my girlfriend about getting stopped at the door. Turns out she’s never been stopped coming into the building.