Thank You

I must be hormonal... nonetheless, it's been a long time since I've blogged and I feel a need to say...

I am thankful that everytime my son says "I want rice" there is rice is in the rice cooker to feed him. 

I am thankful that my father cooks a fresh pot of rice for my son every day (even though he's diabetic and I constantly scold him that he needs to cut back on eating rice himself). 

I am thankful that my father is still alive, healthy and strong so that he can cook said rice for my son. 

I am thankful that every time we need to make rice, there is rice in the rice dispenser. 

I am thankful that anytime we are running low on rice, anyone in our home can run to the store and buy more. 

I am thankful that we have Filipino markets close to our home to buy said rice. 

I am thankful that we have never had to worry about not having money to puchase food for our child. 

I am thankful for the child that we were blessed with, and for his healthy appetite, and everything about him.

I am thankful for my husband, who worked so hard with me to have our son and is a wonderful father. 

I am thankful for my parents, even though we still argue, fuss and fight - I am so glad they are able to play an active role in their grandchild's life. 

I am thankful for my health, my strength, my job, my life - and for all of my blessings. 

I don't say it enough - thank you, Lord. 

8/3/2011 - The "incident"

To the Management Executives of the La Costa Resort and Spa,


On Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011 my husband, an associate of ours, and I attended the Mercury Insurance Open at your venue. To say that it was our pleasure to attend this event at your venue would be inaccurate and quite the opposite. In fact, it was very well one of the worst experiences that each of us has ever had due to the horrid treatment we received from your staff.

As a Human Resources and business professional, I am well versed on discrimination and the protected categories outlined by the law. I often advise my clients on best practices to ensure that they are not discriminatory towards their employees, customers or vendors. This is important not only because it helps mitigate risk and avoid law suits, but it is also the respectful and right thing to do.

I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to live in various parts of the United States and to have traveled to various places in the world. Until I had the opportunity to attend an event at your venue, I never personally experienced such obvious and blatant racial discrimination. On at least three separate occasions your employees ignored me, my husband and my associate, proceeded past us, and offered their services to the Caucasian individuals surrounding us.

Your company boasts of deluxe accommodations, world class amenities and premier services available at your resort. I am not privy to your company's marketing strategy, however I assume from my experience this is a white-only venue, and therefore you should clarify that accordingly in your communications to the public. If this is not the case, I strongly encourage you partner with a third-party vendor to conduct diversity training with every member of your staff immediately to help ensure that no one else experience the flagrant racial discrimination that we did.

We have shared our experience with many of our associates who are disgusted with your practices and they have insisted that I write this letter to you. Should you desire a conversation with me to discuss this experience further, please do not hesitate to call or email me. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Floremy San Mateo, SPHR