Daniel Murzyn

My name is Daniel Murzyn. I’m a 42 year old engineer who has worked for a large American manufacturing company for over 15 years. 

My experience with racism as an Asian American started subtly at first – I forgot to lock my computer while getting coffee once and had my screensaver changed to multiple Asian athletes. I brushed it off as an insensitive prank. But the microaggressions continued and evolved.

In 2017, I went to HR because of the harassment. I reported that my coworkers called me “Daniel Son.” My coworkers were asking me to come to their homes to fix their VCRs because “your people built them so you can fix them.” I am often randomly asked to translate things that have nothing to do with my work! 

Last year, we catered lunch from a local Korean restaurant. A coworker looked at me and said, “Well that’s great. Can you tell me what breed of dog we’re eating?”

And to this day, this racist treatment continues with the stares and the dirty looks. Rather than address the toxic culture, the HR person told me to get therapy because “the way this affects you is obviously your fault.”

All this takes a toll on my mental health and sense of belonging. I dread coming into work each day, never knowing what racist affront awaits. What I once hoped would be a lifelong career has turned into a demoralizing battle.

By sharing my story, I hope to shed light on the racism that still runs rampant in modern workspaces. Companies must move beyond lip service and take concrete steps to foster inclusive environments.