As the black professionals try to get into 'Secrets' night club, find out what happens...
We tried to separate ourselves into smaller groups so we would look less threatening. My companion and I were the first two – we got past the ID check, hooray! However, the next group up wasn’t so fortunate. The security had been eyeballing us the whole time and they found their opening. A picture ID showing your date of birth was required. One of our party’s Maryland driver’s license had expired two days before. So although it showed her date of birth and picture the security said it wasn’t valid for entry. She then produced her license from her home country Trinidad which again showed here picture and date of birth. However, according to ‘Secrets’ regulations, official ID from another country isn’t valid.
I found this incredible particularly given that Ocean City is one of the largest tourist location in Maryland. Although, Maryland has a more than colorful history of mistreating blacks, surely in a tourist community in the twenty-first century the residents and workers are more accustomed to interacting with people of different races and ethnicities.
A number of us tried to reason with the doorman, but he was rude, belligerent and unwilling to compromise. When we asked what other alternative ID she could use that they would accept, he simply said “if she hasn’t got a valid drivers license she’s not coming in.” Infuriated, incensed, and disappointed we all eventually walked away. We returned to the hotel, the uplifting and inspiring tone of the retreat washed away by a secret we are all too familiar with. No matter how sophisticated, educated, professional, or well dressed you are a black skin can get you rejected from anywhere and by anyone. Secrets’ secret is that it is a club making money playing black music, while it excludes black people.
