I went to Ohio BMV Deputy Registrar License Agency at Kenny center to renew my driver's license at around 3 pm on Apr. 25, 2018, and I have had the worst experience since I came to USA. This was my third time to visit this BMV agency. The first two times were enjoyable experiences and the waiting time was not that long. So I chose this place again. A female staff member named Bertha handled my case. I filled out my information in paper that she handed to me, including my full name, address, height, weight, hair and eye color, and signed my signature. I wrote clearly that my hair color is Black, and my eye color is Black. Then she started to input my information into the system. During this time, she looked at me twice, seriously and strangely, without saying anything. I wouldn't have known that she was actually checking my hair and eye color! After I took eye examination, she asked me to check information shown in the screen if it was correct and signed my name. Then I found out that she changed both my hair and eye color to brown. I told her that the information was wrong and my hair and eye color is black. Then she replied "No, I looked at you, and your hair color is brown, dark brown". The "dark" was extremely stressed in tone, and her attitude was arrogant and not polite. I said I am Asian Chinese, and I always think my hair color is black. Then I started to take out my cellphone to check online. She raised her voice and angrily asked me what I was doing. Then she said if I don't like it, she can change them. Then she started to make changes, and lowered her voice and murmured like "I know where you are from" using an impolite and unpleasant tone. I was upset but still controlled myself, said peacefully and firmly, "You should respect me". She still arrogantly replied "Really?" I was shocked by her response, then raised my voice and asked her back "You shouldn't respect customers?", then she replied "Yes, I just said really, nothing else". I was totally angry and asked loudly that "you discriminated (against) me, because I am Chinese?" She didn't look at me, but lowered her voice and said slowly "No." Then her supervisor might have overheard our conversation and showed up from the back office. I told her supervisor that this female staff member changed my information without my consent, and discriminated (against) me, and had been very rude to me. Her supervisor asked her to go to the back office, and then her supervisor apologized to me and continued to handle my case. During this time, Bertha still tried to come out of the back office and wanted to say or do something, but her supervisor stopped her and asked her to back off. Finally, I got my driver's license, but without Bertha's apologies. After that, I filed a complaint and have been waiting for an investigator to contact me.
I understand sometimes people just have a bad mood. But this is not the case. Bertha's attitude towards me was beyond rude, and her behavior was beyond bad. And she is probably racist. She might think I am a young and weak international girl, and she can bully and mistreat me without any consequence. Well, she is wrong about that. She can be racist in her home and no one would care about her thinking. But at the workplace, she should watch her attitude, know how to do things nicely and how to communicate with people of all ethnicities. In my opinion, she certainly should get fired. There are a lot of smart and kind people out there. But if Ohio BMV still wants to keep her on, then make sure that she will never, ever, do this kind of thing to any customer in the future.
I will not let this person or this kind of people ruin my good memories and experiences in USA. Like Micelle Obama said "when they go low, we go high". But I wish all the people who had similar experiences like me, or who might be mistreated because of race, sexuality or in any other style should stand out and speak up for themselves. Every small step we move forward will make the world better. read more