If you have exhausted all administrative remedies and you are still not satisfied, you may be able to file a lawsuit in federal court. In most cases, to file a federal lawsuit, you must have received a Notice-of-Right-to-Sue. You must file your lawsuit within 90 days of receiving this notice. During the administrative process, you may be able to file a lawsuit if:  180 days have passed since you filed your complaint and the agency has not filed a decision and no appeal has been filed; or 180 days have passed since you filed your appeal with the EEOC and they have not issued a decision. Direct evidence is extremely rare in racial discrimination cases. However, if you have it, offer it in court. Direct evidence is an action or statement that directly reflects a discriminatory attitude. If you have direct evidence, there is an automatic finding of discrimination against the employer. An example of direct evidence would be a recording of the employer saying you are being fired because of your skin color. If you do not have direct evidence, you will need to offer circumstantial evidence in court. To make a circumstantial case in court, you will need to first make a prima facie case of racial discrimination.  If you are suing under a theory of disparate treatment, you will need to show: (1) that you are a member of a protected racial class; (2) that you applied and were qualified for the job; (3) you were rejected; and (4) the employer continued to solicit applications with qualifications equal to yours. If you are suing under a theory of disparate impact, you will need to show: (1) the existence of a disparity; (2) the disparity was caused by a specific policy or practice; (3) that the challenged policy was not justified; and (4) that less discriminatory measures were available and would have been just as effective. The employer will have a chance to rebut your prima facie case in court. To do so, the employer must provide a non-discriminatory and legitimate reason for the challenged action. The employer must simply articulate a reason, they do not have to prove it was the actual reason for the decision. You will then have an opportunity to discredit the employer's reasoning. You can do this by proving the employer's reasoning is not factually correct or that it was not the true reason for their decision. If you can do this, you will win your federal lawsuit and will receive a judgment in your favor.

Summary: File a lawsuit. Offer direct evidence. Make a "prima facie" case of racial discrimination. Allow the employer to respond. Discredit the employer.


Sewing is the queen of lost skills, so if you don't know even the most basic stitches, you really aren't alone. At minimum, though, you should know how to sew hems, repair small rips and tears, and attach buttons.  Learn a variety of basic stitches, including the straight stitch, the back stitch, the zigzag stitch, and the basting stitch. Invest in a sewing machine. As your sewing skills improve, consider buying a sewing machine of your own. You will probably be glad that you did. Fixing garments and creating projects from scratch will both be much easier if you learn to machine sew as well as hand sew. Sewing is not the only lost skill worth learning, of course. There is a wide range of other crafts and domestic abilities you can explore. You do not need to master all of them, but picking one or two you'd like to become great at can improve your standing as a domestic goddess.  Potential areas of interest could include gardening, crocheting, or knitting. You could also check out community craft websites, like Pinterest, to get more ideas. You can learn a lot by teaching yourself, but sometimes, the best way to learn a new skill or to advance an old one is to take an actual class on it. Look for cheap classes in your area or sign up for a class online.

Summary: Master the basics of sewing. Get crafty. Take classes.


Rub the sandpaper in circles, pressing firmly. Sand a little beyond the original damage, even if it means peeling away a small amount of clear coat that is still in decent condition.  If the pigmented paint below the clear coat is still in good shape, don’t scrub so hard that you remove it as well. If the clear coat is already gone, skip this initial sanding and go straight to wet sanding and cleaning. Use 2000 grit sandpaper that’s been soaking in water for an hour. Smooth out the transition lines between your repair area and the surrounding clear coat. Keep the sandpaper wet by dipping it in water as needed. Straighten out or square off the work area when you can, as this will make it easier to tape off the area later. Use an alcohol-based cleaner, like glass cleaner, to clean the area you just sanded. Follow this up with a solvent-based paint prep cleaner, which will either come with your chosen clear coat repair kit or be found alongside the clear coat sprays. These pads are similar to the ones you might use on your dirty pots and pans in the kitchen, and are available at automotive supply retailers. Don’t use steel wool or sandpaper. You just want to give the pigmented paint a slightly rough texture.  Clean the area afterward with the solvent-based cleaner. Skip this step if the paint is already scuffed up from your earlier sanding. Stick the tape to your pants and peel it away once or twice to make it less sticky. Create a taped-off area around the removed clear coat that's slightly larger than the actual damaged area. Use plastic sheeting and more tape to expand the outside of the protective zone, so that your clear coat spray only lands on the car where intended. Shake the can as instructed on its label. Also refer to the label for the optimal spraying distance and motion. Keep moving as you spray so that you create an even layer. Let this first coat dry for at least 5 minutes, or for the time recommended on the can. You may be instructed to go over each dried coat with very fine sandpaper (e.g., 1500 or 2000 grit, possibly soaked with water). Follow the instructions on the spray can, and wipe away dust and debris with a tack cloth. Two coats is usually sufficient, but follow the instructions on the can. Let each coat dry for at least 5 minutes before applying the next one.  Remove the tape and plastic sheeting after the last coat dries. Wait several hours, or overnight, before finishing off the repair. Lightly go over the repaired area with 2000 grit sandpaper. Then, use a polishing compound and a motorized buffer to blend the transitions and make your repair work vanish as much as possible. Buff the area by hand if you need or want to, but expect to have a sore arm the next day!
Summary: Scrub the damaged area with 1000 grit sandpaper. Wet sand the transition between your work area and the remaining clear coat. Clean the clear coat-free area with alcohol and solvent-based cleaners. Scuff the cleaned area with a fine grit, woven scuffing pad. Tape off the work area with easy-to-remove masking tape. Spray the aerosol can of clear coat onto the surface. Apply a second layer of clear coat in the same manner. Blend in the repaired area with the surrounding car finish.