Tag Archives: racial discrimination

Kanye West Says He’s “Justified” In Firing Of Security For Not Cutting His Locs

Kanye West George Floyd

Yeezy is defending his choice to fire an ex-employee, saying he was “justified” in canning a former security guard for not cutting off his locs as a term of employment.

Benjamin Deshon Provo, a former guard at the Donda Academy, filed a lawsuit against West for an unjust and racially motivated termination back in April. New documents obtained by In Touch Weekly yesterday(June 12) state that West and his legal team are looking to have the suit dismissed, denying all of Provo’s claims.

“Defendants are informed and believe, and based on such information and belief allege that Defendants were justified in doing any and/or all of the acts alleged in the Complaint,” the response reads.

“Ye contends that he had not “authorized, directed or ratified any alleged wrongful behavior” and that his decision to terminate the employee were “undertaken in the good-faith exercise of a legitimate business purpose.” West’s attorneys also allege that Provo “unreasonably failed to utilize, take advantage of, and/or comply with Defendants’ complaint/accommodation procedures.”

Court docs filed in L.A. Superior Court back in April claim that Provo suffered “severe emotional distress” as a result of West’s behavior. Provo also claims that Yeezy would ridicule Black employees who sported locs and says that it was done because of his Muslim faith.

Kanye and members of his management team subjected Provo and other black employees to less favorable treatment than their white counterparts,” the lawsuit states. “Specifically, Kanye frequently screamed at and berated black employees, while in contrast, he never so much as raised his tone of voice toward white staff.”

West has requested that the lawsuit be thrown out and his attorney fees handled, but the judge has yet to make that ruling.

Provo has not listed any specific amount in damages in his lawsuit.

The post Kanye West Says He’s “Justified” In Firing Of Security For Not Cutting His Locs first appeared on The Source.

The post Kanye West Says He’s “Justified” In Firing Of Security For Not Cutting His Locs appeared first on The Source.

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Detroit Man Had Cops Called On Him For Trying To Cash Racial Discrimination Lawsuit Checks

TCF Bank

Source: Star Tribune via Getty Images / Getty

Sauntore Thomas was hoping to deposit and cash the settlement checks from a racial discrimination lawsuit at a bank ina Detroit suburb when a teller called the cops on him over the legit cash. We’re pretty sure we don’t have to inform you that Mr. Thomas is a Black man.

Local news outlet WXYZ sat down with Thomas, 44, to learn more about the incident that took place in Livonia, Mich. and get details on a secondary lawsuit he’s launched against TCF Bank. According to Thomas, he entered the bank this past Tuesday to deposit two of three large settlement checks from a workplace racial discrimination lawsuit he launched against his previous employer and cash one of them so that he could purchase a vehicle.

Thomas says he was met with scrutiny by a teller, who was Black, and the bank was initially unable to confirm the legitimacy of the checks from Thomas’ Enterprise Leasing Company of Detroit lawsuit settlement. But before then, the bank claimed systems were down according to Thomas’ side of the exchange and that they held him up with questions about the deposits before bank staff sat him down and then called police. Thomas, who was alone, reportedly had four officers arrive on the scene according to Detroit Free Press.

After the police left after being unable to find a crime, TCF Bank launched a fraud investigation against Thomas according to his attorney, but he was able to get the checks deposited at another bank without incident. Thomas’ attorney, Deborah Gordon, told WXYZ that TCF Bank’s actions against her client is basically a case of “banking while Black.”

A statement was made by TCF Bank officials in a face-saving attempt clarifying that they couldn’t determine the source of the large checks. As Ms. Gordon noted, TCF tellers could have just called the bank that issued the checks to get the clarification they swore they couldn’t determine.

Hopefully, Thomas will hit TCF Bank in the pockets.

Photo: Getty

Source: HipHopWired.com

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‘The Rookie’ Actress Afton Williamson Leaves Show Amid Racism & Sexual Harassment Claims

ABC's "The Rookie" - Season One

Source: Tony Rivetti / Getty

Actress Afton Williamson, who played the role of Talia Bishop on ABC’s The Rookie, has quit the show amid claims of sexual harassment and assault along with racial discrimination. In an Instagram post, Williamson announced her departure while naming those who carried out the alleged acts.

“I will not be returning for Season 2 of The Rookie,” Williamson wrote in the caption for the post. “I owe it to you my amazing fans to share the Truth. Throughout the filming of the pilot, I experienced Racial Discrimination/Racially Charged inappropriate comments from the hair department and bullying from Executive Producers.”

She added, “During the Season, it continued along with Sexual Harassment from a recurring guest star, Demetrius Grosse, and the racist commentary & bullying from the Hair Dept. Head, Sally Ciganovich escalated into Sexual Assault at our Wrap party. The Sexual Harassment though reported directly to the Showrunner/EP remained undocumented and was not reported to HR as promised. Ciganovich was fired ONLY after the sexual assault and NOT for an entire year of outward racism/racially charged language and bullying behavior in and out of the Hair and Makeup trailer. HR protocol was never adhered to following the above reports given by me to my Showrunner/EP and an investigation was never issued for any of my claims.”

In the following post, Williamson thanked her fans and supporters after making her announcement.

“I am so beyond overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, kind words, scriptures, strength filled quotes and devout support that has come my way. One Instagram post is just like those 2 fish and 5 loaves of Bread,” Willamson wrote. “The rippling effect it has had in just a few hours shows how much this world is aching with victims of racism, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse all of it. I am no stranger to all of the above even before this experience. But it is through this experience and my platform that God pushed me to use the power within me.”

View the posts below.

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I will not be returning for Season 2 of The Rookie. I owe it to you my amazing fans to share the Truth. Throughout the filming of the pilot, I experienced Racial Discrimination/Racially Charged inappropriate comments from the hair department and bullying from Executive Producers. During the Season, it continued along with Sexual Harassment from a recurring guest star,Demetrius Grosse,and the racist commentary & bullying from the Hair Dept.Head, Sally Ciganovich escalated into Sexual Assault at our Wrap party.The Sexual Harassment though reported directly to the Showrunner/EP remained undocumented and was not reported to HR as promised.Ciganovich was fired ONLY after the sexual assault and NOT for an entire year of outward racism/racially charged language and bullying behavior in and out of the Hair and Makeup trailer. HR protocol was never adhered to following the above reports given by me to my Showrunner/EP and an investigation was never issued for any of my claims. The only time I was asked to participate in an investigation was after a meeting I called in June following our Season 2 announcement. This meeting included the Showrunner and two other producers as well as my agent and SAG-AFTRA Union Rep. It was clear to all present in the meeting that the Showrunner had not shared my reports with the any of the producers. After my initial report of sexual harassment, I was assured that Grosse would be fired. I was also asked to film with him the very next day as a courtesy to the script, even though we had not begun filming the episode yet. Grosse reappeared on our call sheet at the end of the season, I was even written in scenes with him. I asked the Showrunner about this and he admitted to me that the Grosse had not been fired nor had he gotten HR involved. I was asked to return this season, and promised that “everything was handled.” The investigation hadn’t even begun and Season 2 had already started filming. I turned it down and I walked. Now is the best time in the world to be a woman and I have a platform so it’s time to use my Voice. Strength comes from within. It comes from Above. “Greater is He that is within Me than he that is in the world” ❤🙏🏽

A post shared by Afton Williamson (@therealaftonw) on

View this post on Instagram

To my Fans, my Friends, my Supporters: I want to Thank EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU. I am so beyond overwhelmed by the outpouring of love, kind words, scriptures, strength filled quotes and devout support that has come my way. One Instagram post is just like those 2 fish and 5 loaves of Bread. The rippling effect it has had in just a few hours shows how much this world is aching with victims of racism, discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual assault, sexual abuse all of it. I am no stranger to all of the above even before this experience. But it is through this experience and my platform that God pushed me to use the power within me. It just takes a VOICE. I never imagined so many of us have experienced these horrible circumstances and that can NO LONGER GO UNHEARD. We have a voice. ALL OF US. It is our DUTY to use it. I used to fear the word Victim. I scoffed at it because all I was told when these injustices happened to me, was to Survive. Survivor I am. Victim I am also. A victim of injustice. A victim of assault. A victim of abuse and harassment. If you have experienced any of the above, you are too and I for one stand with you and I’m no longer afraid to be vocal about it. We Can Stand Together. Let’s Change This Sickness. That Change starts with US. This season on The Rookie, I was sexually harassed by fellow actor Demetrius Grosse. I was Racially Bullied and Discriminated against and Sexually Assaulted by Hair Department Head Sally Nicole Ciganovich. Let’s BE the CHANGE we WANT to SEE❤👊🏾🙏🏾

A post shared by Afton Williamson (@therealaftonw) on

Photo: Getty

Source: HipHopWired.com

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