'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

[Panajar]

A British-born woman of Jamaican parentage claims she was fired because of race, reports the UK Press Association.

Valerie Moxam, an office manager, was notified by text message of her dismissal from landscaping contractors Visible Changes, a tribunal in Watford was told today.

"There is no doubt in my mind that the reason for my dismissal was, at least in part, my race," said Moxam.

Moxam, is from Northolt in west London is<span style="font-size: 14pt"> fair skinned like her parents, and has ginger hair and blue/green eyes. </span>Colleagues were reportedly shocked when she told them of her Jamaican origins and questioned her fair skin.

The rest in the observer

I<span style="font-size: 11pt"> Find this incident interesting and ironic .Remind me of the following poem by one of my favorite poet the HON. Miss LOU...RIP</span>...

<span style="font-size: 17pt">Pass Fe White BY MISS LOU</span>

<span style="font-size: 14pt">[Miss Jane's brown skin daughter has one thing to her credit in the United States where she is studying–she &quot;passes&quot; there as white. This poem was written in 1949 and is an amusing comment on some Jamaicans' sensativity to skin tones.]
</span>
<span style="font-size: 11pt">Miss Jane jus hear from 'Merica
Her daughta proudly write
Fe say she fail her exam, but
She passin' dere fe wite!

She say fe tell de truth she know
Her brain part not so bright,
She couldn' pass tru college
So she try pass fe wite.

She passin wid her work-mate dem,
She passin wid her boss,
An a nice wite bwoy she love, dah–
Gwan wid her like say she pass.

But sometime she get fretful an
Her heart start gallop fas'
An she bruk out eena cole-sweat
Jus a-wonder ef she pass!

Jane get bex, sey she sen de gal
Fe learn bout edication,
It look like sey de gal gawn weh
Gwan work pon her complexion.

She noh haffe tan a foreign
Under dat deh strain an fright
For plenty copper-colour gal
Deh home yah dah-play wite.

Her fambily is nayga, but
Dem pedigree is right,
She hope de gal noh gawn an tun
No boogooyagga wite.

De gal pupa dah-laugh an sey
It serve 'Merica right
Five year back dem Jim-Crow him now
Dem pass him pickney wite.

Him dah-boas' all bout de districk
How him daughta is fus-class
How she smarter dan American
An over deh dah-pass!

Some people tink she pass B.A.
Some tink she pass D.R.
Wait till dem fine out sey she ongle
Pass de colour-bar. </span>

[Panajar]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

Office manager 'sacked the day before she could raise racist complaints', tribunal is told



The tribunal in Watford heard that Valerie Moxam was dismissed from her job with a landscape contractor by text message after hearing racist remarks


An office manager was fired from her job for reasons of race, she told an employment tribunal today.

<span style="font-size: 14pt">British-born Valerie Moxam, whose parents are from Jamaica and are fair skinned, </span>was dismissed from landscaping contractors Visible Changes in a text message from her boss David Wood, the tribunal was told.

She had heard racist remarks being made at the firm, based in South Harrow, north west London, and told the tribunal in Watford, Hertfordshire: <span style="font-size: 14pt">'There is no doubt in my mind that the reason for my dismissal was, at least in part, my race.'</span>

Ms Moxam, of Northolt, west London, <span style="font-size: 14pt">who is also fair skinned with ginger hair and blue/green eyes,</span> told the tribunal that in April 2009 Mr Wood referred to a man on the phone with an Asian voice as 'a<span style="font-size: 14pt"> f****** immigrant'.</span>

'I was totally shocked, angry and amazed,' she said.

The following month, Tanya Wilson, the buyer in the office, was saying things like 'all <span style="font-size: 14pt">f****** illegal immigrants</span> come here to claim from the Government and sponge from the system', Ms Moxam added.

On another occasion, Susan Ward, a health and safety co-ordinator, found some black plasticine and said she would go home 'to make little<span style="font-size: 14pt"> black ginger men', Ms Moxam said.</span>

A few days later Mr Wood suddenly said <span style="font-size: 14pt">'Why is it that white girls like black men?' </span>and then laughed, she claimed. 'I ran upstairs to the toilet and cried,' she added.

It was during an office conversation the following month that she mentioned her <span style="font-size: 14pt">Jamaican origin, 'to which colleagues appeared rather shocked and questioned my fair skin. </span>I explained the situation', Ms Moxam said.

Ms Moxam said she was off work on July 6, 2009, because of a family bereavement, but phoned in to say she would be in the following day when an important meeting with an independent health and safety auditor was taking place. She believed Mr Wood knew she would raise the racist comments she had heard.

'Later that day I received a text message at 1746 hours from Mr Wood saying he had been instructed to lay off staff,' Ms Moxam told the tribunal.

At a grievance meeting a few days later Mr Wood denied the redundancy had anything to do with the health and safety audit, she said. 'However he did acknowledge that informing me by text was wrong but felt he had no choice.'

Ms Moxam is suing Visible Changes, Mr Wood and Ms Ward.

Kevin McNerney, for the respondents, asked her about an email sent by the company's accountant on the day she received the text message, saying: 'Cut any employee who is not needed.'

Ms Moxam said: 'Mr Wood didn't mention any of this to me.' And she added: 'I know that the Friday before he sacked me there wasn't any issue with his financial costs.'

She said she had been in Milton Keynes with her dying aunt when she received the text. 'I thought someone in the office was taking the Mick,' she said.

She denied she had ever called someone in the office <span style="font-size: 14pt">'my little white boyfriend'.</span> 'That is not in my vocabulary whatsoever,' she added.

DAILY MAIL

<span style="font-size: 14pt"> This should be very interesting i think i will follow this case closely</span> .

[britisha]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

Now it will be interesting to see how di case plays out.

.. .thanks for the Ms Lou poem, it brings back many memories.

[quote]She noh haffe tan a foreign
Under dat deh strain an fright
For plenty <span style="font-weight: bold">copper-colour</span>
Deh home yah dah-play wite.&quot;


is donkie years now mi noh hear dem use dat term fi describe [cuss] dem people deh.

Metinks one of our ole time politrixian did seh im nevah considah imself black hantil im went to &quot;Merica an dem very quickly mek im know dat..

...Is too many of our people who treat other blacks badly becaussing dem haff oddah featuures, even outrightly denigrating them juss to impress the whites....cut dem nose an spwile dem face, juss so dem not bi counted among them....soh hiff annie a dem travel an are rudely awakened then so be it.

I've seen it on the job, many, even from oddah islands behave as if they are not black, if sumting comes up an yuh need their support, they behave as if they don't know what di oddahs are talking bout, hantil hattahclaps reach dem, an all of a sudden baby shut fit dem, an dem looking fi yuh fi back dem.

Now dis lady baawn a Britin, so mi deh yah a wondah hiff shi did play di race card eidah way.

[neutral]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Faithfull</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Now dis lady baawn a Britin, so mi deh yah a wondah hiff shi did play di race card eidah way. </div></div>



Sounds like she is happy to play the race card now,she was happy to involve in office banter about white girls likeing black men,it is intriguing that she did not bring up these racist comments <span style="font-weight: bold">before</span> she was sacked,comments she heard way back in june 2009,how was the manager to know she was about to bring them up <span style="font-weight: bold">now</span> and use it as an excuse to sack her,....she,s just after money.

Her photo is in THIS LINK

If link dont work try this one....http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/...nal.6681007.jp

[Stormmey]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

I used to do the pass for white thing, but my excuse I was a teen trying to fit in.....grampers white.....Mom and stepdad white all white town. Well, I can still remember the day when I buss out complete with pictures of my jamaican family who I tracked down, unknow may I say.....to the white family here. I thought they would skin me alive....memories!! not pretty

edited to add....saw her pic and is about time she get aware....poor ting.

[britisha]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Natral</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Faithfull</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

Now dis lady baawn a Britin, so mi deh yah a wondah hiff shi did play di race card eidah way. </div></div>



Sounds like she is happy to play the race card now,she was happy to involve in office banter about white girls likeing black men,it is intriguing that she did not bring up these racist comments <span style="font-weight: bold">before</span> she was sacked,comments she heard way back in june 2009,how was the manager to know she was about to bring them up <span style="font-weight: bold">now</span> and use it as an excuse to sack her,....she,s just after money.

Her photo is in THIS LINK

If link dont work try this one....http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/...nal.6681007.jp </div></div>

Dat is what I'm here thinking tuh....opportunist.

[britisha]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Stormmey1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I used to do the pass for white thing, but my excuse I was a teen trying to fit in.....grampers white.....Mom and stepdad white all white town. Well, I can still remember the day when I buss out complete with pictures of my jamaican family who I tracked down, unknow may I say.....to the white family here. I thought they would skin me alive....memories!! not pretty

edited to add....saw her pic and is about time she get aware....poor ting.

</div></div>

..(((Stormey)))

mi cyann't si di pic of har.

[Stormmey]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

britisha here is her pic, hope you can see it now just click the link.

Here she is

Hope you can see it now

[Panajar]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'



For those who cant see it

[britisha]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

Thanks for posting the pic, she certainly IMO has &quot;some black features&quot; which might strengthen her case, re her blackness. [by definition]

[Wahalla]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

I wonder then if she is black, then how many buinesses in Jamaica are black owned....

[queenb]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

Not necessarily. If you are fair, but know that you are black you don't go around &quot;declaring&quot; your race. My mother, who is fairer even than this woman, thinks people automatically know she considers herself Black. When she faced a similar racial incident at work, she brought in pix of my sister and I and displayed them prominently at her desk. Soon after, she was denied her annual pay increase even though she had routinely received &quot;outstanding&quot; job evaluations. She sued, and 4 1/2 years later won her case against the US government. (she was a federal employee)


My mom at 79. 14 years ago!!!

[kia027]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wahalla</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I wonder then if she is black, then how many buinesses in Jamaica are black owned.... </div></div>

oh come on Wahalla a Taino from St Bess will clearly see she is black just of what they say ' red complexion'

[Yuriatin]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

I'm SO glad she won.
--------
<span style="font-size: 17pt">
<span style="font-weight: bold">
Boss racially harassed manager, Tribunal Rules</span></span>

(UKPA) – 2 hours ago

A company boss harassed a London-based office manager by making a &quot;highly offensive racist remark&quot;, an employment tribunal has ruled.

David Wood asked in the presence of Valerie Moxam, &quot;Why is it that white girls like black men?&quot; then laughed, the panel found.

Ms Moxam was later fired by text message by Mr Wood, managing director of landscaping contractor Visible Changes, though that was not racially motivated, the tribunal in Watford said.

However at a subsequent grievance meeting, Mr Wood made another racist remark, saying: &quot;Yeah, I often joked about 'Why do black men have big c****?',&quot; which also amounted to harassment, it found.

Other claims of discrimination, including against the company's health and safety co-ordinator Susan Ward, failed.

British-born Ms Moxam's parents are from Jamaica. She is fair-skinned like her parents, and has ginger hair and blue/green eyes.

Ms Moxam, 42, of Dolphin Road, Northolt, west London, said after the hearing: &quot;The past 18 months have been extremely challenging and stressful, but I felt so strongly that I wouldn't give up.

&quot;What I have learned from this victory is that it is important for each one of us to take a stand and fight for respect and dignity. It is our civil liberty. People must be held accountable for their actions in the workplace.&quot;

Employment judge John Hobson said of Mr Wood's remark about white girls liking black men, which the panel found had been said: &quot;This was a highly offensive racist remark in the presence of the claimant and amounted to harassment.&quot;
<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="color: #FF0000">
Claims against the company, of South Harrow, north-west London, and Mr Wood of race discrimination by harassment were upheld. It was understood that the parties reached a financial settlement after the findings.</span></span>

Copyright © 2011 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
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[Dr.Dudd]

Re: 'Racism cost Jamaican-Briton her job'

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: queenb</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Not necessarily. If you are fair, but know that you are black you don't go around &quot;declaring&quot; your race. My mother, who is fairer even than this woman, thinks people automatically know she considers herself Black. When she faced a similar racial incident at work, she brought in pix of my sister and I and displayed them prominently at her desk. Soon after, she was denied her annual pay increase even though she had routinely received &quot;outstanding&quot; job evaluations. She sued, and 4 1/2 years later won her case against the US government. (she was a federal employee)


My mom at 79. 14 years ago!!! </div></div>

That is what a lot of people don't realize.
They will asume she is white until the day they see those family pictures.
Then the treatment start.
Racism in many cases is seperate from color.

I've seen darker color people accepted based on they being classified as white.

They will also give a white person who marry minority similar treatment too.

But the one that get the worse treatment is the black person with a white spouce picture displayed on their desk.