Dick Gregory attends ‘protesters rally at World Vision” against discriminatory employment practices
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Civil Rights leader and comedian Dick Gregory stood with protesters on Monday, April 11, 2016, during protests against the international humanitarian organization World Vision, for ongoing discriminatory practices against employees.
The protest, led by Washington D.C. Local Humanitarian and Civil Rights Advocate Keith Silver, was organized around Emancipation Week observances, which began on Monday, to draw attention to ongoing discriminatory employment policies in place at the aid organization, which prohibits the employment of Muslims and LGBT individuals; and which greatly disparage protected employee groups such as women and African Americans, who are grossly underrepresented in the evangelical charity.
In a recent complaint filed, an African American female employee was reportedly required by World Vision management to leave sticky notes affixed to her computer terminal to gain permission to use restroom facilities, and was expelled from a staff meeting by management with the advice that she was not smart enough to understand. The employee was later suspended and terminated from World Vision after filing a complaint for discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
“Such actions by a humanitarian organization, purposed to be focused on children and justice is deplorable,” said Commissioner Keith Silver. “World Vision prides itself on serving the poor and feeding the hungry, but it effectively turned an African American mother of two to welfare for asserting her right report unethical and otherwise illegal acts of discrimination.”
In recent years, World Vision, has received divided acceptance surrounding its practice of discrimination in hiring and employment policies, while receiving hundreds of millions annually from tax-payer funded federal grants.
In 2011, World Vision received the OK to hire only Christians, after a contentious legal battle filed by three former employees, terminated due to their religious viewpoints as Christians. In 2014, World Vision announced that LGBT people and those involved in same-sex relations would not be eligible for employment.
World Vision protests will continue through Friday of the Emancipation Week, April 11-15, 2016, from 12 p.m. noon – 2 p.m. at World Vision Offices in Washington D.C. office, located at the corner of Third and “Eye” Sts. N.E. Washington, DC, two blocks behind GIANT Grocery Store at the foot of the Union Station Bridge.
