Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 9 August 2002 — Page 3

FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2002

THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER

PAGE A3

Clergy leaders call for Nordstrom boycott Continued from A1

place discrimination and will call for a national boycott of the $7 billion retail chain. “We want them to know they cannot buy their way out of this, and that (our African-American leadership) is not a prostitute or for sale,” said Rush, citing Nordstrom’s local corporate giving activities, which included being a sponsor of this year’s Indiana Black Expo Corporate Luncheon. Nordstrom officials deny the allegations and say they have diligently worked to address any concerns of workplace discrimination. Company president Peter Nordstrom, along with key staff, met with Rush, members of the NAACP and the Indianapolis Urban League in February to discuss complaints that several Black employees were denied promotions and treated unfairly because of their race. The most publicized complaint came from former fragrance sales employee Gail Johnson. Johnson sued the department store in 1997 after being denied three promotions. She lost a summary judgment in a U.S. District Court and was denied appeals by the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals and U.S. Supreme Court. “Whenever we have had complaints of discrimination we have attempted to resolve those matters through the courts and in her case the court found that her claims were unfounded,” said Sasha Richardson, a Nordstrom spokesperson. “We take all concerns of discrimination seriously because we simply do not tolerate it in our workplace.” Richardson and local Nordstrom store manager Doug McCoy said besides Johnson’s case they were not aware of any

problems with other employees. “Elder Rush said he represents about 50 former employees, but when we asked him for specific cases he could not provide them to us,” said McCoy. “This is the first time we are hearing about the other complaintants.” Most of the seven employees who met on Tuesday started with the company either when the company first opened or shortly after in 1995 and either resigned or were terminated by the end of 1997. Patrece Williams said that she was not only denied raises, but found her hours were constantly reduced — making it difficult to pay her bills. She attempted to file a grievance with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. “But they were totally unhelpful,” she said. “They gave me three options. Find a group of employees who could stand up with me. Tolerate the behavior and keep my job or leave,” she said. At the time, she did not know of any other employees who were going through similar circumstances so she left the company in 1997. She is now a make-up artist for M.A.C cosmetic’s flagship store in New York City. “If I was so bad of an employee, how could I be able to work for one of the premier cosmetic firms in the country and work on celebrity clients,” she said. McCoy said he could not comment on the specifics of Williams’ situation because at the time he was not the store manager. But now, former security guard Harry Dunn is suing Nordstrom. In testimony during Johnson’s case, Dunn said the company monitored Black customers more closely than white customers.

"We do not tolerate any racial profiling. Now there were prior performance issues we had with the last manager and employee relations was one of those issues along with an array of other concerns that led us to bring in new management," said Richardson. “Right now, we feel our hiring and promotion practices mirror the community we do business in.” At the Circle Centre store. 22 percent of employees are Black, and Blacks represent 9 percent of its store managers, according to Nordstrom’s corporate records. To further address the discrimination allegations, Nordstrom officials said they agreed to implement several of Elder Rush's demands. “We even agreed to supplement ourown diversity training program and let the Indianapolis Urban League help us with diversity training,” said Richardson. “But, Elder Rush said he wanted us to work through him and we simply do not know what else he wants us to do... Both a court of law and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission found that we did not discriminate.” Rush is seeking a financial settlement in both pending cases and a plan by Nordstrom to increase the percentage of Black personnel. His call for a boycott is endorsed by the Baptist Ministerial Alliance, the Interdenominational Ministers Alliance and Central District Baptist Association. Rush plans to hold several Downtown demonstrations in coming weeks. “We’re are through talking and listening now," he said. “We are asking people of conscience and color to stand with us in this fight.”

State Demo chairman joins Chicago law firm Peter J. Manous, a Merrillville, Ind., attorney and chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party, announced last week that he has joined former Democratic National Committee Chairman David Wilhelm’s Chicago-based govemmehtal affairs, political consulting and venture capital group. Effective last Tuesday, Manous joined Wilhelm & Conlon Public Strategies as vice president. Manous’ duties will involve assisting clients in investment and venture capital matters and winning capitalization for new firms. Manous will continue his duties as Indiana Democratic Party chairman and will maintain his Merrillville law practice.

COALITION Continued from A1 National Ten Point Leadership Foundation founded in Boston. Its 200 volunteers serve about 100 clients, ages 7 to 29, each month through targeted programming in education, job training and selfsufficiency matters. Since Bolden's arrival in January, the Rhode Island native has generated more than $200,000 in grants, hired additional full-time staff and forged new community partnerships for the organization that operates on about a $500,000 budget. The most pressing issue facing agency clients is “a greater need to access more transitional housing and the ability for the city to address its problems with race relations,” said Bolden. “Many of ourclients are coming fresh out of a correctional facility and we try to help them come back into a more structured environment and lack of affordable housing and how the city responds to them are sometimes barriers to that process," he said. Also the pastor at Campbell Chapel A.M.E Zion, Bolden has plans to add a family services director as a member of ITPC staff. “I want to move our program participants to a point where they not only receive services, but also are equipped to become change agents in (heir homes and neighborhoods," said Bolden.

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The Indianapolis Recorder's MOST INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE Who are the most influential Blacks in Indy? The Recorder wants to hear from you. To submit your picks of the best and brightest Blacks in Indianapolis email us at: newsroomgindyrecorder.com or fill this survey out and mail it to— MIP c/o Recorder Editor A. Holmes, P.O.Box 18499, Indianapolis, IN 46218-0499. Or click on The Recorder’s Discussion Board, located on our website at: www.indianapolisrecordor.com. Please name three of the most influential Blacks in the following categories: (Also, toll us your 30 under 30 pick—Loaders In the 10 categories who are under 30 years-old.)

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