‘Weapons of Whiteness’: Minneapolis Racial-Equity Leader Accuses Black Council Members of Anti-Black Discrimination

[Valin]

National Review

Ryan Mills

March 21, 2023

The former racial-equity director for the City of Minneapolis claims that she is the victim of anti-black racism, including by prominent black leaders of the far-left Minnesota city.

In a 14-page memo sent this month to city leaders, Tyeastia Green alleges that she was subjected to a “racist” and “toxic” work environment almost immediately after she was hired to be the city’s director of racial equity, inclusion, and belonging a year ago.

Green alleges that city leaders have lied about her, gaslit her, sabotaged her, used “weapons of whiteness” against her, and have intentionally erected “every barrier” to ensure that she failed. Her memo quotes prominent black writers Zora Neale Hurston and Toni Morrison, as well as authors of books about workplace racism, colorism, antiblackness, and black feminist rage.

The memo, published online by the Star Tribune, even includes a diagram outlining the typical pattern of “The ‘Problem’ Woman of Colour in the Workplace,” which starts with “white leadership” making a “tokenized hire,” followed by a honeymoon phase, and ending with targets and attacks against the woman, who then exits the organization. “I believe I have gone through each of these phases,” Green wrote, “and that’s unfortunate.”

Green also accuses black city council members Latrisha Vetaw and Andrea Jenkins, the council president, of lying about her and engaging in antiblack racism against her. “Blacks can utilize Antiblackness and racism against other Blacks,” she wrote, accusing Vetaw and Jenkins of creating “an unsafe and unhealthy work environment for Black people.”

(Snip)

“My decision to resign was from pure exhaustion, and my body, mind, and spirit could no longer take the racist, toxic nature of the enterprise,” Green wrote of her February resignation, adding that she had experienced chest pains and anxiety attacks. “Although I had no idea how to pay my bills and support my family, a huge weight was lifted. I would no longer have to swim in the waters of racism and antiblackness.”

Before taking the job in Minneapolis, Green held a similar position for about two years in Burlington, Vt. Her tenure there also ended with acrimony, a falling out with the mayor, and Green’s resignation. Sources told local media that Green felt “truly unwelcome” in Burlington, and that it was clear “the systemic change she was trying to bring was unwelcome.”

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They Always Eat Their Own.