MUNCIE, Ind. - A former employee says The Common Market fired her after she reported a volunteer's alleged use of a racial slur, and that she later received messages from a staffer repeating the slur and using her deadname.
In an August 29 post, Ankhora Ryan said long-time volunteer Jenetta Presley bragged about hitting someone while using the n-word.
Ryan wrote she confronted Presley and reported the incident to manager Anna Longfellow, who allegedly told her she was "out of line" and "should've been kinder when asking [Presley] not to say the n-word."
Ryan said she then raised the issue with owner Mike Martin and was fired.
"Now, because I reported the details to the owner, I've been let go because I'm not good for the company," Ryan wrote.
After her termination, Ryan posted screenshots showing employee Tina Moore allegedly sending her the n-word, using her deadname, and telling her to "grow the [expletive] up" and "stop with all the [expletive] drama."
On September 3, The Common Market issued a statement.
"We read the same disgusting words that Tina Moore wrote as you did, and we have terminated her here, and blocked her," the statement read. "We agree her statements were unacceptable and completely ignorant."
Ryan responded to the statement, urging the business to "cut the rot off the fish before it spreads," adding, "No one should expect retaliation from their workplace for speaking up."
VBN emailed The Common Market for comment, but has received no response.
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