When it Comes to my Civil Rights, Am I a Woman, a Person, a Human Being or Just Merely a Pronoun?
In the Case of BBF Engineering Services vs The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Michigan Attorney General makes the argument when justifying the statement made by an MDOT Project Engineer “I Hate Her”…..”IF You’re Referring to a Female, You Use the Word Her”. The Federal Judge stated “I Hate Her shows some animus, it doesn’t really show gender or race animus” http://bit.ly/1akaUIX (Pages 4-5). The male project engineer stated “I Hate Her” referencing me (a black female COO and professional engineer), then he changed the scores on a proposal evaluation where I was reduced from number one to the bottom.
The Michigan Attorney General and Federal Court have stated that personal animosity is not a basis for equal protection, even when it leads to blatant ongoing discrimination. In my opinion, this also means that MDOT’s “quality based selection” process for consultants is unfair and prejudicial. I will never know how many times I had a winning proposal, but was eliminated because of personal animosity, discrimination, “hatred” or due to the “good ol’ boys and buddies network”.
I was taught to do well in school, work hard and persevere….the ingredients for success, only to encounter various levels of discrimination. It did not matter how good my staff, past track record or experience may have been. It didn’t matter that I was an outstanding past MDOT employee, and not to mention the awards received, including the MDOT DBE of the Year Award.
In my case, I have been forced out of business because the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) did an investigation and came up with recommendations that were ignored by MDOT management. http://bit.ly/1cWNaYS http://bit.ly/17K0cYe Instead of complying with the recommendations from their primary funding source (FHWA), MDOT has retaliated, intimidated and blacklisted my company.
It was after receiving information about Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 from an MDOT manager who witnessed various issues regarding treatment towards my company, that I made the decision to follow the FHWA formal complaint process. Prior to filing the complaints, questionable business practices at MDOT were also brought to the attention of MDOT management, only to fall on deaf ears. The lack of credibility of the MDOT selection process and lack of willingness of MDOT and the Michigan Federal Court to enforce Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 relative to Federal Highway projects in my case is disappointing.
As Sojourner Truth Once Stated….Ain’t I a Woman? http://bit.ly/1a7NQtt
I and all other women are worthy of equal protection under the law. How many women of color have tried, only to encounter daunting discrimination…and have not been considered worthy of equal protection under the law?