The employees provided pictures to WDAF to prove their claim. According to Kim McCarthy, who has worked at the plant for nine years, the only food offered was watermelon. Jarret Bolden, an employee at Toyota, said that such incidents make it difficult for him to work in such an environment.
Bolden, a Black man, said it was a slap in the face and very disrespectful. He added that they preach Black lives matter, but it seemed like they were making a joke out of them.
June 24, 2023
Both Bolden and McCarthy also claimed that Toyota's entire diversity and inclusion team is white. Toyota's corporate communication team did not respond to WDAF when asked if that was true. Watermelon was a key to freedom for many freed slaves, who grew, ate, and sold the fruit. However, others used watermelons to create smear campaigns, shame African Americans, promote bigotry, and draw negative attention to squash the ability of free Black people to make money.
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Toyota's corporate communications told WDAF that context matters and sent a statement explaining that a summer intern coordinated a celebration activity that included a presentation focused on Freedom Day's history, activities, and foods.
The presentation was based on the individual's personal experience celebrating the holiday with their family. In line with Toyota's core value of respect for people, the company supports educational activities that bring awareness and understanding of diverse cultures. They also told WDAF that bringing in watermelon was approved by multiple leadership team members.
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However, Bolden and McCarthy want to see some accountability. McCarthy said she would like management to apologize and accept their upset. She added that they have yet to do that. Bolden and McCarthy's claims highlight the importance of acknowledging cultural sensitivity and avoiding actions that could be perceived as insensitive or racist.
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