‘I felt like dirt’: Harassment claims challenge Diversity Richmond’s safe space image
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RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- A former employee at Diversity Richmond is speaking out, accusing the employee who hired and trained her of sexual harassment and racism -- both in and outside of the workplace.
Danni Worthy-Mays said the nonprofit thrift store Diversity Thrift, which brands itself as a safe and affirming space for LGBTQ+ and marginalized communities, failed to live up to that promise.
“It makes me feel like dirt,” she said.
Worthy-Mays said the harassment began with crossed boundaries. She claimed her boss -- who will be called "John Doe" for the sake of this article -- began to overshare about his marriage to her after she helped him do his taxes. She said it quickly escalated into repeated, inappropriate behavior.
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“He would rub my knee like this, and use it to prop himself up,” she said. “I felt uncomfortable immediately.”
She said this happened outside the workplace on April 19, when Doe asked her to hang out outside of work.
"He said, 'Oh, I just so happen to be going there, too," Worthy-Mays said of Doe's reaction when she told him where she was going that night. She added that she made sure to introduce him to her friends as her boss.
She said that, later that night, Doe created an Instagram account and only followed two other accounts: Worthy-Mays and her friend, whom he also met on April 19.
A letter she gave to management details a timeline, with April 19's description reading, in part:
"[John] pried and I revealed that I used to work at a strip club. He used this as an
opportunity to share his history and experience in the industry - nothing more, nothing less.
I went home thinking the night was weird, and felt uncomfortable, but let it go because:
- I knew more about [John's] past, and how sex work can skew your boundaries.
- I just quit my second job, needed to pay rent, and had no prospects of upcoming work.
- Given my history, I was scared that if I did report [John], no one would believe me or care, as men constantly use my history of sex work to discredit anything I say.
I got home at about 11 pm that night. Closer to 1 am, he texts me, 'How old is your friend?' The
next day, I respond with her age and he says, 'Just checking ????' ... This is my MARRIED
BOSS, texting his employee like this, and crossing a professional boundary by following my
friend and I on social media." Part of Worthy-Mays' letter to Diversity Richmond
After that, Worthy-Mays said the man continued messaging her about non-work-related subjects. She provided 8News with screenshots of messages Doe sent her that she said made her feel even more uncomfortable. In one such text, Doe used a slur for Black people.
Text messages a now-former employee of Diversity Richmond says were sent to her by her boss. (Photos: Danni Worthy-Mays)
Text messages a now-former employee of Diversity Richmond says were sent to her by her boss. (Photos: Danni Worthy-Mays)
Worthy-Mays also described an incident inside the store, where she said Doe told her to walk into another hallway to "see a picture of her."
“It was this ginormous painting of a Black woman that had the same hairstyle as mine ... and a Black man — and they were having sex in the painting,” she said.
She said she just walked out, shaking her head, after she saw it.
Painting of two people having sex, which a former Diversity Richmond employee says her boss tried to give to her because the woman in it has the same hairstyle as her. (Photo: Danni Worthy-Mays)
"I was like, 'Why would you give this to me?' And then he asked me if I was going to take it home. And I told him, 'No.'"
Worthy-Mays said she raised her concerns to management in meetings starting on May 6 -- but ultimately felt dismissed.
"I asked, 'Can I get an apology?'" she said. "They said I was not entitled to that. They said I was not entitled to an apology from my supervisor for using the N word with me, and sexually harassing me, and making me feel uncomfortable, and showing no remorse for it."
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Diversity Richmond declined to comment on the specifics of the allegations, saying this was an HR matter. However, it confirmed that an internal investigation was conducted and the organization “followed [its] policies and procedures," adding that it also follows EEOC guidelines.
The organization confirmed that the employee remains on staff.
This is not the first time Diversity Richmond has faced public scrutiny regarding how it handles internal harassment complaints. In a previous story aired four years ago, the organization stated that “no employee who has been the subject of a sexual harassment complaint is employed or re-hired for any reason.”
Worthy-Mays has since shared her story publicly online. Diversity Richmond responded on Instagram, writing, in part:
“We are deeply committed to creating a workplace guided by our values of accountability, belonging, and community. We are aware of concerns and acknowledge the pain this has caused in our community — especially among Black queer women.” Diversity Richmond
Worthy-Mays said this statement upset her.
“What’s most appalling is that, like — ‘protect Black women, believe Black women,’” Worthy-Mays said. “And even in their statement, they say that they support Black femmes. But why haven’t I received an apology?”
Although she stopped working there last week, Worthy-Mays outlined what she wants to see moving forward in her letter of resignation. These requests include:
- For the team to move correspondence to Google Chat
- Mandatory sexual harassment training for all Diversity Richmond staff
- For the accused man to attend a sensitivity training hosted by a Black woman: "I want the Black woman in this training to be compensated fairly for her time, as it should not be Black women’s job to educate the white managers at an ‘inclusive’ LGBT center."
- When sexual harassment training is implemented, a former or current sex worker should be on a panel discussing consent, the stigma involved in sex work and how to address sexual
misconduct in this context, and harm reduction tactics for former sex workers: "Considering that you employ at least 3 former sex workers that I’m aware of, this is obviously something the staff, and especially HR, should be well educated about, so upcoming situations are handled with care."
Since Worthy-Mays' Instagram post, other LGBTQ organizations have since announced that they won't work with Diversity Richmond.
Diversity Richmond said it will hold a town hall in person for shoppers concerned about this ongoing incident, but the date is to be decided.
In the meantime, Worthy-Mays said she is considering filing a restraining order.
