Thank you Gemma for following through on this. It makes me cry. But the only way forward that I can see, is through actions like yours.

I'm really sorry that happened to you. And I absolutely believe you. I appreciate how much it took from you to have to experience that, and its effect on you that day, and also then to follow up with management.

I, too, am sorry this happened to you. I can only imagine how genuinely exhausting this is.
Years ago, a female co-worker (who had just moved here) mentioned that “the racism here was better than the racism in Kansas City”.
Yes, we have Better Racism here. Yippee!

As I used to say, the best response when you're a teen who gets racially profiled is to take the money out of your wallet, say "I'm going to spend this at your competitor's store (name store)" and never go back to that store.

It's problematic to think DEI will fix things, or that unconscious or subconscious biases are likely to change from brief feedbacks.

This is why juries award large settlements - it forces change.

[yes, I know nobody uses cash but this is from an old course I did at Garfield HS]

It's 2024! I can't believe there are people still so conditioned by hate. Completely lacking self-awareness and empathy after decades of violence against black and brown people they still choose to be hate filled zombies. We need our education system and government public service announcements to put an end to this. This behavior needs to be publicly shunned so everyone knows it's not ok. It's disgusting. Our country's greatest asset is our diversity.

Sorry Gemma for your shitty experience - hopefully you are able to heal, those employees are able to learn and grow

I work as a security officer and this sucks, my deepest apologies. There's far less intrusive ways to observe shoppers and guests.

Somehow this "story" is so over the top, it sounds like it is just exactly that, a story.

can we also stop gunmen from entering our schools and killing our children and make it safe in america for our kids too

I want to extend my solidarity to Gemma for sharing your painful experience of racial profiling in the Seattle area. It deeply resonates with me, as I have encountered similar situations far too often in this region. Walking into stores here, I have experienced the disheartening reality of being completely ignored while all the white customers are greeted and attended to. It's a stark reminder that my presence is not valued or acknowledged in the greater metro Seattle area.

But it doesn't stop there. There have been instances where I've been followed around by security staff in Seattle stores, their eyes fixed on me, assuming that I might steal simply because of the way I look. It's a humiliating experience that leaves me feeling targeted and unwelcome in this community.

Even in my own neighborhood within the Seattle area, where I see Black Lives Matter signs proudly displayed in windows, the genuine warmth and acceptance from my neighbors are scarce. I can count on my hands the number of times my Seattle neighbors have greeted me and made me feel like a welcome neighbor.

These experiences have led me to make conscious choices about where I spend my money and time within the Seattle area. I believe in supporting businesses and communities in this region that genuinely value diversity and treat everyone with respect. It's disheartening to witness the disconnect between the messages of solidarity and the everyday realities we face in the Seattle area.

Let us stand together within the Seattle community and work towards a society where no one is judged or treated differently based on their appearance. It's time to challenge these biases, bridge the gaps, and create a Seattle area where every individual feels truly seen, heard, and welcomed.

Kudos to Gemma for her courage in addressing her incident and sharing her story.

You don’t have to be a racist to exhibit racist behaviors any more than mismanaging company funds makes you a thief, though you may be incompetent in either case. Accountability for racist behaviors beyond the blatant use of racial epithets are woefully under-addressed in human resources corporate policies and practices, which is where we need more focus and attention. Personal racism, tribalism, religious is a different bag of worms. This could have been a nothing burger if the clerk and security guard had looked closer at the tape real time, then made Gemma feel welcome as a valued customer.

I am so sorry that this was your experience. Thank you for taking the high road and insisting on DEI training, something that we can only hope will pay forward in all aspects of the employees's lives.

DOLLARS - speak in the language companies understand. They should be giving you dollars. I hope an attorney finds this and supports this moving forward in a way that’ll bring urgency to their actions.