Why did Equality NC fire a Black Trans employee?

Almost two weeks ago, Equality NC (ENC) terminated the last Black trans person employed there, adding to the growing list of layoffs at the organization. Celeste Jones served as ENC’s executive assistant, but prior to that she served as an organizer there for almost three years. 

“I came to Equality North Carolina at the height of the ongoing pandemic, hoping to find asylum from the hatred and bigotry that would later evolve into a nationwide anti-LGBTQ and anti-trans campaign that would sweep the nation,” she recounted in a statement sent to Qnotes. “I hoped that if I [was] lucky, I’d gain the skills I would need to finally stand up to those who would otherwise see us eradicated from this earthly plane at best, or shoved back into hiding at the very least.”

Jones said she was terminated from ENC without a severance package, something she and former ENC Charlotte-Metro Organizer Xzavier Boston said others who were terminated received. 

Another Black Trans individual who was laid off served as the director of education policy. Reby Kern worked for EqualityNC for just under five years. According to Boston and Jones, Kern did receive a severance package.

“It seemed they built a new severance policy so they could get rid of people and those people got severances,” Boston explained in an interview with Qnotes. “Celeste did not, and we want to know why.”

Jones said when she asked why she was being terminated after almost three-and-a-half years with ENC, she was told it was partially due to her “unresponsiveness.” However, Jones said she had to return her work equipment almost three months ago for repairs and since then, she had to rely on using her friend’s technology to do work because ENC didn’t provide her with a replacement.

“Equity means that you even the playing field for folks who would otherwise not have the resources or privileges they need to succeed … I was given none,” Jones said.

Boston said layoffs had happened nearly every week shortly after Executive Director Eliazar Posada was moved to the interim position. Once those layoffs started, Boston said the work began to pile up with no one able to take over the extra duties brought on by the sudden departure of ENC’s only employees. 

“Tasks got dropped, our partnerships just got dropped, our showing up at certain events just didn’t happen because we just didn’t have the manpower and the people to do it,” Boston said. 

Boston’s resignation from ENC came about over the changes they were seeing in the organization. It got to a point where Boston said they didn’t want to represent ENC, not even as a private citizen. 

“We weren’t showing up in our community, and we were lying about our money problems,” Boston claimed. “They were not giving us any information, and so I submitted my resignation in April.”

Jones corroborated Boston’s experiences, saying her last seven months at ENC were toxic and hostile and the work environment had become “culturally unbearable.”

“I explicitly stated that said changes would impact our work and its effectiveness in the community during probably one of the most consequential governorship races this state has seen,” she explained. “I have been fired without so much as a write-up and have given ENC and my community three and a half years of service … is that what we were fighting for?”

Jones and Boston both have stated staff approached the Board of Directors at ENC multiple times trying to get answers regarding the organization’s financial status, as well as urging them to pick someone to lead the organization who understood what it’s like to be trans in North Carolina. What they said they were met with: inaction and indifference. 

“A budget [wasn’t] presented to any of us about what we actually spend and what we actually bring in,” Boston claimed. “We’ve only ever been able to look at the 990s, and for a ‘transparent organization,’ that’s extremely troubling.”

Jones and Boston are both concerned about the future of North Carolina’s oldest LGBTQ+ advocacy organization, both claiming the organization’s presence in this election will be next to nothing compared to previous years. 

“I still hope and want the oldest LGBTQ organization in the state to do better and to understand their role,” Boston said. “ENC is used to having a platform where they are speaking with the legislature, but they’re not telling people that’s not what they’re gonna be able to do … ENC will not have any impact on this election whatsoever.”

Qnotes previously attempted to speak with ENC officials about the layoffs in April, when Posada said the organization was “restructuring.” When questioned about the topic three months ago, Posada was vague. 

“So, I’m not able to go too deep into it … [but] these changes in … leadership … who makes sense to hold what in this moment? And that’s the part we’re still kind of in the middle of, so I can’t really speak too much about it.”