GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — After a controversial week surrounding Founders Brewing Company, their diversity and inclusion director announced her resignation Friday night.
Graci Harkema posted to social media Friday night to formally announce her resignation. On Facebook, she posted a picture of herself with the quote, "Believe in something. Even if it means sacrificing everything."
"I greatly appreciate friends and family for being supportive and standing by my side," Harkema said on Facebook. "I have dedicated myself to a life and career of equity, ethics, integrity and morals. I have resigned from Founders Brewing Co."
In Harkema's formal resignation letter to Founders Brewing leadership, she said she believed in Founders, and while she and "credible public relations firms" have given feedback on how to increase the brand's reputation and narrative, the company has "been most concerned with winning the lawsuit."
"You are most concerned with the ego of 'winning' than you are about the loss of customers, loss of reputation, and loss of employees' wellbeing," Harkema wrote.
Harkema added the company is not experiencing a staff issue, but they are experiencing "a leadership issue."
Her last day with Founders Brewing will be on Friday, Nov. 8.
Tracy Evans, who served as an events and promotions manager at Founders in both Grand Rapids and Detroit, filed the racial discrimination lawsuit last October in the U.S. District Court. The lawsuit named Evans as the only minority manager at Founders and in court documents, Evans said his coworkers used racial slurs around him and with other employees.
Evans claims he was let go from the brewery after he tried to take a personal day to speak to Human Resources in Grand Rapids.
Earlier this week, the brewing company dropped out of the Michigan Brewers Guilds' Detroit Fall Beer Festival after a racial discrimination lawsuit was filed against the company by a former employee.
Friday morning, the company announced they were closing their Detroit taproom amid the controversy. Founders said the decision to close was out of concern for employees' safety.
Other headlines from 13 ON YOUR SIDE:
RELATED VIDEO:
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.