Day 2,568 - Trial began

One year ago today I was finally able to face my discriminator in court. It took over 6 years to get there. I knew this would be the toughest 2 weeks of my life, but I also knew that getting to court meant I could share my story and produce the evidence to show I was targeted and discriminatorily fired. Remember, I WON! At any time leading up to this day, my discriminator could have settled this matter - as I have shared at mediation #1 in 2021 they offered $7,500.00 and #2 in 2022 offered $140,000 (both of these were inclusive of attorney's fees). At no time did they come to the table with real offers to settle as at both times my losses and costs were in the 7 figures.

I would have never made it to court or through the last 7 years without my amazing husband. He held me up when I could not stand on my own. He saw what happened to me and how much I have suffered - he was dismayed when I finally told him I had planned to kill myself and made sure I got the help I needed. That happened because of my discriminators unrelenting attacks during this lawsuit. It is why I was so upset, but not surprised, that at trial my discriminator's attorney tried to say that I lied to him, to disparage our relationship and me so they could hide their discrimination.

My husband knows me and the relationship we share - we have been together 20 years. He knows that I am not a liar as much as I know he is not. As he testified, we live our lives in truth - when you have a healthy relationship you don't need to lie. He wouldn't tolerate it and neither would I. Also, my husband knows I hate football - so why would I lie to go to an event I am not interested in? Instead of working over New Years, we could have taking the holiday and gone somewhere fun and warm - not New Orleans! But, again, there had to be some way to explain away my discrimination, that way has been to consistently call me a liar. As a reminder, mine in the only investigation that had a "Lying" section in it. Does this sound like a non-profit founded on helping people who cannot help themselves or a discriminator trying to hide their deeds?

While I have no doubt we will win the final appeal in the end, my husband and I have both paid dearly for 7 years because of what my discriminator has done to us. We have both become victims due to their discrimination. Soon, there will be a morning I wake up and don't think about the lawsuit or what was done to me. On that day, I will finally be able to start to heal.