A former employee has filed a lawsuit against Bowery Residents’ Committee, Inc. (BRC), claiming he faced discriminatory treatment due to his race and was unjustly terminated after raising concerns about this mistreatment.
Plaintiff Kenyatta Southerland-Greene claims that he began working as a Maintenance Worker for BRC on April 1, 2024, and alleges that he experienced unequal treatment from the start. He claims that non-Black employees received more favorable treatment, while he was denied proper tools and training necessary for his job. Despite having advanced skills and certifications in air conditioning and refrigeration, Greene states he was assigned low-level tasks such as garbage removal, while less experienced non-Black colleagues worked on complex projects.
The complaint details incidents of discrimination, including a verbal altercation on Greene’s first day with a coworker named Niles, which later escalated into a physical confrontation. Greene asserts that he was suspended without pay and ultimately terminated under false claims of aggressive behavior, despite being the victim of the assault.
Greene also reports that attempts to resolve these issues internally were met with indifference or retaliation. He informed supervisors Jose Bonilla and Harry Irving about discrimination and lack of equipment, but received no meaningful resolution. Instead, he claims his complaints led to further retaliation, including denial of overtime and restricted access to areas necessary for his duties.
The lawsuit includes claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the New York State Human Rights Law, and the New York City Human Rights Law. Greene seeks declaratory judgment recognizing BRC's actions as unlawful, compensatory damages for economic losses and emotional distress, and punitive damages to deter similar conduct in the future.
The plaintiff is represented by attorney Sagar K. Shah of Greenberg Gross LLP.