'Many customers feel uncomfortable around you': Woman working at Ontario FreshCo grocery store receives racist letter at work
'This is nothing but hate and it’s hurtful': Canadians are appalled that someone would take the time to target a worker
A Canadian woman who works at a grocery store in Ontario was left shocked after she received a racist letter at her workplace.
Nadine Davis has been working at the FreshCo grocery store in Peterborough, Ont. as a cashier for nearly 18 years. After arriving at work on Jan. 31, she found a disturbing letter addressed to her.
The anonymous sender wrote, “After the years you’ve been working with white people, you haven’t learn their gentle, courteous ways. You are still arrogant in your manners. Many customers feels uncomfortable around you. Educate yourself, refine your very cultural background. You may fit better in Toronto than in this town. Think about it it.”
The letter was signed anonymously by “one of the ones who pay your wages.”
In an interview with The Peterborough Examiner, Davis explained she was "shocked" and fought back tears while saying she couldn't talk about it.
Sarah Dawson, public affairs lead at Sobey’s Inc., the parent company that owns FreshCo, also shared a statement with Peterborough This Week on Friday morning.
“One of our teammates received a letter from an external unknown sender that was deeply offensive and racist in tone. We will not tolerate this treatment of our teammates and hope that whoever sent it understands they are not welcome to shop with us,” Dawson wrote.
“This incident is particularly disheartening as we reflect and engage during Black History Month; we know there is much more work to do as a society in the fight against racism and intolerance, and this is another unfortunate example.”
"Do better": Residents angered by the racist letter, show their support
(via Facebook)
A local woman, whom is also a person of color, recieved this letter at her place of employment - what the actual fuck is wrong with some people? Do better. #Peterborough pic.twitter.com/C6lPtIPiZE— CR45T13 (@CR45T13) February 1, 2023
If you can't handle basic human interaction, let alone being a decent person, maybe you should use the soulless self-checkouts at Wal-Mart instead. https://t.co/13VAej60pe
— Kevin Elson (@Kevin_A_R_Elson) February 3, 2023
I find it upsetting that someone would take the time to write a letter, apply postage & send it to the woman’s place of employment. What were they thinking? This is nothing but hate and it’s hurtful. This degenerate needs to be caught, publicly exposed and identified as a racist.
— TR Lord (@TRLord14) February 4, 2023