A class action lawsuit has been filed against Amazon by a woman alleging that the company engaged in racial discrimination through its grant program that excluded whites and Asians.
Washington Free Beacon obtained the lawsuit. It specifically mentions a program that provides a $10,000 stipend for “Black, Latinx and Native American entrepreneurs” who are looking to start delivery startups.
Plaintiffs claim that the program is “patently illegal racial discrimination.” Both Asian and white applicants are exempted based on race.
The lawsuit states:
Amazon will pay a $10,000 stipend to businesses that are owned by Blacks, Latinos, and Native Americans to be delivery service partner companies. However, whites and Asian Americans who want to become delivery partners must pay the full cost of their startup.
According to the lawsuit, Amazon is accused of discriminating racially in the past. The lawsuit states, “This isn’t the only instance of illegal racial discrimination at Amazon. Amazon also operates a “Black Business Accelerator program” since June 2021.
The lawsuit further states that Amazon uses the program to unlawfully discriminate against black owned businesses and to favor black-owned businesses selling products through Amazon.
Crystal Bolduc, plaintiff, requests that the program be ended and that damages be paid to anyone who has “suffered unlawful racial discrimination because of it”. The lawsuit was filed by conservative lawyers and claims that Amazon’s program is in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1866. This law prohibits racial discrimination when contracting.
Amazon isn’t the only company accused of racial discrimination towards white and Asian individuals. Washington Free Beacon reported that Pfizer had barred Asian and white students from applying for their prestigious Breakthrough Fellowship.
Google also set a limit on how many students it will accept as fellowship recipients from Asian and white backgrounds.
American Express is now facing a class-action lawsuit. A former employee, Brian Netzel, claims that the company incited “a tremendous amount” of animosity against white people and gave preferential treatment to Black employees.
Bank of America launched a program to allow Hispanic and black borrowers to get mortgages with no down payment and low credit scores.
