Black Woman Has a Multi-Million Dollar Victory in Discrimination Case Against City of Fresno

A Black woman in Fresno, Calif. just got the last laugh after a jury handed her a multi-million dollar victory stemming from workplace discrimination back in 2018. But while La-Kebbia “Kiki” Wilson celebrated the court’s ruling as a major personal win, it could also set a historic precedent for future workplace lawsuits involving racial discrimination.

It all started in October 2019, when Wilson– who had been working at the city’s code enforcement department– joined her co-worker, Charles Smith, to file a lawsuit against the city, according to The Fresno Bee. The complaint alleged Wilson’s supervisor repeatedly targeted the Black woman strictly because of her race, making her time working in the department a nightmare.

“They’re exposed. They made me seem like I was an angry Black woman stereotype,” Wilson said after the jury’s verdict. The complaint cited one interaction between the supervisor, Howard Lacy, and Smith, which confirmed Wilson’s suspicions that she had been mistreated.

According to the lawsuit, Lacy referred to Wilson as an “entitled N-word” and even claimed Wilson used being Black to benefit her at her convenience. The lawsuit also claimed Lacy called the Black woman “lazy” and a “piece of s**t.”

The supervisor denied all wrongdoing when he was called to testify during the March trial. The testimony also revealed that an internal investigation was conducted and found that Lacy did not use the offensive language. Still, emotions were high in the court room as Wilson even shouting that the city officials present were “all f***ing liars” at one point.

During closing arguments, Wilson and Smith’s attorney noted that Wilson was disciplined for using profanities, but until that point, Lacy had faced no repercussions. It took the jury only one day to return with a final verdict in favor of Wilson and Smith, holding the city liable for damages.

Wilson was awarded $15.4 million. Smith received $400,000, adding he plans on “starting a rock ‘n’ roll band,” according to GV Wire.

“We proved our case, and the city of Fresno never took this case seriously,” Wilson’s attorney said. “They fought it for over seven years in court, and we finally had our day in court and justice prevailed.”

However, not everyone was happy with Wilson’s victory. Fresno Councilmember Mike Karbassi said he’s not ruling out a possible appeal. “If this judgment is upheld, there will be tough decisions ahead if we’re going to balance our budget,” he said. “While I am very sensitive to the allegations, I also have a responsibility to protect the financial well-being of our current public employees who provide vital services to the public.”