FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 20, 2020
CONTACT: press@IAVA.org
New York, NY – Today, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) participated on the latest bi-weekly call that VA Secretary Robert Wilkie holds with Veteran Service Organizations. Although requested by IAVA CEO Jeremy Butler to address recent reports of racist behavior at the Kansas City VA Medical Center, the Secretary chose not to respond to this matter.
A group of black employees of the Kansas City facility have come forward to report a culture of racism at work and that managers have directed racist comments at them, including an email last month informing them that they would be exhibits in a Juneteenth “living museum” where they would play characters such as Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King and George Floyd.
“VA medical centers should be a sanctuary for veterans and the last place where discrimination occurs,” said IAVA Executive VP Tom Porter. “These are very serious allegations and veterans deserve a serious response. IAVA CEO Jeremy Butler had requested that Wilkie address actions taken in response to the allegations during our call with him today. Unfortunately, Wilkie did not. IAVA asks for a complete accounting of the accusations and response by the VA to them.”
Founded by an Iraq veteran in 2004, IAVA is the non-partisan leader in advocacy, public awareness and 1-on-1 care management and peer support. We organize locally, drive historic impacts nationally and fight for over 400,000 veterans and their allies nationwide. If a veteran or their family is in need of assistance now, please reach out to IAVA’s Quick Reaction Force at www.quickreactionforce.org or 855-91RAPID (855-917-2743) to be connected promptly with a veteran care manager who will assist you.
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