🪞 Mirror Me Blog Series: Portmeirion Scandal — Part XII "Two Black Women, Same Fate: Racism in the Accounting Department"

🧩 When Patterns Repeat, They're Not Accidents

Before I was brought on as the new Accounts Payable Clerk, another Black woman held the same position — Jewel Martin, a Jamaican woman with professional experience and a reputation for getting the job done. Her story closely mirrors mine, and what happened to her should've served as a warning of what was to come.

Jewel, like me, spoke up.

Jewel, like me, was ignored.

Jewel, like me, suffered the consequences of speaking truth to power in a space not designed for our voices.

🔍 The Jewel Warning: Disregarded Truths

Back in September 2024, Jewel warned Dominique directly: Jennifer didn’t know what she was doing. Duplicate payments were being issued to incorrect suppliers and vendors. This wasn’t a petty complaint — it was a red flag. A professional AP specialist sounding the alarm.

What did Dominique do with that information? She ignored it.

Instead of investigating or holding Jennifer accountable, she protected her. And not long after, Jewel began to be phased out of team meetings and excluded from accounting discussions.

She remained in the department, yes — but not as part of the team. Her silence was expected. Her discomfort was dismissed. And her warnings were weaponized against her.

Sound familiar?

🔁 Enter Me: History Repeats

Then came me. A Black woman. Qualified. Experienced. Clear in communication.

Was I brought in to replace Jewel? It’s starting to look that way.

Because when I arrived, Jewel was still there. And so was Jennifer. And interestingly — William had just started one week before me.

So why the rush to hire two new clerks into an already staffed department?

Because Jennifer couldn’t handle the work. And instead of removing her, Dominique built a human buffer around her.

It wasn’t about finding the right fit — it was about shielding incompetence with bodies.

🤫 Internalized Sabotage: Divide and Exclude

Jennifer frequently made comments about Jewel behind her back, painting her as the problem and pushing a narrative that Jewel was "difficult." The same pattern happened with me. The moment I went to Paula, Jennifer’s tone shifted. Suddenly, I wasn’t to be trusted either.

She began pulling in Chrissy, Diane, and others into her circle to isolate and discredit me — turning an already toxic department into a war zone of whispered alliances and fake professionalism.

This is strategic. It’s called corporate triangulation, and it’s how bullies thrive in workplace systems.

🧃 Juliet’s Role: Helping or Hunting?

I didn’t just report this to internal leadership. I also went to my staffing agency, CFS. I told Juliet Casey, my rep, everything. And you know what’s interesting?

Juliet had already called Jewel, too.

But she wasn’t calling to check on her well-being — she was gauging her willingness to leave. Juliet was scouting for replacements, not offering support.

I told Juliet how stressed Jewel was. How the workplace had started making her physically sick. I told her how Dominique excluded Jewel from meetings. I told her everything.

Nothing changed.

🧠 The Real Question: Why Protect Jennifer?

Why is Jennifer, a woman with no AP management experience, still in that seat? Despite multiple complaints from two qualified Black women? Despite financial discrepancies, duplicate payments, audit failure risks?

That’s not incompetence — that’s protection.

And it reeks of racial bias.

⚖️ Protected Classes, Violated Rights

Let’s be clear:

• Race and Gender are both protected classes under federal and Connecticut law.

• To be hired to replace another Black woman who had already raised the same issues — and to then be ignored and walked out the door without process — is discriminatory and retaliatory.

This blog is no longer just about a hostile work environment. It’s about systemic suppression of Black women’s voices in corporate spaces — and the institutions that enable it.

And historically, this is nothing new. White women have long weaponized proximity to power against Black women. From slavery to boardrooms, we’ve been punished for raising our voices. Jewel and I are two more names on that legacy — and we won't be silent.

🪞 Reflection Prompt:

Have you ever watched someone get punished for speaking the truth, only to see history repeat itself in your own life? What was the common thread?

🧠 Spot the Narc Traits:

• Gaslighting via exclusion

• Smear campaigns

• Passive-aggressive undermining

• Silent retaliation

💬 Affirmation:

“I don’t become less truthful just because others become uncomfortable.”

📌 To Be Continued in Part XIII: Tomorrow, we break down Juliet’s full involvement and explore how predators align to protect each other, until someone dares to say “enough.”

🕊️ Stay tuned, stay strong.