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Racially Insensitive NYU Menu Leads To Apology, Firings

WAMC Northeast Public Radio | By Dave Lucas
Published February 22, 2018 at 4:01 PM EST
NYU

A racially insensitive menu for a Black History Month meal at New York University has led to a company apology and workers being fired.

According to The New York Times, NYU President Andrew Hamilton says it was "inexcusably insensitive" for a food service company to feature barbecued ribs, corn bread, collard greens, and beverages with racist connotations: Kool-Aid and watermelon-flavored water.

Sophomore Nia Harris, who's black, says the head cook dismissed her objections and told her that black employees planned the menu.

Two food service workers were fired and the company says it's re-training its NYU employees.

Aramark issued an apology to the entire NYU community and "communities everywhere" for the employees' "insensitive and offensive actions."

Harris posted comments on Facebook.

© 2018 Associated Press
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New York News RacismNYU
Dave Lucas
Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.
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