Milwaukee Area Technical College’s former chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer filed a federal lawsuit against the college alleging she was fired after speaking out against race and disability discrimination at the school.
Eva Martinez Powless says she complained multiple times to her direct supervisor, MATC’s human resources department and the school’s president about discrimination against a Black employee who required accommodation because of her disability.
Martinez Powless also complained of disparaging comments made about that employee and other Black employees, according to the complaint filed Dec. 30 in the U.S. Eastern District Court.
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MATC officials allegedly retaliated against Martinez Powless’s complaints by using “bullying and micro-aggressions as common practices, micromanaging her to the point that she could not perform her job duties, excluding her from relevant and critical communications and decision-making, and ultimately terminating her,” according to the complaint.
Martinez Powless is Latina and the top two officials at MATC at the time, including former President Vicki Martin and Executive Vice President Phillip King, are white.
Martin retired in June. MATC’s current president, Anthony Cruz, is Hispanic.
In a statement, MATC officials said allegations referenced in the lawsuit are unfounded, and the college looks forward to having the opportunity to respond through the legal process.
“While we cannot comment on a specific personnel matter, especially one that is the subject of litigation, it is important to note that the former employee’s own complaint states that an independent investigator found the former employee’s claims to be unsubstantiated,” the MATC statement says. “We stand by the results of this independent investigation.”
MATC also noted no one on the college’s executive leadership team has been found to have engaged in discrimination or harassment.
Martinez Powless’s attorney, Summer Murshid, with Milwaukee-based Hawks Quindel, said MATC wanted Martinez Powless to “sit quietly and comply” with orders instead of meaningfully engaging to make the school more diverse, equitable and inclusive.
“It is ironic and deeply disturbing that MATC’s first-ever Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion has had to file a lawsuit alleging that she experienced pervasive discrimination and retaliation for standing up against discrimination in the workplace,” Murshid said.
Martinez Powless was hired by MATC in 2021 as the school’s first DEI officer. At the time, she had 17 years of experience working in higher education at Marquette University and then at MATC in administration, enrollment, student affairs and multicultural outreach.
In September 2023, she was promoted to serve as interim vice president of enrollment and retention and began reporting to King.
During that time, Martinez Powless alleges King often complained about a Black employee with a disability.
“Almost immediately upon working directly with Dr. King, Dr. Martinez Powless observed a pattern of Dr. King disparaging Black employees,” according to the complaint.
Two employees filed complaints against King, which Martinez Powless supported.
At this point, Martinez Powless believes she was retaliated against, according to the complaint.
She was terminated on April 15, 2024 for “insubordination and unprofessional and disrespectful conduct.”
“I am one of many victims of what I believe is a discriminatory culture that has been allowed to perpetuate at MATC but I cannot stand by and allow it to continue without demanding accountability,” Martinez Powless said in a statement. “That is why I filed this case. Something must change.”
Martinez Powless is seeking back pay, punitive damages and an order to be reinstated to her same or a substantially similar position.
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