I am resorting to writing to you because the Vancouver Island Health Authority sees no reason to acknowledge issues when a staff member of African ancestry reports concerns with bullying and exclusion after being addressed/greeted in an email by a colleague as Hello Africa

That staff member of African ancestry is me, Adeola Adegoke, a female immigrant of African ancestry, with particular sensitivities around her immigration from Africa. I am also a Chartered Professional Accountant, and a mother, with a track record of volunteering at the local church and giving back to my profession.  I, like many immigrants, work hard to contribute positively to our communities and the country that gave us hope when we most needed it. 

I am appalled and disappointed that an employer funded by taxpayers fails to acknowledge and address concerns that highlight what might be systemic employment inequities and racism within its organization

Despite thirteen years of supporting the delivery of services across 100 subsidized long-term care and assisted living residences on Vancouver Island, and garnering a stellar employee performance, I was unable to secure another job within the health authority despite being duly qualified for those positions and taking all the steps including applying, networking to express interest in lateral positions.  All I ever wanted, after thirteen years, was an opportunity to grow and learn more about the health authority. I never did get a chance to.

Instead, I was denied an opportunity to apply to, perhaps, the one opportunity that mattered most - one that was never advertised but was for a position I had trained for on my team, a job which I was qualified for by all accounts.

Most would argue that an equal-opportunity employer would not appoint an individual to a Director position that pays over $105,000 annually without a competition to allow qualified individuals apply.  Well, apparently, this employer awarded a position that pays over $105,000 with no competition to an individual who demonstrably lacked the skills and training to discharge obligations (audit-related) nor was this individual known to have the sector or position-related experience one would expect of an incumbent or appointee to that position. From my point of view, it seemed like an award based on preference and selective bias that may be racially-induced, and sadly, biased against me, the only other individual on the team that had a good shot and interest in the opportunity
 
The questions I have asked the health authority, to which I have yet to receive a response follow:

Why was I not given the opportunity to apply to the only growth opportunity that came up on my team in over 10 years despite being duly qualified to undertake audits, as the job description provided?  Why was I excluded from the only growth opportunity that was clearly within my reach despite my many requests about seeking a growth opportunity?  Why was I denied and discouraged from applying for a job that I clearly had the experience and training for, a job my employee performance records clearly demonstrated I was capable of discharging?  Why was my complaint about bullying and harassment by a person of authority treated with levity? Why was I excluded from the organizational chart, and why did the health authority take no action to mitigate when I complained about being excluded?  Why is being greeted in an email as Hello Africa not a problem? Instead of acknowledging they could have done better, the health authority bolsters itself behind a lawyer dismissing my concerns as a nuisance.

I decided to work for the public sector because I thought I was in safe hands, Instead, I have suffered exclusion and harm to my mental health from choosing to work for the Vancouver Island Health Authority.

This is my story. I am sharing because, as a taxpayer, I deserve answers, and as a citizen, I deserve equal rights to opportunities as others.

Adeola
https://www.linkedin.com/in/adeola-a-34214a188/