I am a survivor of domestic violence and a wrongfully terminated employee of YOUNITY, formerly Womanspace, Inc., which is meant to be a safe haven for individuals like me. While working tirelessly at the organization, I managed to conceive and launch a product that was widely recognized and significantly benefited this nonprofit. Instead of receiving due acknowledgment, I experienced retaliation from Womanspace's leadership, including CEO Nathalie Nelson and COO Rev. Susan Victor, resulting in wrongful termination.

In the U.S., one in four women and one in ten men experience intimate partner violence, and nonprofit organizations like YOUNITY (Womanspace, Inc.) serve a significant role in providing much-needed support to these victims (source: CDC/NISVS). Such organizations should fundamentally embody fairness, respect, and justice, not only for the victims they serve, but also for their hardworking employees, many of whom are themselves survivors.

However, my experience reflects a contrary reality. My wrongful termination coupled with the retaliatory actions only adds to the statistics indicating that 70,72% of the whistleblower complaints filed in 2018 were retaliation-related incidents (source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).

Defamation and Breach of Confidentiality: Nathalie shared details of my termination with a councilwoman and others, constituting defamation and a breach of confidentiality. This further damaged my reputation and added to the emotional toll.

Violation of Organizational Policies: Womanspace's own handbook lists a zero harassment policy. However, their actions clearly violated this policy, as I faced harassment and retaliation from the leadership.

Ignored Complaints of Harassment: When I complained about the harassment and hostility to my supervisor after standing up for my ownership, nothing happened. No investigation was initiated until after I was terminated and reached out to board members. This neglect highlights the organization's failure to address my concerns promptly and adequately.

Financial and Emotional Impact: The wrongful termination has had a severe financial and emotional impact on me and my children, much like what we experienced with my now ex-husband. The uncertainty and financial strain have created a challenging environment for us, and it is crucial that we reach a timely resolution.

Attorney's Acknowledgment: During the investigation, Attorney Kim A, representing Womanspace, acknowledged that the organization mishandled the situation. Kim A confirmed that my termination was primarily motivated by Womanspace's desire to claim ownership of the product I created and suggested that the organization should have considered licensing the product rather than terminating my employment.

NJ Department of Labor Determination: The NJ Department of Labor found that my discharge was not for misconduct connected to my work, contradicting the organization's claim of poor work performance. This determination supports my position that the termination was retaliatory in nature.

Through this petition, I implore you to raise your voice against such unjust practices. Demand a thorough investigation into Womanspace's leadership and their actions towards myself and other employees who may share similar experiences. Encourage accountability and fair resolution. By signing this petition, you stand by me and others in our fight for justice. We survivors deserve nothing less.

Please sign this petition to urge YOUNITY, formerly Womanspace, Inc. to right their wrongs.