A Black man from Texas who lost his job at a trucking company, allegedy due to his dreadlocked hairstyle, has since received multiple employment opportunities.
Damon Mitchell told KCCI8 Des Moines on Thursday that he was let go from a commercial driver's license program at TMC Transportation due to his hairstyle.
After beginning work at the company, he had to travel to Des Moines, Iowa, to train to get his license. But two days into his training, he claims the company said due to his dreadlocks, he would be unable to wear a hard hat, which was needed for the job.
Mitchell said he had to take two buses and a plane to be able to return to his home in Texas from Des Moines.
"This is something that is really humiliating. I did not fail out of school; I didn't do anything wrong. I was high spirits; had high hopes and I was ready to give this company everything I had. You know what I'm saying? With the best of my ability. And my hair did not have an influence on my job performance," Mitchel told KCCI8 Des Moines.
TMC Transportation said in a statement to the broadcaster that their drivers must wear personal protective equipment, including a hard hat, for safety reasons.
"We enforce this policy with all of our drivers, regardless of their race. Mr. Mitchell was unable to securely fasten a hard hat," the statement said.
But after Mitchell shared his experience on social media, he was inundated with job offers and words of support.
"Never would I ever would have imagined something like this, I'm tired man," Damon Mitchell told KCCI8 Des Moines.
"It was beautiful to see, I have some awesome people in my life. Strangers are reaching out offering me jobs," Mitchell added.
Mitchell said he is planning to take legal action against TMC Transportation.
"I'm going to take it a step further. I've actually called the race and discrimination lawyers here in Texas," he said.
Mitchell said he intended to take up some of the job offers.
"For me, I think that I will definitely be OK. I know I'm going to be OK. Somebody will take a shot on me and let me bring value to their company. And I hope to start my own one day because that's the ultimate goal because I'm not trying to work for somebody my whole life," he said.
Newsweek has contacted Mitchell and TMC for comment.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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