Insurance agency employee apologizes for racist Juneteenth

Read more: Progressive cuts ties with insurance policy agency above racist Juneteenth signal

Allstate, which has been approached for remark, has also reportedly ditched the coverage agency.

In an apology letter, shared on insurance company Harry E Reed’s Facebook page, Melanie Higgins, reportedly the daughter of Harry E Reed owner Karen Hansen, claimed duty for the indication and its contents.

“I would like to publicly apologise for any misunderstanding or damage that has arisen out of my standard, snarky place of work closure signs and information,” Higgins stated in the submit.

Higgins verified she experienced been “reprimanded” but did not share additional information on what this had associated.

Higgins mentioned she “quickly wrote the note” after a death in the family members, and said that she would “never in any aspect of the word be characterized a racist.”

Higgins, who claimed to be “overweight” and “multi-racial”, explained she had been putting up food items-linked indicators considering that the COVID pandemic hit in 2020, getting previously shared indications about sizzling canine, cake, treats, and burgers.

The company employee claimed that she generally utilized humor to “lighten” cases, “often at my very own expense”.

“I am so sorry for any discomfort I have brought about and the damaging awareness it has introduced to our group,” Higgins said.

The insurance policy employee urged men and women not to “chastise” Hansen, who Higgins stated had nothing at all to do with the signal “in any capacity”.

“I apologise deeply to my employers of Reeds Insurance policies Company for obtaining introduced on turmoil and distaste and hatred to their prolonged-standing small business in this neighborhood,” Higgins mentioned.

The indication fulfilled with condemnation this 7 days when it was shared on social media by a passer-by.

Millinocket Town Council chair Steve Golieb mentioned on Tuesday that the signal exhibited a “basic disregard of human decency”.

The town “does not acknowledge or endorse just about anything limited of inclusivity”, Golieb mentioned in a statement.

Harry E Reed’s phoneline was unavailable when Insurance policy Organization tried to arrive at out for remark.