Berkeley
Z Gallerie Accused of Racist Hiring Practices
Four Black Women File Lawsuit Against Furniture Chain
Z Gallerie, the luxury home furnishing chain store, calls itself the style authority for the fashion-forward home. But when it comes to its Black employees working at its Berkeley store, they call it a work environment that’s home to discrimination and retaliation against them , if they complain or bring awareness of mistreatment to management.
In a lawsuit filed against Z Gallerie by four African-American women who were former employees at they store, they all claim they experienced racial discrimination in the form of lack of promotion, disparate treatment and unlawful termination.
“Z Gallerie put them in a Catch-22 situation, putting the women in a situation where they were forced to resign or get terminated,”said Waukeen McCoy with the McCoy Law Firm that’s representing the plaintiffs. “I have seen race discrimination cases before, but this is one of the more extensive ones.”
Tanisha Alston, Camille Goode, Shelita Harper and Mikala Jackson are the plaintiffs suing the retail giant. They all worked at the Berkeley Z Gallerie store, located at 1700 4th St.
The lawsuit states that job opportunities at the store were not advertised to the Black plaintiffs and other people from outside the store were hired, even though the Black plaintiffs were interested in the promotions. Or the jobs from Z gallerie were advertised, but the Black plaintiffs, with more experience on the job and in sales, weren’t allowed to interview for the openings.
In one incident, Alston, who was the assistant manager at the store, was working as the acting manager, as the previous manager left the store. Without giving her a chance to apply for the managing position, Z Gallerie hired a store manager who was white. Alston had to eventually teach and train him on the duties of a store manager.
“These Black women, had a wealth of experience in retail and one in particular, was qualified enough to run a store,” continued McCoy “But time after time, they were passed over for promotion, by less qualified white employees.”
In another incident a Black employee was called “ghetto” by a white employee. In another incident Harper, who was hired as a sales associate, was told by a white manager that the Black employee that trained her, would never be a manager at the store. When this Black employee resigned later, two white employees gave each other high-fives, celebrating his resignation, in front of Harper.
The lawsuit details instances when Human Resources for Z Gallerie were notified about the problems at the store by management. Instead of being reprimanded, managers who harassed the black staff were often promoted.
When the plaintiffs felt they were being mistreated and they complained to Human Resources, they said their work hours were cut by the management. The lawsuit also states that the Black plaintiff were being asked by Z Gallerie managers to profile Black customers who came into the store. Making sure that Black patrons at the store didn’t steal and double-checking identificaiton if charges were made with credit cards were some of the tactics used. Charges of racial insensitivity at Z Gallerie are not new. In Dallas, Texas, in March of 2016, a celebrity financial adviser Arnitra Johnson-Hall was at a Z Gallerie store trying to buy a gift card at the store.
Even through the purchase was approved by her credit card, she left the store after a white store manager called the store security hotline on her. She wrote about it on her Facebook page, and the incident went viral prompting a response from Z Gallerie.
Z Gallerie responded by stating that, “discrimination, in any form is not in line with our company culture or values.” Calls to Z Gallerie’s corporate office in Los Angeles were placed, regarding the issues at the Berkeley location. They didn’t respond by press time.
Waukeen McCoy
McCoy said that he tried to get the issues resolved with the corporate offices in Berkeley and the national location in Los Angeles.
“We actually tried to resolve this with Z Gallerie,” continued McCoy. “We were ignored and that’s why we decided to file this lawsuit. Usually a company will respond, but it’s telling they didn’t.”
The lawsuit was filed in the Superiors Court of California in Alameda County. While Z Gallerie is headquartered in Los Angeles, the Berkeley store, is one of the flagship stores on the West Coast. The lawsuit is asking for general damages, as well as special and punitive damages for all the plaintiffs.
Activism
Black Repertory Group Needs Volunteers to Help Shape the Next Generation of Artists and Leaders
Legendary performers such as Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover worked with and were inspired by BRG’s founders. More recently, Grammy award-winning artist Kehlani attended the Black Repertory Group Summer Day Camp for several years.
By Sean Vaughn Scott, Special to The Post
For more than 60 years, the Black Repertory Group (BRG) has changed lives through the arts.
Founded in 1964 by educators and visionaries Birel L. Vaughn and Nora Vaughn, BRG has become one of America’s oldest continuously operating Black theater institutions. For generations, it has preserved culture, developed talent, and provided opportunities for young people to discover their voices and their potential.
The results speak for themselves.
Legendary performers such as Whoopi Goldberg and Danny Glover worked with and were inspired by BRG’s founders. More recently, Grammy award-winning artist Kehlani attended the Black Repertory Group Summer Day Camp for several years.
Long before international recognition, Kehlani performed on the BRG stage. During a summer day camp production of “Princess and da Frog,” she portrayed Ray, the lovable firefly whose light guided others through the darkness. Her journey is proof that today’s camper may become tomorrow’s artist, entrepreneur, educator, or leader.
Located at 3201 Adeline St. in Berkeley, BRG continues that mission through its Youth Summer Day Camp of the Arts.
BRG is currently accepting applications and maintains an open enrollment program. Students may enroll throughout the summer as space permits and immediately become part of the BRG family.
We are also proud to be a multicultural opportunity program, welcoming children and families from all backgrounds, cultures, and communities. Through theater, music, dance, public speaking, visual arts, technical theater, and leadership development, students gain confidence, discipline, creativity, and lifelong skills.
As our programs grow, so does our need for volunteers.
We are seeking community members to assist with youth mentoring, registration, costumes, set construction, painting, props, ushering, photography, social media, marketing, technical theater, and fundraising activities. Whether you volunteer for a few hours or throughout the season, your support directly impacts the lives of young people.
BRG also partners with churches, civic organizations, alumni associations, fraternities, sororities, and community groups through theater party fundraisers, group sales, and buy-out performances. These partnerships have helped organizations raise funds while supporting arts and cultural programming.
The theater also serves as the home of the Berkeley NAACP Chapter, which meets every second Saturday of the month from 1 to 3 p.m.
For more than six decades, the Black Repertory Group has remained committed to one belief: every child deserves an opportunity to shine.
The next great artist may already be among us.
The next Kehlani may already be walking through our doors.
We invite you to volunteer, enroll, participate, and become part of the legacy.
For more information please go to www.blackrepertorygroup.com, call (510) 652-2120, or email info@blackrepertorygroup.com
Sean Vaughn Scott is the director of the Black Repertory Group.
Bay Area
UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’
Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.
The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries
By Lila Thulin
U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.
Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.
Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.
Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.
“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.
The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.
This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.
In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.
That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.
Arts and Culture
Farwest Region Deltas Celebrate Centennial With “September Breakfast” Honoring Vivian Osborne Marsh
The region was established in 1925 under the leadership of Vivian Osborne Marsh, who became its first Regional Director. Marsh was a pioneering scholar and civic leader, earning recognition as the first Black woman to receive both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in anthropology from UC Berkeley.
By Antoinette Porter
Hundreds of members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and their guests gathered at the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union at the University of California, Berkeley, to mark the 100th anniversary of the sorority’s Farwest Region.
The region was established in 1925 under the leadership of Vivian Osborne Marsh, who became its first Regional Director. Marsh was a pioneering scholar and civic leader, earning recognition as the first Black woman to receive both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in anthropology from UC Berkeley.
Marsh went on to serve as Delta Sigma Theta’s 7th National President, where she launched the sorority’s National Library Project to expand access to books in underserved Black communities in the South. During her presidency, the organization also became a prominent voice in the civil rights movement, lobbying Congress to pass anti-lynching legislation.
Bak in the Bay Area, Marsh devoted her career to advancing educational opportunities, mentoring young people, and strengthening community life. That commitment continues to shape the region, which supports initiatives in education, social justice, and economic development. Current projects include raising scholarship funds for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities, voter education campaigns, and health and wellness programs.
A century after its founding, the Farwest Region of Delta Sigma Theta remains active across California and other western states, carrying forward Marsh’s vision of service and advocacy.
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