A NYC taxi driver has been fine $25,000 after refusing to pick up a black executive and her family. The judge slammed driver Baqir Raza with $10,000 in compensation to Cynthia Jordan and a $15,000 civil fine, after he told Jordan he was off-duty and then proceeded to pick up a white family nearby.
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Claudia Jordan, 57-year old, executive was standing outside of Macy’s Herald Square with her two daughters trying to hail a cab so they could make it to a birthday party. When they tried to get into the cab, the driver, Baqir Raza locked the doors and told them he was off duty. According to Jordan, his ‘on-duty’ light was on however when she tried to get in he locked the doors and switched it to ‘off-duty.’
In a split second afterwards, before Jordan could hail another cab, Raza pulled up 25-feet, switched his ‘on-duty’ light back on and picked up two white women. Jordan ran over to the cab and yelled, “Are you kidding me? You picked up these two … white b—–s … instead of me and my family. I’m going to report you.”
Jodan reported the driver to Taxi and Limousine Commission, which fined Raza $200 and then to the Commission on Human Rights, which took up the racial discrimination case. Judge Raymond Kramer ruled that Raza showed “willful discrimination” against Jordan and her family.
In regards to the situation Jordan said, I’m a black woman, I’ve lived in New York all my life. A cab passing you by, it happens all the time, It’s not anything new.” she continued, “But what angered me most was his dismissiveness,” she said. “He looked at me like, what are you going to do, like I’m nothing.”
Claudia Jordan took a stand, and hopefully her case can serve as a lesson.
Source GlobalGrind
