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Florida City Replaces Images of Black Former Fire Chiefs with White Faces. Two Fired...
Boynton Beach removes 2 officials after public art mural replaced images of black former chiefs with white facesBOYNTON BEACH - After a public art project based on photographs replaced the images of two black former department chiefs with white faces, City Manager Lori LaVerriere removed Matthew Petty, the city’s fire chief, and fired Debby Coles-Dobay, the city’s public arts manager.
LaVerriere wrote in a Saturday afternoon statement that she “concluded a preliminary investigation regarding the inappropriate decisions made by City employees.”
Coles-Dobay wrote Saturday to the Post that she “was pressured to make this artwork change by the Fire Chief and his staff, as the City well knows.”
Coles-Dobay did not elaborate.
The removals are effective immediately. Petty, who initially faced demotion, agreed to resign, LaVerriere said in an email statement.
The mural, which the city unveiled this month, erased the image of Boynton-born and -raised Latosha Clemons, who was the city’s first and only black female firefighter and deputy chief.
She scaled and led the department ranks for about 24 years until retiring effective March 1.
The mural also erased the face of Glenn Joseph, the city’s former fire chief and the first black firefighter in Boca Raton’s department.
Officials removed the public art project a day after it was unveiled.
“I’m hurt. I’m disappointed. I’m outraged,” Clemons said Friday. “It’s been my heart and soul and my lifeblood to serve in the community where I grew up ... this is beyond disrespect and I basically want to know why it happened...”
LaVerriere wrote in a Saturday afternoon statement that she “concluded a preliminary investigation regarding the inappropriate decisions made by City employees.”
Coles-Dobay wrote Saturday to the Post that she “was pressured to make this artwork change by the Fire Chief and his staff, as the City well knows.”
Coles-Dobay did not elaborate.
The removals are effective immediately. Petty, who initially faced demotion, agreed to resign, LaVerriere said in an email statement.
The mural, which the city unveiled this month, erased the image of Boynton-born and -raised Latosha Clemons, who was the city’s first and only black female firefighter and deputy chief.
She scaled and led the department ranks for about 24 years until retiring effective March 1.
The mural also erased the face of Glenn Joseph, the city’s former fire chief and the first black firefighter in Boca Raton’s department.
Officials removed the public art project a day after it was unveiled.
“I’m hurt. I’m disappointed. I’m outraged,” Clemons said Friday. “It’s been my heart and soul and my lifeblood to serve in the community where I grew up ... this is beyond disrespect and I basically want to know why it happened...”
Another day in the life in these increasingly vile times...
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