Ray Holgado, a former staff member of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, has recently submitted a formal complaint alleging racial discrimination to the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. Mr. Holgado, who identifies as Black, was employed by CZI from September 2018 until August 2020.

The complaint asserts that “despite publicly stated commitments to social justice, CZI does not foster a supportive atmosphere for its Black personnel.” According to the filing, Black employees experience inequities in compensation, a lack of recognition for their contributions, limited opportunities for professional development, and overall marginalization. The complaint further details that Black employees seeking advancement within the organization are often discouraged and characterized negatively, while their non-Black counterparts receive encouragement and preferential treatment. When these concerns are voiced to CZI leadership, the response is reportedly defensive, with a failure to address the core problems. The complaint concludes that CZI has not succeeded in “creating a more inclusive, just, and healthy future” for its Black employees.

Within his complaint, Holgado details that his compensation was lower than that of colleagues performing comparable duties. He states that a recruiter refused his attempt to negotiate his salary; however, he subsequently learned that other employees who are not Black were permitted to negotiate higher salaries. Holgado also recounts instances where he was allegedly overlooked for promotions and growth opportunities, and subjected to differential treatment based on his race.

Holgado contends that the alleged discriminatory practices at CZI are not isolated incidents but rather a systemic issue. The complaint states that Holgado communicated to CZI co-founder Priscilla Chan that the organization’s diversity initiatives were effective at attracting Black employees but insufficient in empowering them or incorporating their viewpoints into the organization’s work. According to the complaint, Ms. Chan acknowledged the concern but responded that “DEI may look different for each of us.”

In a statement provided to TechCrunch, CZI refuted the allegations.

“We take all claims of discrimination very seriously, and that includes these specific allegations, which were previously raised internally, thoroughly investigated, and found to be without merit,” a spokesperson stated. “The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is dedicated to ensuring equitable treatment, access, and advancement for every member of the CZI team. We have a zero-tolerance policy for discrimination in any form.”

This complaint follows a petition in June from over 70 CZI employees requesting that the organization commit to 12 specific changes to enhance inclusivity. Subsequently, in August, The Washington Post reported that a group of Black employees were advocating for CZI to integrate a racial equity perspective more fully into its work. They authored a letter to Ms. Chan outlining concerns regarding systemic racism, discrimination, and anti-Blackness within CZI. Holgado was a participant in this group.

“Regrettably, Ms. Chan again did not fully appreciate the gravity of the issues raised in the letter, declining to fulfill several of the group’s requests, most notably a request for transparency regarding pay equity data for Black employees,” Holgado wrote today on the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. “Rather than addressing the plan of action proposed by Black employees, she assigned a newly appointed chief operating officer to develop and implement an alternative strategy. Having observed a pattern of deflection and superficial responses to employee concerns at the foundation, I concluded that further efforts would be unproductive.”

TechCrunch has contacted CZI for comment and will provide updates as more information becomes available.