Photo courtesy Jennifer Sey/MSNBC.
Evangelist Franklin Graham, President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse and the Bill Graham Evangelistic Association, recently commented that, “I don’t know this woman, but I love what she has to say about the wokeness that has overtaken so much of today’s corporate culture!”
Graham was referring to Jennifer Sey, a 20 year executive in upper level management at Levi Strauss. Sey was brand president and hinted at as potential future CEO for the company until she ran afoul of the Levi culture. She is also a former US Olympian.
Sey told MSNBC she was forced to resign from Levi Strauss as a result of her views on Covid-19 and school closures which she posted on social media. According to Sey, what started as an effort to get kids back into in-person schooling during Covid-19 ballooned into a controversy over free speech and political polarization.
She resigned on her own terms, and says she rejected a $1 million buyout so she could tell her story publicly unhindered by corporate entanglements. The Levi’s company reportedly rejected the idea that they had offered her a non disclosure agreement.
Graham stated that “her opinion didn’t align with the socialist left’s woke talking points at the time, so she was outta there.” Sey and her family moved from San Francisco to Denver to escape the controlling atmosphere.
This was not her first public stage though. At age 6, Sey became a professional gymnast eventually becoming the U.S. Women’s All-Around National Champion in 1986. She retired at age 19. In 2008, she wrote a book titled “Chalked Up”, about the abuses child athletes experience.
“In today’s world, we see banks, insurance companies, and corporations cutting off people—even celebrities and government officials—who won’t go along with their socialist woke ideals,” said Graham. “Can you believe that it has gotten so bad that a bank could inform you that you can no longer have your account in their institution because you are too conservative, disagree with their agenda, or maybe because you support a certain political candidate not of their liking?”
Graham iterated, “This is happening. And we’d better get a grip on it in this country before it’s too late. Jennifer correctly points out that this nonsense has spread from our classrooms into our corporate boardrooms, because most CEOs don’t have the guts to stand up against it.”
It does take guts to stand against corporate, governmental and political bullies, Jennifer Sey is an example of that.
“I think Americans are fed up, and I hope they will fight back,” said Graham. “…We do that at the ballot box! Now in the midterms, and in every election coming.”
Graham suggest that citizens “Pray and look carefully at the candidates. Vote for leaders who will defend our Constitution—and have some good ole’ common sense and the guts to take a stand!”
Sey said that we all have choices but at the end of the day “You have to decide what matters to you. What matters to you more? The fight that you’re fighting, the thing you wanna speak up about, or does it matter to you more to keep the job and stay on the path that you’re on…”
Having integrity sometimes comes at a cost. That may be your job or something else of value. It’s refreshing to see an executive who still has personal integrity, who is unwilling to go along just to get along.
Michael Reed is Publisher of The Standard newspaper, print and online, and TheStandardSC YouTube channel where many video reports may be found. Please share freely and donate to The Standard on this page to assure the continued availability of news that is ignored too often by the dominant media.
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