Reginald Ferguson “Reggie” has been a member of the Park Slope Food Co-op for over 20 years, joining while he was still in school. He became a Squad Leader soon after becoming a member. He was asked by his fellow squad members one day due to his leadership and heeded the call to serve. He enjoyed the responsibility of running the store and his workers enjoyed working for him. 

One of the joys of working with his squad was creating playlists of good music they could groove to. Rap, R&B and House music were just some of the genres played. Sometimes, a customer would ask him to turn down the music. The request was always heeded. Sometimes, a customer would ask to change the music. If you went to a supermarket or a department store, would you ask to speak to the manager and tell him to change the music and lower it? 

One day, Reggie received a call on his private phone number, not the one he had listed with the Co-op. It was from a man named Curtis (he wouldn’t give his last name) of the DRC (Dispute Resolution Committee). The DRC is the Co-op’s law enforcement body consisting of attorneys who all happen to be white. They used to be called the Disciplinary Committee but changed their name as part of a marketing upgrade. Curtis asked Reggie if he remembered playing the music one Saturday. Reggie told him, “Yes.” Curtis also asked him if he remembered a situation involving a member and the makeup list. Reggie chuckled and said, “Yes.” Curtis then said because of those incidents, Reggie was to be fired from his Squad Leader position. 

Reggie immediately asked for due process and a hearing to face the charges and his accusers. How could Curtis and the DRC let hearsay be the rule of the day? Curtis said, “No.” As a result, Reggie has been banned from shopping, suspended indefinitely and removed from his Squad Leader position which he held for 20 years. He has been fighting for his rights ever since.