Sep 7, 2021 - Economy

Board member who called BLM activists “true racists” leaves major apparel company

Courtenay Brown

Photo: Stephen Zenner/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

One of the world's biggest apparel companies said a board member, Veronica Wu, stepped down on Tuesday, days after emails obtained by Axios showed Wu dismissed racism in America and said Black Lives Matter activists were the "true racists."

What they're saying: VF Corp. — which owns iconic brands like The North Face, Timberland and Supreme — said Wu's decision to resign "was not the result of any disagreement with VF on any matter relating to VF’s operations, policies or practices."

A spokesperson said VF Corp. had no comment beyond the press release and did not respond to a question about why Wu stepped down from the board. Wu did not immediately respond to an email.
The company said its board would be reduced to 11 members from 12 "until a new director is identified."
Wu initially joined the board in 2019.

Catch up quick: “I don’t believe in Black Lives Matter. If anything I think they are the true racists trying to stir up things to make this country going [sic] to socialism or even communism potentially,” Wu wrote in part in an email exchange obtained by Axios in June 2020.

The email came in response to a note that Juneteenth would be recognized as a company holiday at Hone Capital, a venture capital firm where Wu served as managing partner.

Go deeper: Silicon Valley investor dismissed racism, called BLM "the true racists"

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Board member who called BLM activists “true racists” leaves major apparel company

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