Summary
From the Rocky Mountain News, Wednesday, February 3, 1999 headlines:
“Shop owner wins $2.85 million in
discrimination suit”
“Tabor Center loses race-bias suit”
This book is about injustice in corporate America. Upon Ms. Foote’s
personal journey to America from Ethiopia, Ms. Foote first believed
a person could obtain the “American Dream” by working hard. She
also believed in a “just” U.S. Court System.
Now, however, after going
through horrendous court battles
(from 1996 to 2007), her beliefs in
the system have been corrupted.
The case was about racial discrimination
and losing her store.
After going through years of litigation, a jury found the shopping
center owners guilty of racial discrimination. For pain, suffering, legal
expenses, and 6 years of interest for “damages,” the total amount
was over $4 million. But because of her lawyer’s negligence, she lost
most of the money. She then sued her lawyers with the help of a legal
malpractice
lawyer. The jury found them negligent. The result of this
and her physical deterioration are the reason she wrote this book; that
is, to expose the corruption of the corporation and the ensuing legal
malpractice, but also to aid those who may have gone through or may
have yet to go through a similar situation.
This was a “Landmark” case
in Colorado concerning discrimination on a commercial lease.
“The abundant success of Africa House becomes even more remarkable when
you add the struggles and hardships Foote has encountered during her 12
years as a retailer. Outside the fact that she is an African-American business
owner, Foote is a woman and is from Ethiopia, facts which unfortunately
have hindered more than helped.”
— From In The Black magazine, Spring 1999 issue
About the Author
Born and raised in Ethiopia. Educational background consisted of business school in Ethiopia, and business technical college in the United States. She has been a business owner for over 20 years. Her business brought cultural enrichment to Colorado because it was the first African gallery in the state. It has been more than thirty years since she came to the U.S.
