𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝑺𝑷𝑨𝑹𝑲 ⚡

Donald Trump’s administration fired him from his six-figure government job. Since then, this 53-year-old American says he has faced more than 560 job application rejections—and ended up working at a grocery store for $16 an hour. His name is Dia Harris. Before losing his federal position, Harris had built a successful career in human resources and served as a federal chief equity officer. Then the Trump administration began cutting federal positions and dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion programmes. Harris lost his job. But finding another one turned into a struggle he never expected. A conservative organisation had published his photograph, salary and employment history on a website called the DEI Watchlist. Harris says the listing made his job search even harder because prospective employers could find it when searching his name. He reportedly received advice from a recruiter to remove words such as “diversity” and “equity” from his résumé. He tried. He kept applying. But the rejection emails continued. Eventually, after more than 560 applications, Harris found himself working part-time at a grocery store in Maryland for $16 an hour. He also took an overnight concierge job to help cover his expenses. Imagine spending decades building a professional career, only to find yourself starting over at 53. His experience also took a toll on his finances and personal life. Even his 71-year-old mother reportedly took on extra work to help him. Harris believes the online listing and the political climate surrounding his former work contributed to his difficulties finding another professional position. The organisation behind the website defended its actions. His story raises a difficult question: When someone loses their job because of a political change, should their professional future have to suffer long after they've left government? 📍 Maryland, United States 🇺🇸