The latter part of 2018, VH2 Networks unraveled several shocking racist text messages seemingly from a Walmart employee to one of its small minority vendors.
Apparently, these text messages stem from a working relationship between Walmart and employee Joni Owens of Gadsden, Alabama and Daryll Triplett a sales rep/owner with his wife Lisa Triplett of the minority hairline company Hair 911, Inc., located in Norcross, GA.
In full disclosure, Mr. Triplett, is part owner of several companies including VH2 Networks.
He states that as part of his job, Walmart requires Hair 911 to travel to different store locations pitching Walmart store managers the ideal of carrying their ethic hairline, Hair 911, which he says, is not always an easy task.
Apparently, Mr. Triplett received these racist text messages after he traveled to Walmart Store #0301, 340 E Meighan Blvd. Gadsden, AL. 35903
for a business meeting with Walmart’s store manager John Carroll but found himself meeting with John’s assistant manager Joni Owens where the original racist text messages were chained into.
According to Walmart’s policy a store manager has to give final approval for an approved corporate product to be sold inside of Walmart stores. Triplett stated, “When meeting with Joni, I got a weird sense of, I’m listening, but I’m not, states Mr. Triplett.” I was confused, I had a scheduled meeting with Walmart store manager John Carroll for weeks prior to the date and then when he met me when I arrived at the store John acted as if we never spoke on the phone or communicated thru email, he just stated that he was to busy to talk to me, walked away and I was pawned off to an assistant.”
Triplett goes on to explain that even though he has landed 89 Walmarts out of the 6,363 international Walmart stores reported in 2017. He says he faces a lot of racial tension when Walmart receives the ethnic hair product.
Triplett says there were mistakes made by Walmart and Hair 911 as far as business practices and procedures. “All those issues can be worked out but when you have this type of out right bigotry, there’s no place for that in the workplace. All I want to know, are these threats credible that were text”? Triplett states that Walmart refused to answer that question due to a policy from their ethics department that does not allow them to reveal any outcome of any investigation. Triplett, on the other hand stated he is more concerned about his families immediate safety and the possibility of being assaulted or the threats being made good.
According to the text messages Mr. Triplett is called the (N) word on several occasions and is threatened with bodily harm. Needless to say, Triplett is not smiling these days even though he’s also a standup comedian when he’s not busy handling business. He
says, it’s very challenging getting ready for his first big debut-view comedy show (All Cops Ain’t Bad) where he is scheduled to perform on Valentine’s Day at the Earl and
Rachel Smith Strand Theatre.
VH2 Networks has reached out to Walmart corporate for comments but has not received a reply. Several Networks has requested an exclusive sit down with the dual CEO’s of Hair 911 for a more in depth interview and a reveal of the racist text messages but the CEO’s declined it due to full transparency. They requested and open forum.
A press conference will be held at their corporate headquarters 6375 Regency Parkway Suite 710 Norcross, GA. 30071, Friday, February 1, 2019 at 3:30 p.m. Parking in rear of building, email media enquiries to: Media@VH2.tv
