After just one year, the management of Horizons Community Services ended its rocky relationship with youth program director Karen Hutt by firing her last week, Hutt told Windy City Times.
"I was a thorn in their side for a whole year," Hutt said, confirming that she was let go Wednesday, Sept. 26.
Horizons Executive Director Roger Doughty did not respond directly to Hutt's allegations. Instead, the agency released a statement saying Horizons "wishes to express its appreciation to Karen Hutt for her work for the agency and wishes her the best in her future endeavors."
Hutt claims that the firing is, in large part, retaliation for a racial discrimination complaint she filed against Horizons with the Chicago Commission on Human Relations in August. In the complaint, she alleged that both she and the heavily African-American youth program were mistreated and targeted because of their race.
She said she was told by management that her firing stemmed from her ongoing, vocal complaints about how the youth program is run and how the agency is managed.
"They want to keep it very vague to make it appear that I did something wrong," she said. "I did nothing wrong."
In addition to running the youth program, Hutt is a pastor at the Church of the Open Door.
Horizons youth program has undergone a gradual demographic shift over the last few years, moving from having a majority of middle-class white youth to having a majority of youth of color from working-class families. Hutt estimated that about 98% of the program's current youth are of color, a fact she said Horizons doesn't want the public to know. She also alleged that the agency is unwilling to address the needs of the youth who make up its largest program.
During her tenure, Hutt said she began a series of initiatives aimed at serving Horizons' new youth, including GED classes and advocacy for GLBTs within the Department of Children and Family Services.
Hutt said staff members and volunteers had moved beyond their roles as advisors, and had become surrogate family members for many of the youth. They could typically be found helping youth move into their first apartments, getting clothes and food and finding jobs.
Hutt said she notified the youth of her firing last Thursday, and many were visibly angry and upset.
"The kids are hurt," she said, noting that she has been the one stable force in the lives of many of them, including those who are wards of the state or who have been abandoned by their families. She added that she has not been allowed to say goodbye to the youth.
Windy City Times learned this week that the youth planned a protest in Hutt's defense. At presstime, that action was planned for Tuesday night, Oct. 2, at around 6 pm. Armed with a list of demands, they planned to take over the lobby of Horizons offices and to confront Executive Director Roger Doughty.
Hutt said she is the 14th Horizons staff member to leave or be fired from the agency in about 12 months.
The Horizons statement emphasized the agency's long history of working on LGBTQ youth issues: "Horizons exists to serve, empower and advocate for Chicago's LGBT community, and a central part of Horizons' mission has been, is, and will be to serve LGBTQ youth. In 1979, Horizons offered the first services to Chicago's LGBTQ youth, and since then, Horizons has been Chicago's leading program for LGBTQ youth. Horizons' board, staff and volunteers remain passionately committed to meeting the needs of all LGBTQ youth now and in the future."
Horizons added: "The LGBTQ youth of Chicago continue to face severe, often life-threatening challenges in their lives. Horizons is proud to be providing its youth clients today with more services than ever, including ongoing individual counseling, case management, and Chicago's first program dedicated solely to LBT young women and girls. With both pride and humility, Horizons will continue to be there for these young people."
... Also contributing: Tracy Baim
