A former senior executive at a Missouri nonprofit that serves people living with HIV and cancer has filed a lawsuit alleging he was fired for expressing political views on social media.
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Justin Kralemann, who worked for eight years at Food Outreach Inc. in St. Louis, filed the complaint Tuesday in the Circuit Court of the City of St. Louis. He alleges that the organization violated state law by suspending and later terminating him because of his political beliefs.
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According to the complaint, Kralemann was placed on administrative leave on February 18, one day after he posted criticism of Enterprise Mobility and St. Louis City SC related to immigration enforcement and restrictions on Pride and Black Lives Matter symbols. He was terminated on February 23.
Kralemann alleges that his posts were made outside of work and did not reference Food Outreach. He also claims the organization had no policy prohibiting employees from expressing political views and had previously been aware of his social media activity without raising concerns.
Food Outreach did not respond to The Advocate’s request for comment.
At Food Outreach, Kralemann served as senior director of development and strategic initiatives, a leadership role focused on fundraising and organizational strategy. Outside of work, he operates a social media platform called “The Woke Ginger,” where he posts commentary on LGBTQ+ issues, immigration, and other political topics, reaching roughly 1.1 million followers.
The lawsuit alleges that the decision to terminate Kralemann was tied to the content of his posts and influenced by a board member affiliated with one of the companies he criticized. It further claims that the organization did not cite a work-related or policy-based reason for his termination.
Missouri law prohibits employers from discriminating against employees “by reason of” their political beliefs or opinions and allows workers to bring civil claims if those protections are violated. Kralemann’s lawsuit alleges violations of that statute as well as wrongful termination in violation of public policy.
He is seeking damages, including back pay, lost benefits, and attorneys’ fees.
In a statement announcing the lawsuit, Kralemann said, “I remain deeply committed to the communities I advocate for, to the work I’ve done, and to my platform. Because this matter is now in litigation, I won’t be commenting further on the specifics. I look forward to addressing these issues through the legal process while continuing to focus on my work.”
Food Outreach, founded in 1988, provides medically tailored meals, groceries, and nutritional counseling to nearly 2,000 low-income clients across Missouri and western Illinois.
