Portlands former DEI director says he was abruptly fired [Video]

Umaru Balde says he didn’t resign his post as Portland’s diversity director – he was fired.

The former head of the Justice, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion office left the position in May after just over a year on the job. In July, a spokesperson for the city said Balde had resigned. But in an interview with the Press Herald on Tuesday, Balde said that’s not what happened.

“I did not abruptly resign like the city says. I was abruptly fired,” he said.

Balde said that he was not given a reason for his termination and that throughout his tenure, he often clashed with City Manager Danielle West and Mayor Mark Dion. He said his position was ill-defined from the start and that efforts he made to take meaningful action were shot down by city leaders.

West and Dion both declined to discuss Balde’s departure and his allegations.

A spokesperson for the city pointed to a …