Former Rooster Teeth Employee Mica Burton Explains Decision for Departure: “I Didn’t Leave Because of the Community, I Left Because of the Company”

Former Rooster Teeth Employee Mica Burton Explains Decision for Departure: “I Didn’t Leave Because of the Community, I Left Because of the Company”

In the wake of the recent protests and renewed discussions of race surrounding the death of George Floyd, actress and former Rooster Teeth employee Mica Burton has revealed that systemic issues dealing with the topic of racism within the company led to her 2018 departure from the production studio.

On June 3rd, Rooster Teeth Associate Producer Marie Salcedo prompted a discussion regarding racism and the company’s content, by declaring “white supremacists” and “racists” had “no room in my audience or community.”

Related: Rooster Teeth Co-Founder and RWBY VA Joel Heyman Confirms Departure from Company: “I was “Laid Off””

During the discussion that followed, a fan recalled the “absolute shitstorm that Mica faced when she ‘dared’ to speak about her experiences as a Black woman.”

The comment was a reference to a wave of criticism Mica received for discussing her views on “racism, sexism, inequality and discrimination during an appearance on the Off Topic podcast.

Taking responsibility for their failure, Salcedo would admit that the company “should have spoken out then.”

This admission by Salcedo prompted Burton to join the conversation, revealing that she “didn’t leave [Rooster Teeth] because of the community, [she] left because of the company.”

Related: RWBY Co-Creator and Rooster Teeth Head Writer Miles Luna Calls Final Fantasy 7 Remake’s Tifa Lockhart a “Prostitute” Based on Her Outfit

While Burton did not provide details on any specific offensive events or employees, the former Achievement Hunter host noted that the company had made her feel “abandoned, blacklisted, ignored, and most of all not believed” and that their primary concern was their ongoing relationship with her father, Star Trek: The Next Generation and Reading Rainbow actor LeVar Burton.

Stating that “this isn’t about me right now,” Burton declined to direct the spotlight from the events happening at a national level linking to a  Vox article titled “How to be a good white ally, according to activists.”

She also asked her followers that no “hate [be] thrown on my behalf” and to instead “get active,” providing links to a Black Lives Matter recommended list of actions to take.

Related: Rooster Teeth Announces Jordan Levin as New CEO, Major Management Changes After Company Laid Off 13% of Employees

Following the publication of her statement, Burton received an outpouring of support and apologies from members of the Rooster Teeth team, including The Slo Mo Guys creator Gavin Free, Director and Producer Matt Hullum, Director of Social and Community Marketing Barbara Dunkelman, and company co-founder Geoff Ramsey, who admitted they did little to support Burton in the past and pledged to do better going forward.

Related: Rooster Teeth and DC Comics Allegedly Use Fan Designed Weapon in DC’s RWBY Comic Without Contacting or Crediting Artist

This act of speaking out was also praised by her father, who exclaimed how “proud” he was of his daughter for “speaking your truth” and stated that Rooster Teeth “failed you and your right to work in an environment absent blatant racism.”

Burton’s statement is the second in as many days to cite Rooster Teeth’s internal culture as a direct reason for an employee’s departure. On June 2nd, Rooster Teeth co-founder Joel Heyman vaguely alluded to unknown events which led him to  “basically [stop] coming in, after a thing,” eventually resulting in his exit from the company.

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