Popular creator The Woke Ginger sues Missouri nonprofit for firing him over political posts

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.

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.

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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 hours, did not reference Food Outreach, and were created independently of his role at the organization. He further claims that he had operated his social media platform, “The Woke Ginger,” for about 18 months prior to his termination, building a following of roughly 1 million users without objection from leadership.

The complaint states that Food Outreach leadership, including its executive director and board members, was aware of the platform and, at times, expressed support for it. According to the filing, the executive director even assisted in selecting branding elements for the platform, and board members had previously told Kralemann they enjoyed his content.

The lawsuit also alleges that no organizational policy prohibited employees from expressing political views about public issues or corporations, and that Kralemann had not been warned or disciplined for similar content in the past.

Kralemann claims the decision to suspend and terminate him was driven solely by the content of his February 17 post. According to the complaint, the executive director told him at the time, “I can’t believe I have to do this, but I have to put you on administrative leave related to your Enterprise content,” a statement the lawsuit cites as evidence that the action was tied directly to his speech rather than workplace conduct.

The filing further alleges that the decision was influenced by a member of the organization’s board who is a senior leader at Enterprise Mobility, one of the companies Kralemann criticized. It claims the termination was not the result of a formal internal review process but was instead directed by that board member and another.

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, front pay, lost benefits, and attorneys’ fees, and has requested a jury trial.

Food Outreach did not respond to The Advocate’s request for comment.

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.