🌈 “Dare to Be Yourself” — The Sticker That Cost Hugo His Job at Tyson Foods
🌈 “Dare to Be Yourself” — The Sticker That Cost Hugo His Job at Tyson Foods
Storm Lake, IA — July 17th, 2025
In 2024, Hugo — told me that “he was a proud, brown, gay man” and dedicated employee at the Tyson meatpacking plant in Storm Lake — He was fired for refusing to remove a sticker from his work helmet that read:
“Dare to Be Yourself.”
For Hugo, the message wasn’t political — it was personal. It was about survival, visibility, and dignity in a place where being brown and gay often means being told to stay silent.
“I work hard, I follow the rules — all I did was place a sticker on my helmet to remind myself and others to be who they are,” Hugo said.
“I am a proud, brown, gay man. And that shouldn’t be something I have to hide just to keep a job.”
He refused to remove the sticker — and was fired.
Shortly afterward, he filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission.
Tyson then instructed other employees to remove their stickers as well, suggesting inconsistent enforcement. Hugo has since filed a civil rights lawsuit, citing discrimination and retaliation.
A Story That Became Personal when I met Hugo in Storm Lake, where I had helped organize a rally to honor the life and legacy of Congressman John Lewis.
That event was built around the spirit of Good Trouble— and Hugo embodied it.
He stood quietly at first, then bravely shared his story. It wasn’t just about a sticker. It was about standing up when the world tells you to sit down.
It was about refusing to be erased.
Stephanie Steiner, Candidate for Iowa’s 4th Congressional District, Responds-
“Hugo should never have been fired for expressing who he is. His firing shows the deeply rooted double standards and discrimination that LGBTQ+ and BIPOC workers still face.
I will fight for stronger civil rights protections for Iowa’s workers.
I will speak up when others are silenced, and I will never stop pushing for a state and a country where no one loses their job for simply being themselves.”
Join the movement to protect Iowa workers and stand up to injustice.
📌 Learn more: http://VoteStephanieSteinerForIowaDistrict4.org
💙 Contribute: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/steiner4ia4
#BeYourself #JusticeForHugo #GoodTrouble #IowaWorkers #LGBTQRights #IA04 #StephanieForIowa