Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama’s former top Black female employee is accusing the Montgomery plant of race-and-gender-based discrimination and retaliation in a lawsuit she filed on Tuesday.

Yvette Gilkey-Shuford described in the filing, as well as to Road & Track, that the company’s Montgomery facility consisted of a majority-Black production workforce, however it was largely managed by white and Korean men. In noticing this, Gilkey-Shuford made numerous attempts to improve workplace diversity and representation during her 19-year tenure at the company, and she says it was a major reason why she was fired.

Gilkey-Shuford, who was the director of administration at HMMA, tells the car enthusiast magazine that her efforts to increase diversity led to a “restructuring” that pushed her out of the company.

“We can call it what you want to call it, but I call it ‘I was fired,’” Gilkey-Shuford described to Road & Track.

Gilkey-Shuford had advised a group of LGBTQ+ employees on a memo the group created for Pride Month this year, which described a myriad of issues the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans employees sought to address within the company. This included voluntary name changes for trans employees. According to Gilkey-Shuford, she was sought for advice because she was regarded as a friendly ear.

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Subsequently, she says, the memo was shared throughout the company, making its way between Hyundai Motors America (HMA) in California, which oversees Hyundai’s Alabama manufacturing facility, Hyundai’s North American headquarters, and more with those who read it being reportedly alarmed by the policies of the Alabama-based manufacturing arm.

Gilkey-Shuford says that plant leadership was likely angry that the memo ever got out to management in California and believes that management, after learning she had advised on the memo, decided to restructure her department.

Additionally, Gilkey-Shuford says she did not know the memo would be shared with corporate. According to the lawsuit, the “restructuring” had one focused effect – Gilkey-Shuford’s position was eliminated and she was not offered an alternative position.

“I walk in, 19 years [at the company], all of this, and they said it’s ‘just a restructure’ and don’t restructure me to another position. . . . For whatever reason you have, why not? It’s retaliation,” Gilkey-Shuford told R&T. “What did I do? I just don’t understand. So that’s the thing that bothers me. I have no problem with the fact that you let me go. You let me go, and I did something wrong—just say that.”

Gilkey-Shuford says Hyundai violated employment law by firing an employee in retaliation for attempting to reduce workplace discrimination. Artur Davis, her attorney, noted this is protected behavior under U.S. federal law.

That said, Davis will have to prove that HMMA’s “restructuring” was a retaliatory firing and that advising on an anti-discrimination memo is itself protected behavior. Gilkey-Shuford also claims that major responsibilities were stripped from her position when it was awarded to her because she was a Black woman. When a white man held the role, the responsibilities included overseeing the human-resources and team-relations departments, according to the complaint.

The company is denying the allegations. In a statement to R&T, Robert Burns, vice president of human resources & administration at HMMA, said the company “respectfully disagrees with the claims outlined by the former employee. The claims will be vigorously defended with information presented during the litigation process.”