Systemic Evil: Mat Perez v. The FBI

Shameful behavior has no place in work environments and its all the more shocking when such forbidden actions are conduct unbecoming of law enforcement officers. When those who face discrimination are the very men and women tasked with protecting fellow Americans from crime, someone must take a stand.

FBI Special Agent Bernardo “Mat” Perez and Hispanic FBI Agents fought back against management after witnessing unintentional bias and prejudice turn evil through negligence and retaliation. Mat gathered 310 other Hispanic FBI agents and filed a discrimination lawsuit that ended in a landmark decision in favor of the agents. Despite intimidation, false information, and a culture of strict loyalty, the Hispanic agents proved their collective case—and the transparent changes improved the job satisfaction, security, and advancement prospects for all FBI agents and Hispanic law enforcement officers throughout the United States where fairness in the workplace is a matter of fundamental justice.

Systemic Evil, is an exposé of the FBI’s “good ol’ boy” discrimination against Hispanic agents. The book meets an intellectual challenge to the discussion of discrimination and reminds us of the realities of prejudice in America, as well as the power of collective will to make positive changes.

Testimonials

“This is a very remarkable story, exhaustive in research and extremely thorough in reconstruction of both events leading up to the lawsuit and the suit itself. The structure is extremely effective—by focusing on one individual's story at a time, the story builds and the picture of discrimination at the FBI becomes clearer and clearer to the reader. Weaving testimony and other highlights of the trial into the narrative lets the class members tell this story, in part, in their own words, while the author deftly propels the narrative forward. Overall, this was a fascinating, compelling read, a comprehensive look at what must have been a seminal case in the fight for equality, and an engrossing look into the workings of the FBI.” - McKinzie Brantley, III, Freelance Communication Editor and Writer

“The book presents the unshakable persistence by a group of dedicated individuals seeking fairness from one of America’s top institutions. A federal judge heard their testimony and sided with the disheartened declarations of these educated and professional Hispanic agents, who spoke of the myriad levels of discrimination and retaliation they had endured. Those committed to the concept of “Justice for All,” lawyers, policy makers, managers, and administrators, must exercise the leadership essential to identify and eliminate discrimination and retaliation wherever it rears its ugly head. Many will benefit from this entertaining book; a serious issue presented in a bright and knowledgeable manner.” - Eduardo Gonzalez, Former Director, U.S. Marshal Service, ex-President of Hispanic American Police Officer’s Association (HAPCOA)

“The stories are expressive and well written. The author did a good job of presenting what could be dry material (work histories, policy and procedures, etc.) with humor, drama, and insight.”
- Rogelio Guevara, Former Chief of Operations, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

“This is an authentic and insightful narrative of courageous Hispanic FBI agents and their epic legal struggle to gain emancipation and equality inside the nation's foremost law enforcement agency. The story behind the federal case Mat Pérez vs. the FBI in El Paso, Texas, reveals the inner works of an insidious bureaucracy working against the advancement of the very same agents on which it relies for its success.” - Dennis Bixler y Márquez, Director, Chicana/o Studies, the University of Texas at El Paso