Racist Airbnb host to pay $5,000 for refusing to rent cabin to Asian American student
Dyne Suh was on her way up to a cabin in Big Bear, California when the owner decided to refuse the accommodation. Why? Because she refused to rent to “foreigners” and this is “why we have Trump.”
Suh, an Asian woman, came to America when she was a toddler and is now a law student at UCLA, according to the Los Angeles Times. “I will not allow this country to be told what to do by foreigners.” the cabin owner, Tami Baker, said in the text messages. After the text exchange escalated, Suh pulled over in the middle of the snowstorm she was driving in and recorded a video of her reaction.
“I’ve been here since I was 3 years old,” the tearful Suh said in the video. “America is my home. I consider myself an American. But this woman discriminates against me because I’m Asian.”
California Department of Fair Employment and Housing got involved and Barker agreed to pay Suh $5,000 in damages, issue and apology and take a course on Asian-American studies to better educate herself on the history and experiences of people of Asian descent.
“While regretful for her impetuous actions and comments made on the evening of Feb. 17, 2017, Miss Barker is pleased to have resolved her claims with Miss Dyne Suh and the DFEH in a manner that can hopefully bring a positive outcome out of an unfortunate incident,” said Edward Lee, Barker’s attorney.
This incident comes after Airbnb has already been aired out over claims of discrimination among home owners. A spokesperson from the company has since come out to call Barker’s actions “abhorrent and unacceptable” and that he had been banned from working with them.