While many Americans may have enjoyed a pleasant weekend having fun and/or celebrating wins with family, friends and colleagues, that was not the case for Co-chair of the Women’s March on Washington, activist Tamika Mallory. Mallory claims that over the weekend she experienced racial bias when booted from her American Airlines flight back home to New York from Miami.

Tamika Mallory was eager to get back home to New York, to witness the nuptials of her good friend and fellow activist Dominique Sharpton. After a verbal confrontation with airline gate agent over a seat change error, what happened next not only caused her to miss the ceremony but also stirs up much controversy. 

When she arrived at the Miami airport after attending the Revolt Music Conference, Mallory wanted to change her middle seat to an aisle. And, she did so, at a kiosk in the airport. Still, somehow, there was an issue and the ticket agent handed Mallory confirmation for the wrong seat. When Mallory questioned it, the agent was quite “nasty” and disrespectful”.

The pilot, who’d overheard a portion of the discussion, decided to intervene, asserting his authority and seemingly attempting to intimidate the young, Black woman. 

He asked Mallory, ‘Can you get on this flight? Are you going to be a problem on this flight?’ To which she replied “No, I’m not. Actually, I’m fine. But I will write my complaint down. He looked at me and said, ‘You’re going to get yourself a one-way ticket off this plane.’”

Tamika Mallory was seated and assumed the issue was settled until a voice over the intercom summoned her to the front of the plane. Then, the pilot pointed to the activist and said: “her, off”. As she asked why and sought to understand the dismissal, officers arrived to escort her away. Her travel companion was also removed once they witnessed the mistreatment Tamika was receiving. 

Rightfully enraged, Tamika took to Twitter, outraged:

A slew of response tweets have since surfaced, some supporting Mallory, others sing her. We do know one thing: she is not going to let this rest until it is rightfully rectified!

We stand with you, Tamika. We'll be following this story as it develops.

American AirlinesBLMEnvironmental Racismtamika mallory