Executive producer of the Surviving R. Kelly docuseries, dream hampton, is canceling her plans to attend a popular women's conference because the event features a controversial former homeland security secretary.
According to HuffPost, hampton was supposed to be part of The Most Powerful Women Summit in Washington, DC on October 22.
The award-winning filmmaker has now pulled out of the event, refusing to share the stage with Kirstjen Nielsen.
Hampton criticized Fortune, the organizer of the event, for inviting a woman who separated migrant families under Donald Trump's policy.
In a statement to the HuffPost, hampton said Fortune should not be giving Nielsen a platform to rehabilitate her image.
"I’ve worked all my life to tell the stories of women, girls and families," hampton said. "Sharing a stage with Nielsen, who separated immigrant families and put babies in cages, would have put a stamp of approval on her immoral and reprehensible actions and help legitimize the terror that Trump is inflicting on immigrants and communities of color."
Hillary Clinton also took a stand against Nielsen and canceled her plans to speak at the event, according to Slate.
“We work with a lot of activists who are trying to do their best to improve this horrible situation down at the border,” a person close to Clinton told Slate. "At the end of the day, it’s an easy decision. You have to side with them."
Other activists have also expressed their disapproval of Nielsen in recent months.
In September, progressive groups pressured Nielsen into canceling her appearance at a speaking event hosted by The Atlantic, The Hill reported.
CREDO, which funds grassroots activism and progressive organizations, was one of the groups who took credit for pressuring Nielsen to cancel her plans.
"Public pressure from thousands of CREDO members and grassroots activists forced Kirstjen Nielsen to withdraw from the Atlantic Fest, which is a huge victory and should set a precedent for not putting profits over morals when it comes to Trump administration alumni," CREDO Action Campaign Director Nicole Regalado said, according to The Hill.
Fortune, now facing public criticism for inviting Nielsen, defended its decision in a statement to HuffPost.
“We believe that the most powerful women in business, who also happen to be some of the most powerful women in the world, have strong views about how the U.S. Administration has handled its immigration policy,” Fortune Spokeswoman Alison Klooster said. “We sought out an opportunity to bring the woman who was effectively responsible for that policy to ask her tough questions publicly and on stage about that policy."
