California Airbnb Host Cancels Woman's Reservation Due to Her Race, Noting That 'It's Why We Have Trump'

By Lauren Evans  |  April 8, 2017 | 7:30pm
Latest

Dyne Suh, a 25-year-old law student from Riverside, California, just wanted to enjoy a relaxing Presidents’ Day weekend with her fiancé and a couple of friends in nearby Big Bear Lake. What she was not expecting was for her Airbnb host to abruptly cancel on her because of her race. And yet!

According to the Washington Post, Suh had booked a cabin described by its owner as a “tree house loft” in remote Running Springs, California, about a month before the trip. But when she and her friends were just minutes from the house—despite a snow storm—the host sent a message saying her booking had been terminated.

“If you think 4 people and 2 dogs ate getting a room fir $50 a night on big bear mountain during the busiest weekend of the year ..… You are insanely high,” wrote the host, whose profile identified her only as “Tami.” When Suh protested that Tami had already agreed to the terms of the booking, Tami went nuts.

“I wouldn’t rent to u if you were the last person on earth,” she wrote. “One word says it all. Asian”

Suh responded that she intended to file a report with Airbnb, but Tami, newly emboldened by our shithead of a president, responded with confidence.

“Go ahead,” she wrote.“It’s why we have trump. And I will not allow this country to be told what to do by foreigners.”

Airbnb has since revoked Tami’s account, a spokesperson for the company told the Post.

“We have worked to provide the guest with our full support and in line with our nondiscrimination policy, this host has been permanently removed from the Airbnb platform,” he said. Suh was also issued a refund, as well as money for a hotel for the nights the group was supposed to stay with Racist Tami.

Suh, who is enrolled at UCLA Law’s Critical Race Studies Program, said that she and her friends were uncertain where they’d find shelter for the night, their alarm exacerbated by an increasingly heavy snow storm. Luckily, they happened upon a KTLA 5 News van, populated by reporters doing a story on the snow. (California, amirite?)

Suh relayed the situation to one of the team’s reporters, who filmed the interview on his smart phone. The friends were eventually able to locate a “cute cabin after two hours of roaming around the snowy mountain,” Suh said.

The group may have made it to safety, but the viciousness of the incident will continue to haunt Suh.

“I’m an American citizen. This is my home,” Suh said during her interview with KTLA 5. “It stings. It stings that after living in the U.S. for over 23 years, this is what happens.”

 
Join the discussion...