A California Airbnb host will have to take a university-level Asian American studies course as part of an agreement following an incident in which an Asian client was subject to discriminatory and racist treatment.
UCLA law student Dyne Suh and two friends were heading to a Big Bear Airbnb back in February when Suh texted the host to confirm it was OK to have her friends stay with her.
In reply, the host went off, texting “I wouldn’t rent to u if u were the last person on earth,” “One word says it all. Asian,” and “It’s why we have trump [sic].”
Also: “And I will not allow this country to be told what to do by foreigners.”
According to CNN, Suh reported the host and then the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing sprung into action. Yesterday, the department announced the following agreement with the Airbnb host:
–apologize to Suh
–comply with anti-discrimination laws
–attend training
–take a college level course in Asian American studies
–participate in a community education panel
–perform volunteer service at a civil rights organization
–report rental data to the department for four years
–pay $5,000 in damages
The department said in a statement the deal was “forward-looking and restorative.”
“The real story is how a charged and painful encounter led to an opportunity for reconciliation between the people involved, and to an opportunity for them to enhance the public’s understanding of discrimination and civil rights in California,” said Kevin Kish, the department’s director in a statement.
Suh told CNN affiliate KCAL/KCBS that the educational component was appropriate.
“Taking a terrible incident and then turning it into a good thing, an educational opportunity is a much better remedy than just paying a fine or having sanctions,” she said.
The department said that they were “heartened” that the host was willing to take the corrective measures.
“This is a development in restorative justice, which means that people can make mistakes, people can do bad things, but they’re not irredeemable,” Jon Ichinaga, chief counsel of the Department of Fair Employment and Housing told KCAL/KCBS.
After being refused the room, Suh encountered a news crew covering the snowstorm through which she and her friends were driving. She told the crew “I just feel so hurt. It stings that after living in the US for over 23 years, this is what happens.
“No matter if I follow the law, if I’m kind to people, no matter how well I treat others, it doesn’t matter. If you’re Asian, you’re less than human and people can treat you like trash.”
Last year in the state, Airbnb reached an agreement with the Department of Fair Employment and Housing to help combat incidents of discrimination. It includes reporting “guest acceptance rates by race” to the department and allows the department to implement occasional “fair housing tests.”
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