“American Idol” winner and “The Color Purple” star Fantasia Barrino said she and her family were racially profiled during their stay at an Airbnb rental.
The Grammy winner wrote on X over the weekend that she “can’t stay quiet on how my family and I were just treated” by a host who allegedly tried to kick the singer and her loved ones out of the property. Barrino said the Airbnb host “accused us of having a party with loud noises outdoors” because they saw vendors dropping off balloons and a game truck. The singer said the rental was near a lake, but did not disclose its location. She also wrote that she and her family followed guidelines for how many guests could visit the property.
“They never said we weren’t allowed to have any company over!!” she continued in her post, before describing several of the rental’s entertainment features including an outdoor fire pit, a jacuzzi and a “well equipped” game room. Barrino also claimed she found old weights and balloon ribbons from a leftover party at the rental.
“It’s evident to me this was racial profiling and the treatment we received was due to the color of our skin,” she wrote. “I wanted my son to enjoy his friends (10-12) year old and make him feel special … This time, I dare not stay quiet.”
A representative for Airbnb did not immediately respond to The Times’ request for comment.
Barrino and her family’s alleged experience at the Airbnb property comes as the vacation rental company continues facing backlash for a variety of issues including surging prices and hidden costs. Major cities including New York and Los Angeles have also passed more regulation on short-term rental properties.
The singer-actor is far from the first Airbnb customer alleging discriminatory behavior from an Airbnb host. In May 2016, a Black man sued the company claiming a host declined his request for accommodations after he used his personal account, which included a photo of himself, to book the rental. He said the reservation was accepted after booking with two fake profiles of white men. Four months later, a federal judge blocked that lawsuit from moving forward.
Similarly in 2018, several Black women from Oregon accused the company of allowing hosts to discriminate against guests by requiring users to disclose their full names and photographs. Airbnb settled that lawsuit in August 2019.
In 2020, Airbnb launched Project Lighthouse, a data analysis campaign designed “to uncover, measure and overcome discrimination in a privacy-protected manner.” The project was developed in partnership with several civil rights organizations including the NAACP and Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC). In a report published last year, Airbnb found that guests perceived to be Black or people of color are less successful in booking properties of their choice than customers perceived to be white.
“This report is neither the end nor the beginning, but rather a reaffirmation of an ongoing commitment to combat discrimination,” the company said. “We continue to strive to be a community through which everyone can form meaningful connections with people from other backgrounds, cultures and geographic regions, and where no person is discriminated against.”
In her tweet, Barrino said she just wanted to make her son feel special and enjoy time with his friends after she had been away promoting her new film, “The Color Purple,” for more than a month. In Warner Bros.’ second adaptation of the beloved Alice Walker novel, Fantasia reprises the role of Celie.
Director Blitz Bazawule told The Times in November that his re-envisioning of “The Color Purple” convinced Barrino to return to the role years after her time on Broadway left her emotionally spent.
“She saw that my intent was to do something radically different and take some real chances,” Bazawule said.
“The Color Purple” hits theaters on Christmas and also stars Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Ciara, Halle Bailey, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Halle Bailey and Phylicia Pearl Mpasi. Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones — who were involved in the 1985 film adaption — returned to produce the new movie alongside Scott Sanders.
