Introduction
Fantasia Barrino, an accomplished singer and actress known for her role in the remake of “The Color Purple,” recently took to social media to share a troubling experience she had while renting an Airbnb property.
The star claims that she and her family were victims of racial profiling by the host of the Airbnb rental, which resulted in them being asked to leave the property in the middle of the night. This incident has garnered significant attention and raised concerns about the treatment of black families by Airbnb hosts.
The Incident
Fantasia Barrino had rented a property in Mooresville, North Carolina, to celebrate her son Dallas’s 12th birthday. The celebration was meant to be a joyous occasion, with several of Dallas’s friends invited for a sleepover.
The rental property was advertised as a four-bedroom home equipped for hosting parties, including amenities such as an open fire pit and a jacuzzi. The planned activities for the night included a hot chocolate sipping session and a paint class, a thoughtful and creative way to engage the children.
However, what was supposed to be a memorable night quickly turned into a distressing experience. According to Fantasia, the Airbnb host accused her of hosting a loud party, which the singer denies.
She claims that the host had been monitoring the property through Ring cameras and became suspicious after seeing balloons and a game truck being delivered to the house. Fantasia insists that there was no loud party, just a simple celebration for her son’s birthday.
The Eviction
Without any prior warning, the Airbnb host allegedly demanded that Fantasia, her family, and her son’s friends leave the property. This request came at midnight, leaving the group in a difficult situation.
Fantasia described the ordeal in a post on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. She expressed her frustration and disbelief, stating, “I can’t stay quiet on how my family and I were just treated from a host with Airbnb trying to kick my kids and I out at 12: midnight.”
Fantasia further explained that the host’s actions were abrupt and left them scrambling to pack up and leave in the early hours of the morning. At 6:00 a.m., in freezing rain, the group had to load up four vehicles with sleepy and confused children.
Fantasia believes that this treatment was racially motivated, stating, “It’s evident to me this was racial profiling and the treatment we received was due to the color of our skin.”
Fantasia’s Response
The incident left Fantasia feeling hurt and disappointed, especially as it happened during what should have been a special occasion for her son.
She expressed her concern that she had let her son and his friends down, despite her best efforts to create a fun and safe environment for them. The star’s post on social media quickly gained traction, with many expressing their support and outrage over the situation.
Fantasia also pointed out that the property was advertised as being suitable for parties, which added to her confusion and frustration over the host’s actions. She questioned why the host would rent out a property advertised for parties if they were going to react so harshly to a child’s birthday celebration.
Airbnb’s Response
As of the time of the report, Airbnb had not yet responded to requests for comment on the situation. The lack of communication from the company has further fueled the controversy, with many calling for Airbnb to address the issue of racial profiling by its hosts and to take steps to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Conclusion
Fantasia Barrino’s experience has highlighted a growing concern about the treatment of Black families and individuals when using services like Airbnb. The singer’s allegations of racial profiling have sparked a broader conversation about the responsibilities of Airbnb hosts and the need for the company to ensure that all guests are treated fairly and without discrimination.
As the story continues to unfold, many will be watching to see how Airbnb responds and what measures will be taken to address the issue of racial bias within its platform.
