(editor’s note: This post has been updated with quotes from Dyne Suh reacting to the decision)
The cancellation happened just minutes before Suh arrived at the Big Bear cabin while driving in a snowstorm. Baker confirmed in text messages that she would allow additional guests, but later denied such an agreement had been made.
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Suh who just graduated from the UCLA School of Law and will be taking the bar exam in 10 days released the following statement:
“I am very glad that the outcome of this case includes taking an Asian American studies course,” said Duh. “I believe that the more people learn about and understand our history and our struggles, the more they can feel empathy towards us and treat us as equal.
“I hope that more victims of discrimination will feel encouraged to come forward with their own stories, empowered now with the knowledge that government entities such as the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and other civil rights organizations will take our cases seriously and fight vigorously for us in order to protect our civil rights. Your pain is not insignificant and you are not alone.
“Asian Americans are often left out of conversations about race relations, even though we are also targets of racism and discrimination. The more we speak out, the harder it becomes for people to ignore, deny, or trivialize our lived experiences of being discriminated against like this day-to-day.
“If we want racism and discrimination to end, we cannot keep suffering in silence, and we cannot stand idly by when it is happening to other people of color and other oppressed minority groups. We are in this together.”
Duh was left in tears after the incident. Her reaction to the cancellation was captured by a Los Angeles TV reporter who had been at Big Bear to cover the snow storm.
The video was posted on You Tube and went viral.
Baker was immediately removed as a host with Airbnb after word of the incident reached the home sharing business.
“We commend Ms. Suh, who was motivated to file a complaint by a desire to encourage other victims of discrimination to step forward and stand against injustice,” said DFEH Director Kevin Kish. “We are also heartened by the Host’s willingness to embrace corrective measures that are 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.”
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RE:Airbnb host fined for Disriminating Against Asian American Guest:There are no winners here, though the host is worse in my opinion for her racist attitude.
Dyne is no innocent victim though. She is manipulative and entitled and threatened Tami before Tami finally cancelled the reservation. She has also selectively released information and omitted key details that would make her look bad.
To correct one point that keeps being made – Yes Tami said Dyne could bring two additional guests and sent her an updated invoice through Airbnb several weeks before the reservation. However Dyne never accepted the invoice and never paid the additional money required, because if she did it would cost her more money if she cancelled. Instead she waited until she was a few minutes away from the cabin, and already late for the reservation, to finally contact Tami and ask if it was still ok for her to bring two friends. Tami apparently said no, which was her right. Things got worse from there.