Reality TV star Erica Mena issued a public apology after facing backlash for using a racially insensitive term to describe a fellow cast member on the reality show ‘Love and Hip Hop.’
Erica Mena apologises for ‘monkey’ slur: Here’s what she said
While Mena insisted that her words were not racially motivated, the incident led to her being fired from the franchise and also coincided with her arrest in Atlanta.
Mena found herself in hot water after directing a racial slur at a co-star during a recent episode of ‘Love and Hip-Hop: Atlanta.’
The fallout from her comment resulted in her removal from the franchise, as announced by the reality TV show on their official Instagram account.
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In their statement, the show expressed its commitment to addressing challenging conversations within the community and shared that viewers would see the impact of Mena’s remarks in the final episodes of the season.
” Effective immediately, she will not appear in the next season of Love and Hip Hop: Atlanta,” the statement read.
However, Mena’s troubles did not end with her dismissal from the show.
Shortly after the incident on the show, she faced legal trouble in Atlanta.
Mena, along with fellow ‘Love and Hip-Hop‘ personalities Rodney Shaw (Zellswag) and Addie Richardson (Bambi Richardson), and another individual unrelated to the franchise, Kareem Cadet, was arrested in Atlanta.
The arrests followed an altercation at Lucca Lounge in Atlanta, which led to a physical confrontation with the establishment’s security guards.
When the police arrived to address the dispute, the situation reportedly escalated, and the suspects allegedly became physically aggressive toward the responding officer.
Mena was accused of biting a police officer during the altercation.
In response to the controversy, Erica Mena issued a public apology.
She expressed deep regret for her insensitive comment and offered a humble apology to anyone hurt or offended by her words.
Mena acknowledged that her choice of words was wrong and took full responsibility for her actions. She also emphasised that her use of the word was not racially driven.
Mena, who identifies as an Afro-Latina with Dominican and Puerto Rican roots, recognised the gravity of her statement and expressed her commitment to promoting inclusivity and equality using her platform.
Here’s Mena’s full public apology:
“I deeply regret my insensitive comment and want to humbly apologize to anybody I hurt or offended by my thoughtlessness. My choice of words was wrong, and I take full responsibility for what I said.
“I am committed to listening to the voices of those affected and will work toward making amends. As a woman of colour and the mother of two black children, I want to make it clear that my use of that word was not in any way racially driven. That said, I do understand the gravity of what I said and want to use my platform to promote inclusivity and equality,” Mena wrote.
