Taylor Dumpson
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Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (JD)
Taylor Dumpson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1995 or 1996 (age 29–30)[1] Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Education | American University (BA) Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (JD) |
| Occupation | Attorney |
| Employer | Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law |
Taylor Dumpson (born 1995 or 1996) is an American attorney[2] and associate counsel at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law.[3] After she became the first Black woman president of the student government at American University, she was the target of hate crimes, and responded to an online troll storm with a successful lawsuit.
Dumpson v. Ade
Dumpson was born in Washington D.C. and raised in the Eastern Shore of Maryland.[3] Her mother is an executive vice president at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and her father is an executive movie producer.[4] Her family ties to the Eastern Shore begin in the 1800s.[5] She has described the killing of Trayvon Martin as a life-changing event and a "generational moment" that inspired her to become more involved in activism during high school.[5] She attended Wicomico High School, then American University for her BA in Law and Society, and completed her JD at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.[3]
At American University, she was a member of the predominantly Black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, and began her term as the first Black woman president of the student government on April 30, 2017.[6] On May 1, bananas hung from nooses, some including notes directed at her sorority, were found on campus, and the FBI began to investigate.[6][7] Students protested and hundreds attended a town hall meeting in response to the incident.[7][6][8]
Within days, Dumpson was told by the Anti-Defamation League that the neo-Nazi website The Daily Stormer run by Andrew Anglin had targeted her for a "troll storm" of cyberharassment, including by posting her picture and social media contact information.[9][1][10] She has said she increased security precautions and experienced PTSD as a result of the harassment that followed.[9][1][11]
In April 2018, with representation from the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, Dumpson filed a lawsuit alleging violations of the District of Columbia Human Rights Act of 1977 and the D.C. Bias-Related Crimes Act of 1989 against Andrew Anglin, Evan James McCarty, and Brian Andrew Ade.[12] The lawsuit also included a variety of allegations against Anglin, including incitement of intentional infliction of emotional distress, interfering with her right to equal opportunity to education, and conspiracy to commit stalking.[11] In December 2018, Dumpson reached a settlement with McCarty that was influenced by principles of restorative justice and included his agreement to apologize to Dumpson, to renounce white supremacy, and to complete community service.[9][1][13]
In August 2019, in a default judgment,[14] Dumpson was awarded more than $725,000 in damages, costs, and fees against Anglin, as well as restraining orders against Anglin, Ade, and Moonbase Holdings, known as the company that supports The Daily Stormer.[15][16] In her ruling, Judge Rosemary M. Collyer found Dumpson was "targeted because of her race and gender", and Dumpson's attorney Kristen Clarke described the ruling as "historic"[16] due to the finding that racist online trolling can cause interference with equal access to a public accommodation.[17]