Niasia Boykin — a talent manager at The Brownstone Collective — shared multiple emails she exchanged with the brand earlier this week
Credit: Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Niasia Boykin — a talent manager at The Brownstone Collective — shared an email she received from the swimsuit brand Cupshe, where a spokesperson allegedly wrote, “We would not collab with black people this campaign”
- Boykin slammed the brand in a Threads post, writing, “This is racial discrimination”
- She later shared an alleged follow-up email she received from the brand, where a spokesperson wrote that the person who sent her the initial email was “no longer with the company”
An influencer talent manager is speaking out after the brand Cupshe allegedly told her they would not collaborate with Black people for a campaign.
On June 4, Niasia Boykin — a talent manager at The Brownstone Collective, an influencer talent management agency — shared on Threads multiple emails she allegedly exchanged with representatives from the swimsuit brand Cupshe.
In one alleged email, a screenshot of which Boykin included in her post, a brand representative wrote to her, “We would not collab with black people this campaign.”
In a statement issued to PEOPLE, a representative for Cupshe confirms that the brand is "aware of the situation" and has "taken action to address this."
"Our team was disturbed to learn that these interactions took place. The employee responsible was four days into her employment when this occurred, and was immediately terminated. The comments made do not in any way reflect Cupshe's practices, or the way we engage with creators and partners both internally and externally. We deeply regret the harm and disappointment this incident has caused," the statement reads.
"As a company works with a diverse cohort of creators, we are disheartened by this incident and how it has misrepresented us," the representative continues. "We are conducting a thorough internal review and are committed to strengthening our hiring, training, and oversight processes to help ensure this does not happen again, and that every Cupshe team member aligns with our core values and priorities."
PEOPLE has reached out to Boykin for comment.
In her post, Boykin explained that she had pitched the brand on behalf of several creators she represents.
Credit: Getty
“This is racial discrimination,” wrote Boykin. “It is illegal. And it happens in influencer marketing more than anyone wants to admit, usually just more quietly than this. Saving my receipts.”
In a subsequent post, she further explained that she and the individual who allegedly sent her the email had been “in conversation over a few messages” and had shared briefs before she received that final message.
Several hours later, Boykin shared an additional update to Threads, attaching another email from the brand.
“We are shocked and devastated to see this email,” the spokesperson allegedly wrote. “The message you received is not reflective of Cupshe, our values, or the way we partner with our creators. We cherish our relationships with our creators and we sincerely apologize for the experience and any harm or frustration it may have caused. As a result, the employee responsible is no longer with the company.”
The email added that the brand has “taken immediate action internally and are reviewing our processes to ensure our standards are upheld moving forward.” Per the screenshot she attached, the email was left unsigned.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In a Threads post, Boykin expressed her dissatisfaction with the company's alleged response, writing, “Smh what kind of apology is this with no name attached?”
Read the full article here