An African-American model was reportedly fired and dubbed a racist by her modeling agency after attending the Black Leadership Summit at the White House last week.
Model Zoe Bethel was among the hundreds of young Black Americans who attended the Washington, D.C. conference, hosted by conservative nonprofit Turning Point USA. Videos from the summit showed a sea of supporters cheering and chanting “USA! USA! USA!” as President Donald Trump entered the room to greet them.
Model Zoe Bethel (far left) was dropped by her agency over what her employer deemed “political racist connections.” (Image courtesy of Twitter)
Bethel posted photos from the weekend event, posing alongside fellow attendees who were sporting red “Make America Great Again” hats. After returning home, the beauty queen was allegedly canned by her modeling agency.
Fellow Black conservative Candace Owens tweeted about the incident Saturday, calling it a clear instance of “political bias” and discrimination.
“This is ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC,” Owens wrote in a tweet accompanied by a screenshot of an email allegedly from Bethel’s former agency firing her. “A young woman who attended our #YBLS summit was released from her modeling contract when she got home for supporting @realDonaldTrump and this administration … I’m APPALLED at this circumstance.”
Owens, 33, communications director for TPUSA, recently launched a campaign encouraging a so-called “Black exit” or BLEXIT from the Democratic Party in favor of the GOP.
In a screenshot posted by the conservative firebrand, a woman named Ursula Weidman explained the Atlanta agency ultimately decided to let Bethel go because of her political leanings.
“Hey Zoe, The team has been talking about your political racist connections and we have decided to release you from your contract …,” it read. “We are an agency based on love, acceptance and inclusiveness and your current public persona is not relative to our brand. Best of luck to you! Xx Ursula.”
The news sparked swift outrage among conservative voters.
“This is despicable!!! Someone get this girl a new agency and contract!,” one woman wrote. “Zoe, don’t let this discourage you! Other better opportunities will come into your life.”
“This girl is absolutely stunning and is clearly an intelligent free-thinker,” another chimed in. “Beauty and brains. I suspect she’ll be just fine. She’s a victor, not a victim. Regardless, there should be legal recourse against this ‘agency’ for discrimination.”
The agency, Ursula Weidmann Models, didn’t respond to requests for comment.
