Disney influencer Dominique "Domo" Brown died last week after experiencing a medical emergency at an event in Los Angeles hosted by pop culture merchandise retailer BoxLunch. She was 34.
Brown co-founded Black Girl Disney in 2018, an online community dedicated to making the Disney influencer space more inclusive to people of color.
"As Disney fans in the earlier days of Instagram, we followed every Disney style, blogger, and merch pages we could find. The theme of the majority of the pages… melanin deficient." Brown and her cofounder, Mia Von, explained on their website. "Like Most things that lack representation, new platforms are created out of a necessity to see yourself. We wanted to create a space where we were not only represented, but CENTERED!"
Brown continues to be a pillar in the Black Disney creator community, as many fans and followers mourn her loss.
"Just being in the space as Black creators, we won't get that anymore." Disney Influencer Juju Green, also known as Straw Hat Goofy, said in a remembrance video on TikTok. "She embodied everything that you wanted from a friend, [she was] one of the kindest people you will ever meet in your life."
Green was also present at the BoxLunch event, though he arrived late and didn't see Brown before she was taken in an ambulance.
Between her own Instagram, @dominiquebrown, and the @blackgirldisney platform, Brown had over 40,000 followers to share her Disney adventures and fashion with.
Her last post shows her sporting a Winnie the Pooh cardigan from BoxLunch and a plush Pooh hat from the Disney Store.
"I will miss my sister and best friend and that infectious smile she always had," Brown's brother, Patrick Ramos, commented on that final post.
BoxLunch told NPR they are "devastated" by Brown's death.
"Our hearts go out to her family and friends, and we will do everything we can to support them and the members of the BoxLunch Collective and our team during this painful time."
BoxLunch is offering grief counseling for BoxLunch Collective staff and influencers. The company is also conducting an independent investigation into Brown's death.
A change.org petition started by Marcus Medley, who said he was a close friend of Brown, in the wake of Brown's death alleges that she was allergic to peanuts and that the venue was not equipped to respond to severe allergies. The petition calls for legislation requiring EpiPens to be available at all food-serving establishments, staff training on recognizing and treating allergic reactions, and ingredient transparency.
The community response to Brown's death sheds light on the issue of food allergies, which about 33 million people in the United States have, according to the nonprofit organization Food Allergy Research and Education.
8.5% of Black adults report having at least one food allergy, making them the most likely demographic to have a food allergy. According to the National Library of Medicine, 1 in 3 people with food allergies report having an allergic reaction while dining out.
"Dominique was simply magical - a beloved daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, unfairly taken at 34," the petition states. "All of us [want] justice for Domo. But we also want change."
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