A diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) manager at the University of Minnesota was sacked after being photographed standing in front of an Israeli flag with swastikas on it.
Just two months after starting her job in October 2023, Sherzad, a Muslim, traveled to Barcelona to join a pro-Palestinian demonstration.
According to the Daily Mail, Melinda Pettigrew, dean of the university’s School of Public Health, sacked her in January, claiming she posed a “real risk of significant disruption” given the current context surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Despite being dismissed, Sherzad continues to share pro-Palestinian content with her 4,000 Instagram followers
Mashal Sherzad, who transitioned from a model to a former DEI manager, has filed a lawsuit against the university, accusing them of discrimination and violating her First Amendment rights.
She stated, “I did nothing wrong,” asserting that the university had dismissed a proud Queer, Muslim, Afghan, and SWANA woman. Seeking more than $75,000 in damages and the restoration of her job, Sherzad also emphasized during a press conference on Friday that the flag in question belonged to someone else and she is not liable “for somebody else’s intellectual property.”
“I’m really, really scared for myself for many reasons. What happened to me was wrong, legally, factually, emotionally. It was horrifying for me, my family, and my loved ones,” she added while sharing how the firing has affected her.
According to her supporters, individuals who express solidarity with Palestinians during the ongoing conflict and raise concerns about violence against them are facing unfair scrutiny.
Despite being dismissed, Sherzad continues to share pro-Palestinian content with her 4,000 Instagram followers. Her profile also highlights her past work with the prestigious modeling agency Ford.
Sherzad has posted striking photos of herself and shared videos of her chanting pro-Palestine slogans at rallies.
To fund her legal battle over her termination, she launched a GoFundMe campaign, asserting her innocence. She explains the circumstances surrounding her presence at the pro-Palestinian protest on the campaign page. Thus far, she has received $1,300 in contributions.
“I was pictured in front of a Jewish man we had been chatting with who was holding a flag of Israel, with two swastikas drawn on either side of the Star Of David. It was not my property. It was not the way I would have expressed my feelings of concern and anger towards what has happened to Palestine and its People,” she wrote.