Following a suspected serious allergic reaction at a Christmas marketing event in Los Angeles, Disney influencer Dominique Brown passed away last week. Her age was 34.
The event happened at a party organized by BoxLunch, a supplier of pop culture merchandise, on Thursday night.
The event took place in Vibiana, a cathedral-turned-event space in downtown Los Angeles, and emergency personnel were called. According to NBC News, the DJ asked for an EpiPen from the guests and cut off the music to declare a medical issue.
According to Boxlunch and Vibiana, they are looking into the matter on their own.
Fans and other influencers characterized Brown as someone who promoted online community. Most famously, the theme park and collection aficionado co-founded Black Girl Disney, a forum for other Black Disney influencers looking for support in a largely white market.
The creator, who lives in Long Beach, California, had amassed a fan base of more than 21,000 on her own Instagram, where she regularly shared photos from Disney movie red carpets and theme parks. Additionally, she has more than 20,000 followers on her Black Girl Disney account, which she and creator Mia Von started.
On Monday, a request for comment was not immediately answered by Von.
Brown’s last Instagram image features her wearing a BoxLunch cardigan and proudly flaunting a Winnie the Pooh cap.
“I m just here to say, get the obnoxious plush hat,” wrote the writer.
Brown was a “beloved member” of BoxLunch Collective, the company’s brand ambassador program, and BoxLunch expressed its “devastated” feelings over her passing.
In a statement, BoxLunch said, “Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends, and we will do everything in our power to support them, the BoxLunch Collective, and our team during this difficult time.”
Many of the employees and influencers in BoxLunch’s brand ambassador program attended the event, and the company announced that it is setting up bereavement counseling services for them.
The team’s “hearts and deepest sympathy go out to the family and loved ones of Dominique Brown during this heartbreaking time,” according to a statement released by Vibiana.
“As we await further, more conclusive information about this tragic incident, we remain fully committed to our ongoing and comprehensive internal review and to collaborating closely with all parties involved to understand the circumstances surrounding this devastating loss,” the venue’s spokesperson wrote.
Online condolences to Brown started flooding in after his passing.In a comment on her most recent post, Brown’s brother Patrick Ramos thanked her social media family for their unwavering love and support.
Although Disney did make her happy, Ramos stated that it was unmatched that she had found a community who shared her affinity for both the company and herself. My sister, best friend, and her contagious smile will be missed.
Monika Jade, a fellow creator, expressed her disappointment, confusion, heartbreak, and anger on Threads.
She wrote, “All I know is that we all owe Domo so much.” She has established a genuine community and given young Black girls who are now adults and still believe in magic a ton of opportunities.
Brown was always such [a] brilliant light when they spent time together, and her smile never left her face, according to creator Patrick Dougall’s post.
I’m heartbroken for our friends and her family! and hope that the appropriate people will be held responsible.
The actress who portrayed Princess Tiana in Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, Anika Noni Rose, also paid homage to Brown on Sunday, describing her as a “beautiful spirit” in an Instagram story.
The petition, which she shared, “mandates life-saving food allergy measures at all food establishments.” It was created on Change.org. As of Monday, more than 18,000 people had signed it.
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