Des Moines Reporter Says Racism Helped Her Decision to Leave
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A Reporter at KCCI has left the station and she says that the racism she experienced while on assignment contributed to her decision to move on from central Iowa.
Emmy Victor said that although those negative experiences did not motivate her to leave, "racism in the state did not help my decision to stay."
"Racism isn't really something I experienced when I grew up on the East Coast," Victor said.
Victor said she didn't have any problems in the metro area, but would sometimes feel uncomfortable when covering parts of rural Iowa. She said she would get negative reactions related to the color of her skin when she approached interview subjects and on social media.
"It was something I had to get used to," Victor said.
Back in June, FTVLive showed you a video of a racist woman going off on Victor as she was working on a story.
The incident drew national attention from news outlets across the country. Many fellow journalists, KCCI viewers and Iowans also sent Victor messages of support and praise. She said many of the people who reached out were surprised that racism still existed in Iowa.
"I am glad that I maybe brought that to light," Victor said. "There are still pockets of racism across the nation, even here in Iowa."
Victor said her experiences with racism were probably amplified due to the fact that she was a public figure.
"What happened to (Victor) is upsetting to all of us," said KCCI-TV News Director Dave Busiek said regarding the incident in Boone.
Despite some negative experiences, Victor said she was still "really grateful" for her time at KCCI. She said ultimately her decision to move on from central Iowa came down to being closer to family and friends. She said her dad lives in New York, while her mom lives in California.
Victor has not publicly announced where she is headed next but said she is looking forward to her new opportunity.
