A former model turned DEI manager, who was terminated after posing in front of an Israeli flag adorned with swastikas, is now suing, claiming that her First Amendment rights were violated.
Mashal Sherzad, 29, was fired from her role as the diversity, equity, and inclusion manager at the University of Minnesota because of photos, which now appear to be deleted, where she inadvertently posed in front of a controversial flag uploaded onto her public social media profile. Sherzad, who identifies as Muslim and is in a relationship with a woman, began her role in October 2023 and traveled to Barcelona to participate in a pro-Palestinian rally just two months later.
Unnecessary Trouble
Sherzad shared photos from the rally, including photos of herself posing in front of the Israeli flag adorned with swastikas. Following that, she was fired from her role as the DEI manager for the University's School of Public Health on January 16.
The decision was made by the Dean, Melinda Pettigrew, who cited concerns that her continued employment would pose a "real risk of significant disruption."
Sherzad has since filed a lawsuit against the school, alleging violations of her First Amendment right to free speech, as well as claims of discrimination.
"I did nothing wrong. They discarded a proud Queer, Muslim, Afghan and SWANA woman," she has claimed.
Sherzad, 29, who has over 4,000 followers on Instagram, uses the platform to share pro-Palestinian content. Her bio suggests she has worked with the renowned modeling agency Ford in the past.
She has posted several photos showcasing her striking appearance, drawing comparisons to Kim Kardashian.
Among her Instagram content are images and videos from rallies supporting Palestine, comparisons between Nazi-occupied Poland and Israeli-occupied Palestine, as well as pro-Palestine infographics and protest images.
Sherzad also shares glamorous selfies, bikini pictures, and couples' content featuring her girlfriend Ralena Young, a restaurateur, along with glamorous travel photos.
Fighting for Her Rights
Appearing at a news conference on Friday, in a tight bodycon dress with risqué cut-outs, the activist made her case and pleaded for her job back, appearing. She said that the vandalized flag she posed in front of was "somebody else's intellectual property."
Sherzad fought back tears as she described how the firing has impacted her.
"I'm really, really scared for myself for many reasons," Sherzad told reporters inside the Coffman Memorial Union. "What happened to me was wrong, legally, factually, emotionally. It was horrifying for me, my family, and my loved ones."
Sherzad's lawsuit against the university said she "posted the photographs on her private Instagram account, but unbeknownst to her, they were automatically re-posted on her Facebook account."
"The caption on said post was, 'This is not a conflict. This is not a war. This is genocide'," Sherzad explained.
A university spokesman, Jake Ricker, said that the school generally refrains from commenting on ongoing lawsuits, as reported by the Star Tribune.
Sherzad vehemently denies any wrongdoing on her part and has set up a GoFundMe page to request "financial resources" to support her during the legal battle following her "wrongful firing," according to the page.
