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BY Dollita Okine, 7:58am January 20, 2025,

‘We listen and we don’t judge’: Flight attendant fired for twerking speaks out, starts GoFundMe

by Dollita Okine, 7:58am January 20, 2025,
But rather than love and support, the video, which went global overnight, attracted unforeseen critique. Photo credit: GoFundMe, Nelle Diala

After a moment of fun cost her her “dream job,” Nelle Diala is now regretting her choice. She expressed, “I’ve learned from my mistakes and those don’t define me….We listen and we don’t judge.”

Diala, an Alaska Airlines flight attendant, lost her job after sharing a now-viral video of herself twerking on an empty flight while waiting for a pilot.

“Don’t let the uniform fool you,” Diala initially captioned the widely shared video, which has received over 72,000 views.

READ ALSO: Woman arrested after mistakenly texting sheriff’s department instead of drug dealer

The San Francisco native subsequently revealed that she was participating in a victory dance to celebrate the conclusion of her probationary term as a new recruit. 

She stated, “I was also celebrating the end of probation and making it out of a hard upbringing in San Francisco, CA . LIFE-something many people in the industry could relate to.”

But rather than love and support, the video, which went global overnight, attracted unforeseen critique.

Diala recounted her experience, saying she had been employed by the airline for more than half a year. During this time, both of her English bulldogs died suddenly, and her relationship suffered as a result of her absence.

“But I loved my job—meeting new people, seeing the world, and creating a safe, welcoming environment for passengers. It wasn’t always easy, but I was proud of what I did. Although this was my dream job I was using the income to fund my blossoming lingerie and dessert business named: @cakezncake & @figure8.lingerie.”

She however, acknowledged her actions saying, “Although it was a poor decision on my behalf I didn’t think it would cost me my dream job.”

She alleged that her employer had accused her of violating their social media policy. She added that though she explained that the video wasn’t intended to harm anyone or the company, they didn’t want to listen. 

READ ALSO: Woman accused of leaving her 4 kids alone in car to drink and dance at bar

“Without warning, they terminated me. No discussion, no chance to defend myself—and no chance for a thorough and proper investigation.”

“Losing my job was devastating. I’ve always been careful about what I share online, and I never thought this video, which didn’t even mention the airline by name, would cost me my career. Now, I am trying to figure out how to move forward,” she continued.

Since then, Diala has reposted the twerking video with the new description, “Can’t even be yourself anymore, without the world being so sensitive,” according to the Daily Mail. “What’s wrong with a little twerk before work, people act like they never did that before.”

She has since launched a GoFundMe to support her. On the fundraising website, she said that she started collecting money “to make ends meet due to this sudden loss of income and until I am able to find another flight attendant position elsewhere.”

The page has made $2,684 of its $12K goal.  

READ ALSO: Mom goes viral for confronting her daughter’s bully on school bus: ‘Don’t let her bully y’all’

Last Edited by:Mildred Europa Taylor Updated: January 20, 2025

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