Columbia University Student Lizzy George Griffin Sparks Controversy

Lizzy George Griffin, a Columbia University student, became the center of attention on social media following her confrontation with Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader during the World Leaders Forum at the university. Lizzy, a 23-year-old filmmaker, posed questions about alleged racial issues, homophobia, and colorism in the Dominican Republic.

Abinader, responding to Lizzy’s questions, stated that the Dominican Republic had no significant racial problems, except for isolated incidents found worldwide. Lizzy, disagreeing vehemently, walked away while Abinader continued to explain his stance. Lizzy posted a video of the exchange on her Instagram account, captioned with “i stand with Haiti,” garnering over 648,000 views at the time of writing. Her Instagram profile also mentions her efforts to raise funds for her project, “LESBIANA: The Black Lesbian Masterdoc.”

Lizzy’s controversial opinions on race, sexuality, and LGBTQ matters drew mixed reactions on social media. Critics accused her of lacking education on the subject and criticized her past comments. Some defended her, arguing that the criticism only validated her points.

During the forum, Lizzy questioned the legacy of slavery in the Dominican Republic, alleging that remnants of slavery persisted in laws and practices, similar to other countries impacted by colonialism. She also linked homophobia and transphobia to racist European concepts enforced on enslaved Africans.

Lizzy George Griffin raised concerns about colorism, particularly its impact on pregnant Haitian individuals in the Dominican Republic, and asked President Abinader about plans to combat these issues.

The fiery debate included interruptions, with Abinader emphasizing that racial issues were limited in the country and Lizzy vehemently disagreeing. Netizens reacted strongly, criticizing Lizzy’s behavior and demanding her expulsion from Columbia University. However, she also received support from some quarters.

Re-reported from the article originally published in Sportskeeda