Comedian and writer Milly Tamarez has spoken out about her experience being racially profiled while at a gift shop in Massachusetts.
Tamarez was in the town of Great Barrington when the incident occurred at a shop called One Mercantile.
Tamarez says she was the one who wanted to go to the shop in the first place because she had done research on vintage stores in the area.
Things went awry as she browsed the shop's selection of scented candles.
Tamarez's fears of being watched were confirmed by the shop owner, who accosted her.
But the candle was right in front of the shop owner's eyes the whole time.
Tamarez then began to question her own response to the situation, wondering what she could have done differently.
She believes, however, that there is no excuse for the way she was treated.
She notes that the shop owners could have handled the situation differently.
She says that for the first time in a long time, she felt "ashamed" about her skin color and that the tense situation did not defuse once she left the store.
"No one checked in on us and asked if we were okay," she said.
Many responded to Tamarez with words of support.
One Mercantile did respond eventually and apologized.
The store later clarified to another social media user that its staff reached out to Tamarez directly before making a public statement.
Tamarez has not elaborated further nor confirmed the store's claim.
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