Teen Vogue has opted not to move forward with hiring Alexi McCammond as its next Editor-In-Chief. The decision to change course was made after several old tweets from McCammond's account resurfaced. In the past, McCammond called her college teaching assistant a "stupid Asian" and tweeted that she was “googling how to not wake up with swollen, Asian eyes."
When these tweets initially resurfaced, members of the Teen Vogue staff raised concerns. The group ultimately decided to issue a statement condemning the hire. However, they didn't explicitly call for her to be fired.
“As more than 20 members of the staff of Teen Vogue, we’ve built our outlet’s reputation as a voice for justice and change—we take immense pride in our work and in creating an inclusive environment. That’s why we have written a letter to management at Condé Nast about the recent hire of Alexi McCammond as our new editor-in-chief in light of her past racist and homophobic tweets,” Teen Vogue staffers wrote in a letter posted to Twitter earlier this month.
In an effort to earn the respect of her once future colleagues, McCammond issued a public apology. She said that she would work the rights the wrongs of her past and learn from the mistakes that she had made.
"Those tweets aren’t who I am, but I understand that I have lost some of your trust, and will work doubly hard to earn it back. I want you to know I am committed to amplifying AAPI voices across our platforms, and building upon the groundbreaking, inclusive work this title is known for the world over," McCammond stated.
In the days that followed, it was unclear if McCammond would be able to move forward with her new position at the media outlet. In less than two weeks, she got her answer. Teen Vogue is planning to move in a different direction.
“After speaking with Alexi this morning, we agreed that it was best to part ways, so as to not overshadow the important work happening at Teen Vogue,” Stan Duncan of Condé Nast reportedly said.
Once the news became public, McCammond issued another apology regarding her past tweets.
“My past tweets have overshadowed the work I’ve done to highlight the people and issues that I care about — issues that Teen Vogue has worked tirelessly to share with the world,” she wrote.
At this time, it is unclear who will take her position at Teen Vogue. Moreover, it is unclear if McCammond will return to Axios or search for new employment.
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