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Love Island USA's Cierra Ortega recently opened up about her abrupt exit from the show after an offensive post resurfaced from her past.
The season seven star entered the villa as a bombshell in episode two and immediately made a connection with Nic Vansteenberghe. Their relationship evolved over the next several episodes, give or take a few villa highs and casa lows, and they eventually became closed off to other connections.
Not long after they announced they were exclusive, Cierra was removed from the show due to a "personal situation," per narrator Iain Stirling.
Nic decided to stay in the villa to explore another connection, and Cierra returned to the U.S. and took a few days to process everything she'd seen online regarding the content that got her sent home.
"While I was in the villa, there were some posts that resurfaced from my past where I was very naively using an incredibly offensive and derogatory term. I want to first start by addressing not just anyone that I have hurt or deeply offended, but most importantly, the entire Asian community. I am deeply, truly, honestly, so sorry."
The 25-year-old continued, explaining that, when she created the posts, she had no idea she was using a racial slur.
"I had no idea that the word held as much pain, as much harm, and came with the history that it did, or I never would have used it. I had no ill intention when I was using it, but that’s absolutely no excuse because intent doesn’t excuse ignorance. It just doesn’t. I do want to hold my hands up and say that I take accountability for using the word, but I do want it to be known that I genuinely had no idea that it was a slur. I had no idea of its meaning."
After taking accountability for her actions, Cierra assured that the second she became educated on the meaning behind the slur, she deleted her posts and removed the word from her vocabulary. Since exiting the villa, she and her family have received an overflow of hate that has been "very hard to deal with."
"I can do my best to drown out the noise and pay attention to the truth. But what’s been extremely, extremely difficult is the way people are approaching my family and my loved ones. They have had ICE called on them. My family doesn’t feel safe in their own home. I’m receiving death threats, and there’s no need to fight hate with hate. I don’t think that’s justice. If you want to know that you are heard and that I’m sorry and that I will move differently, I promise you that’s what will happen."
Cierra concluded her message by promising to evolve from her mistakes, and asked fans to let her "grow with grace," even if they can't find it in their hearts to forgive her.
Check out the former Love Island contestant's full post below.