Ojinika Obiekwe, a former PIX11 News entertainment anchor, is suing the station for racial and gender discrimination.
She is alleging that she was overworked, underpaid, and ultimately fired for speaking out.
Obiekwe, who joined PIX11 in 2001 as an intern, steadily rose through the ranks, taking on roles as an assignment editor, producer, and reporter before being promoted to entertainment anchor in 2017.
However, her lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, claims that despite her years of experience, she was given more responsibilities but fewer resources compared to her white male counterparts at Nexstar-owned sister stations KTLA in Los Angeles and WGN-TV in Chicago.
“Just Call Me Django”—Obiekwe Speaks Out on Workplace Discrimination
According to the lawsuit, Obiekwe was often tasked with the work of multiple employees, including that of a Segment Producer and Copy Editor, without additional compensation or adequate support.
The Emmy-winning journalist compared her treatment to “those on a plantation” and, in frustration, told the station:
“All that’s left for me to do at this point is pick cotton.”
The complaint further alleges that after expressing concerns about racial bias, she told colleagues:
“Just call me Django, but even Django was unchained.”
Obiekwe’s news director allegedly told her to stop speaking out, stating she was “making people uncomfortable.”
Retaliation and Termination
In 2023, Obiekwe was terminated from PIX11 for alleged “insubordination” and “failure to perform job duties”—claims she and her union, SAG-AFTRA, dispute.
The lawsuit asserts that the station could not provide evidence to justify her firing. Instead, the complaint alleges, the news director later changed the reason for her termination, stating simply that PIX11 was not renewing her contract “for no reason.”
Obiekwe has since hired attorneys Andrew G. Celli and Eric Adams of ECBAWM law firm to represent her.
“Ms. Obiekwe was terminated, and her contract was not renewed, because she spoke up about discrimination she was experiencing,” attorney Eric Adams said in a statement. “Beyond being morally unjust, PIX11 and Nexstar must be held accountable for their violations of the law.”
PIX11 Declines to Comment
PIX11 has not responded to requests for comment on the lawsuit.
Obiekwe’s case raises serious questions about workplace equity and retaliation in the media industry, particularly for Black women in journalism.
