I’m raising funds to help me fight my New York County Supreme Court libel and defamation case.

Hi, I’m Dr. Brendane A. Tynes. I am a Black queer feminist scholar and storyteller, and I am a survivor of interpersonal violence.

In January 2024, I did a Google search on my name to prepare for a job interview. I was excited about the possibility of becoming a professor, and I wanted to find some articles for my “why should you hire me?” talk. Instead of finding the academic articles I was looking for, I discovered that I was being sued for $750,000 for 3 tweets I made about my experience of being stalked and harassed while I was a PhD graduate student-worker at Columbia University.

The lawsuit was filed by the plaintiff on November 28, 2022 in New York State Supreme Court County of New York, with the Index No. 160118/2022. I was never properly served summons for the case, which is why I learned about it through a Google search.

Upon finding it, all of the horror and fear I had felt in graduate school (and more) came rushing back. Though frightened and afraid for my life, I knew I had to do whatever it took to fight this. I immediately found legal representation, but because I had no savings (as I had just finished school), I had to borrow $25,000 to retain my legal team. My community support helped me raise $7000 to pay back some of the loan, but I’m still paying back that loan ($720/month) to this day.

In June 2024, we filed a motion to dismiss the case, providing ample evidence to the court of my experience. Our motion sat on the judge’s docket for over a year until their response in June 2025. The judge ruled against the motion to dismiss in July 2025. I’m raising money to appeal the decision. The total cost of appeal will be about $35,000.

Unfortunately, my story is one of many survivors of violence who are being sued for libel and defamation for publicly speaking up about their experiences. There has been an uptick of these cases since Depp v. Heard (2022). In my case, the judge’s decision sets a dangerous legal precedent for sexual harassment survivors who are defendants in libel and defamation cases, which is why it must be appealed.

This entire experience has been isolating, distressing, and anxiety-inducing. The distress of having to defend myself after surviving my experience has cost me professional opportunities. I’ve lost professional and personal relationships because of the harassment and the lawsuit. I have experienced significant financial strain in the fight to defend myself. The isolation and victim-blaming I’ve experienced have been extremely demoralizing, but I refuse to allow this experience to silence me. My voice, and the voices of countless other survivors, is worth the fight. And also, I have no choice — as the defendant in this lawsuit, I’m trapped in this involuntary combat with a man who has scared me.

I am the first person in my family to pursue higher education. Pursuing my PhD was supposed to be a journey where I could make an impact in the world and create a good, abundant life for myself, my family, and my community. My career has been dedicated to fighting for Black women, Black queer and trans survivors of interpersonal violence. These allegations jeopardize my credibility and damage my reputation, potentially making it harder for me to find and to retain work that will help me pay my bills. I don't want to lose any more than what I already have, which is why I'm asking for your help.

Thank you so much for your support!