Disney Influencer Dominique “Domo” Brown died on Thursday, December 5, 2024, at a holiday food event in Los Angeles hosted by BoxLunch. She unknowingly consumed food she was allergic to and began to feel bad. Brown asked to be taken to a hospital. Other influencers who were present at the event noted the item she ate was unmarked and she had allegedly been told that the food item did not contain the ingredient she was allergic to before suffering the reaction. She was 34 years old.
BoxLunch, a retailer that specializes in fandom merchandise, shared a statement regarding Brown’s passing. “Our hearts go out to her family and friends, and we will do everything we can to support them and the members of the BoxLunch Collective and our team during this painful time,” the statement continued.
Brown most recently attended the Moana 2 premiere and often posted about new rides and experiences that Disney has to offer. On top of content creation, she helped co-create BlackGirlDisney with her friend Mia Von, a Dallas-based real estate agent, to bring more women of color into the Disney influencer space — not just represented but centered.
Brown’s journey began at Grambling State University (HBCU), where she served as an alumni spokeswoman, Brown also worked at the LAPD in forensics.
The prevalence of food allergies, particularly in Western countries, has been steadily increasing over the past few decades. For example, the incidence of peanut allergies in children has more than tripled in recent years. This rise is alarming because food allergies were once considered relatively rare. The reasons behind the increase are not fully understood but may involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The hygiene hypothesis that a lack of early exposure to microbes and infections in childhood may lead to an overactive immune response is one of the leading theories. Another potential factor is changes in diet and lifestyle, including the increased use of processed foods and the way food is grown and prepared.
Food allergies are actually rather common in the United States, affecting around 6 percent of adults and eight percent of children, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). They are a potentially serious response to consuming certain foods or food additives. A reaction can occur within minutes, or sometimes hours, and symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening. Leading causes of food allergies, known as “The Big 9,” identified in the United States are milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame.
Truth is, food allergies are disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This means accommodating people appropriately at events by displaying potential allergens in front of the food being served. If this would have been done at the BoxLunch event, Brown’s death may have been prevented. It’s also sparked discussions about the importance of allergy awareness and the need for continuous vigilance to protect people with known allergies.
Last year, celebrity chef Michael Chiarello died of a severe food allergy after a weeklong hospital stay. His death shed light on how serious and unpredictable allergies of all kinds can be. I regularly watched Chef Chiarello on Food Network cook up his Italian dishes. The news of his death was incredibly sad.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, 23-year-old Texas college student Alison Pickering passed away after she unknowingly consumed a dish altered to include peanuts. Dr. Kanokporn Tangsuan passed away from an allergic reaction at a Disney restaurant, despite warnings about her food allergy. Her situation highlights failures in staff training.
There has been a call for a life-saving mandate that will measure food allergies at all food establishments. A petition on Change.org calls for legislation of mandatory epinephrine autoinjectors at all establishments that serve food, including restaurants and event venues; staff training on recognizing and treating allergic reactions; real-time ingredient transparency, including clear communication protocols between chefs, servers, and patrons to ensure all ingredients in a dish are disclosed.
Food allergy safety is crucial because it directly prevents life-threatening reactions that can occur when individuals are exposed to allergens. For people with food allergies, even small traces of an allergen can trigger a severe immune response, known as anaphylaxis, which can lead to swelling, difficulty breathing, a drop in blood pressure, and as we’ve seen, death.
There is currently a Change.org petition circulating to bring awareness to what happened to Domo. “Buildings have fire extinguishers and alarms to protect people. Why don’t food establishments have the equivalent for life-threatening allergic reactions?”
Ultimately, food allergy safety saves lives by reducing the risks and ensuring an effective response when reactions occur, giving people with food allergies a better chance to live without the constant fear of life-threatening incidents.
Editors Note: A correction has been made to the editorial to Dominique’s career bio. Apologies for the error and any inconvenience or issues this may have caused.
