Ojinika Obiekwe Awarded $2.4M For Discrimination Lawsuit

Veteran Black journalist Ojinika Obiekwe is encouraging others to speak up against workplace discrimination after a federal jury awarded her $2.4 million in damages in her lawsuit against former employer PIX11 and its parent company, Nexstar Media Group.

Ojinika Obiekwe PIX11 Discrimination Lawsuit: The Verdict.

The Emmy Award-winning journalist sued the television station in 2025, alleging she faced racial discrimination, unequal treatment, and retaliation after raising concerns about her working conditions. Following a federal trial, a jury found that PIX11 and Nexstar unlawfully retaliated against Obiekwe after she complained about race discrimination in the workplace.

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According to a July 23 press release from her attorneys at Emery Celli Brinckerhoff Abady Ward & Maazel LLP, the jury awarded Obiekwe approximately $2.4 million in damages, including $1.137 million in compensatory damages and $1.28 million in punitive damages.

Following the verdict, Obiekwe said she hopes her case inspires others to find the courage to speak up when they experience injustice.

“No one should have to choose between their livelihood and speaking up about what they believe is wrong. I did. Today, I am grateful to the jurors, who listened, weighed the evidence, and returned a unanimous verdict,” shared Obiekwe in a statement.

“While this victory is deeply personal, I hope it reaches far beyond me. I hope it reminds people that their voices matter, that standing up for what’s right matters, and that courage has the power to create change. This is for everyone who has ever questioned whether speaking up was worth the risk or wondered if anyone would believe them. I am deeply grateful to my faith, my family, my friends, and my extraordinary legal team. I will never take any of it for granted, and I hope this moment encourages others to find their voice and never stop believing that doing the right thing matters.”

Hit the flip to find out more details about Obiekwe’s discrimination lawsuit.

What happened to Ojinika Obiekwe at PIX11?

According to the original complaint which was filed in January 2025 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Obiekwe spent 22 years at PIX11 after first joining the station as an intern. Over the years, she worked her way up to become the station’s entertainment anchor and reporter.

In her lawsuit, Obiekwe alleged that as her role expanded, so did her workload. She claimed she was routinely expected to perform the responsibilities of multiple employees while receiving less staffing support and lower compensation than some of her white male colleagues.

“As the years progressed, Ms. Obiekwe had to do the work of two or even three people,” the complaint stated.

According to the lawsuit, Obiekwe repeatedly brought her concerns to both management and the station’s human resources department. Although she said she was assured changes would be made, she alleged those promises never materialized.

“According to the complaint, Human Resources informed Ms. Obiekwe that the company had determined she was receiving fair market pay,” her attorneys wrote in the press release. “The lawsuit alleges that Ms. Obiekwe responded that the company had ‘missed the point,’ explaining that her concerns extended beyond compensation to the unequal staffing support and workload she alleged she received compared to similarly situated white male colleagues. According to the complaint, despite assurances that her concerns would be addressed, the disparities she identified persisted.”

The complaint also alleges that after Obiekwe continued raising concerns about what she described as racial discrimination, including, at one point, comparing the conditions at the station to those on a plantation, PIX11’s news director instructed her to stop because she was making people uncomfortable.

Obiekwe’s employment with the station ended in January 2023.

According to the complaint, PIX11 initially told Obiekwe she was being terminated for “failure to perform job duties” and “insubordination.” However, the lawsuit alleges the station was unable to provide sufficient documentation supporting those claims to her union attorneys.

The complaint further alleges that the station later changed its explanation, withdrew the original reasons for her dismissal, and instead informed her that it had simply decided not to renew her contract without providing a reason.

The jury ultimately concluded that PIX11 and Nexstar unlawfully retaliated against Obiekwe after she complained about race discrimination, bringing a years-long legal battle to a close and delivering a verdict that Obiekwe hopes will encourage others facing discrimination to continue speaking out.

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