Love Island USA’s Cierra Ortega Hits Back at ‘Those Who Wish Harm’ on Her Following Racism Scandal

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Following her apology for the use of a deeply offensive racist term that emerged during her time on Love Island USA, Cierra Ortega spoke out again in response to online backlash.

On her Instagram Stories on Sunday, July 13, the reality TV personality directed a message specifically at one group. “To those who wish ill upon me, I hold nothing but love within my heart,” the contentious Islander stated. “What should unify us in discussing derogatory language and its damaging effects has instead transformed into a justification for cruelty.”

Cierra’s insights, shared the evening the seventh season of Love Island USA concluded, further expressed, “Nevertheless, I will not allow despair to find company here. I will continue to live with love, presence, and gratitude. Especially during tough times, as they also contribute to who we are.”

This message was paired with a picture of Cierra, taken from behind and showing her waving her hands in the air. She had departed from the series during the episode aired on July 6 when narrator Iain Stirling announced her exit “due to a personal situation.”

She went on to say, “I firmly believe that all this energy can be transformed into something impactful. If just a portion of it were dedicated to uplifting the community affected — to further amplify Asian voices and their healing — think of how much more we could achieve together.”

Cierra's post wrapped up with the message, “Show kindness to someone today. And tomorrow. And each day that follows. Love will always make a greater difference.” She included a red heart emoji bandaged at the end of her note.

A 2024 racist post from Cierra’s social media came to light while she was filming Love Island USA in Fiji. About two days after her departure from the show, she responded to the post via a July 9 Instagram video. “During my time in the villa, some old posts surfaced where I naively used a highly offensive and derogatory term,” she stated at the time. “I want to begin by addressing not just those I have hurt or offended deeply — but most importantly — the entire Asian community. I am sincerely, truly, deeply sorry.”

Cierra also mentioned her lack of awareness regarding the racial implications of her statements. “I had no idea that the word carried so much pain, so much harm, and came with such a history, or I would never have used it,” she commented in the video. “I didn’t have malicious intent when I used it, but that’s no justification because intent does not justify ignorance. It simply doesn’t.”

The video recounted Cierra's experience of receiving a message from a follower who described the slur as “incredibly hurtful,” thereby making her aware of the repercussions of her language. “I felt embarrassed at that moment. I promptly deleted the post,” she recounted. “I expressed my remorse and took the initiative to educate not just myself about the word's true meaning and history, but also those around me who were unintentionally creating a space for that slur.”

In the apology video, she added, “My time in the villa was truly magical. The experiences I had and the individuals I encountered are memories I will value forever. Although I am saddened that my journey came to an abrupt end, I recognize that mistakes like this carry consequences. To the Asian community, I sincerely apologize for my careless error and the pain it caused.”