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"I was terrified, I did not know who these people were, I did not know where they were, I did not know they were picking me up," Dumpson told CNN in an exclusive TV interview. .
And finally, she decided to defend herself.
Not with his own threats or joining the vitriol, but in justice. His quest to challenge the anonymous trolls led to something no one predicted: a personal apology.
"People think of demonstrations and advocacy, lobbying or other things," Dumpson said of ways to combat hate. "But litigation can also be a tool for social change," she said.
The neo-Nazi Andrew Anglin had encouraged the trolls to aim for Dumpson after his historic victory in May 2017 as the first president of the African-American student body at the American University in Washington. She was black, she was a woman and she excelled at the university – all that white supremacy hates.
Anglin has not responded to the complaint against him and his neo-Nazi Daily Stormer website, which is subject to significant traffic even when a judgment of $ 725,000 was pronounced against him, the site and another troll – money that Dumpson could never see. In addition, no one has ever been identified as the bearer of bananas lynched around the campus of the UA, a clear reminder of the past racist murderer of the United States and a tactic of intimidation.
But one of the people who hated her tweeting did not fear justice, but offered to repent.
The white man from the Pacific Northwest at the end of his adolescence decided to be forgiven. His attacks were far from being the worst that Dumpson had received, but he was the only one to take responsibility for it.
Dumpson wanted someone, a real person not hiding behind an avatar or sneaking on campus, to be held responsible for the real terror she had endured from anonymous foes. She was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder because of the flood of abuse that she endured. She wanted a semblance of closure.
But she also believes in restorative justice. The possibility for her and her troll to meet could create an opportunity for another human being to change their minds.
"I needed him to understand this: I'm a real person, I have real feelings, you have real impacts," she said.
"It's not just words, and you're not just typing nasty things, it's bigger than that," she said.
She agreed not to name or shame the man in public. She would not reveal the words they exchanged when they finally sat face to face.
She barely spoke of how it felt.
"It was a difficult moment," she said. But it was worth it.
"That's why I was able to look it in my eyes and it's because I believe that people can change." Said Dumpson. "I had to remember, I have to believe it because if I do not do it, then that would be their victory."
Neither Anglin nor the man who apologized to Dumpson responded to CNN's requests for comment.
Dumpson left Washington after graduating and earned a place at the law school in another city.
She hopes that her hangman and others like him will put an end to their harassment.
"Even if you're a white supremacist, even if you're a neo-Nazi, even if you think like that, I do not think you'll always think like that," she said. "I do not think it has to be that way."
His case could set a precedent. She has won the argument that, just like physical harassment, online harassment can also interfere with civil rights such as the right to education.
"To our knowledge, this is the first court ruling in the country to rule that online harassment can impede public accommodations," said David Brody, a lawyer with the Civil Rights Lawyers Committee. the law that had supported the case of Dumpson.
"Civil rights laws do not stop where the cloud begins."
More than two years after this began, hate continues to follow Dumpson, and she is still nervous, she said.
And there are parts of her life that she lost forever, as she had planned to start directing the students of the American university.
"I have not had the opportunity to send an e-mail to all students on the topic" Hello, welcome. " I am happy to be your student government president. "No, I sent a notice to students about" Hello, a hate crime was committed on campus. I was the target, but here's what we'll do to keep moving forward. "
She is proud of the way she decided to react – not to fear, but to try to make a difference for the better.
"For me, the dispute was my heart stroke," she said.
She has some tips to give to anyone who has already been monitored online.
"It's traumatizing and the toll is heavy, and I think the most important thing is to protect your peace."
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