ZOOM BOMBING; A new type of hate crime.

It started as a regular webinar.

The topic was how to improve coronavirus coverage, hosted by a black journalist collective.

Within seconds, the number of zoom participants jumped from 19 to 31.

It was a regular Thursday night, and I was eager to learn what journalists were getting wrong when reporting information about this virus to the public.

So, I joined the meeting through an Eventbrite invitation, the same way these culprits got in.

Almost an hour into the meeting the zoom names slowly started showing up on the screen, 'Nick'.

Being the trained millennial that I am, I instantly started recording.

At first, the random image of a white overweight man taking a selfie popping up on the shared screen made me laugh, but then "Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger."

'Ben Dover'.

'Kyle'.

"Wow there's a lot of Niggers in here."

It was clear that the call was being hacked. I have never experienced such raw exposure to virtual racism. And this was a targeted attack.

The zoom webinar I was attending was hosted by the Philadelphia Chapter of Black Journalist, they were in the middle of a successful series they have been moderating all week.

But, If the racial slurs weren't enough- then came the pornographic images.

Stunned, all I did was watch as the chapter members went back and forth with the hackers. They threatened to call the police, as they started to record the call.

I already recorded about one minute in by that point. Even one of the hackers asked the others to chill out as a penguin with a gun graphic that read 'Shut up Nigger' popped up on screen.

I hid my video after the Nigger chants began, but two minutes in I realized the other guests weren't as quick to do so.

Maybe because there were a thousand other things going on in their mind, many of the older members later telling me how the slurs triggered memories of their upbringing.

But just when you think it couldn't get any worse, the personal attacks came.

"Wow look at his neck, are you proud of your body?"

No one knew whose voice to attribute these vulgar, disrespectful, disgusting comments to. The hackers continued to taunt and click and talk over each other.

I was in shock. Being from a generation blessed to miss the horrors of the civil rights movement, but right on time to watch the Black Lives Matter movement rise, I couldn't quite understand how I was feeling in that moment.

My thoughts were ricocheting to -what do I do, how is this happening, who are these people, why are they doing this? Why are they doing this?

But we all know why.

'Kyle Steve'.

Hate and Ignorance have been spreading their droplets way further and longer than any coronavirus.

Recently the FBI released guidelines on how to protect your teleconference, since many of these incidents have been reported around the nation. Since people have been turning to screens to stay connected due to the need of physical distancing, nationally the physical crimes have decreased as the virtual ones have spiked.

The Internet Crime Complaint center takes these 'zoom bomb' complaints and refers some of them to federal and local agencies to under-go investigations. The only problem is when it comes to filing out the complaint one section asks for the 'information about the subject(s) who victimized you.'

How are you supposed to know who 'Ben Dover' really is?

This call was the first time I was ever called a 'Nigger'. Have I heard it before? Yes, I'm black and in America. I've seen the memes and even recently the American University sorority girl video's. I've had my run in's with racism and sexism and heard of others experiences, but this time it happened to me.

And I didn't fight, or argue, I froze. I felt defenseless. I couldn't think at that time how to respond, who to address, what to do. I made it to my twenties before I was called, that word. I was called that word online with a group of educated, amazing, black community voices.

Hopefully my children will make it longer than I have in life before hearing it, or maybe never hear it at all.

I've always heard from friends and family that you will never forget your first time. There is just something different about hearing someone say it to you, a reality you have to face in that moment.

I know now that I won't forget this experience. It's days later and randomly I still hear that man's sing songy voice, "Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger, Nigger.'

At least I was raised to know that word is something I never have been and will never be.

Leona Dunn is a graduate student at American University where she is receiving her Masters in Broadcast Journalism. She is a Tennessee State University Alumni and host of the podcast 'Breathing While Black'.