'A scholar and activist': Civil rights attorney Kiah Duggins named victim in DC crash
A civil rights attorney and incoming Howard University law professor is among the dead after a midair collision between a passenger jet with a military helicopter killed 67 people on Wednesday evening.
Kiah Duggins, 30, was aboard the American Airlines flight carrying 60 passengers and four crew members that crashed with a Black Hawk helicopter just minutes before its scheduled landing at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, relatives and close friends confirmed. The three members of the helicopter crew also died.
"Kiah believed in radical love, unwavering truth, and the fight for a better world. Let’s carry her torch forward," family member Aisha Duggins wrote in a fundraiser she created for causes and initiatives "dear to her heart, ensuring that her work and passion live on."
Former Sedgwick County Commissioner Lacey Cruse called Duggins a "brave and beautiful soul" in a Facebook post.
Before her death, Duggins was "set to begin a new chapter as a professor at Howard University in the fall," the university posted on social media.
The Harvard Law alumna and former White House intern dedicated her career to fighting against "unconstitutional policing and unjust money bail practices in Tennessee, Texas and Washington, D.C.," the post reads.
Paste BN has reached out to Duggins' family.
Duggins founded student pantry at Wichita State
Duggins' remarkable career began far before she studied law at Harvard. While pursuing her bachelor's in business at Wichita State University from 2013 to 2017, she earned several accolades including the school's Clay Barton Scholarship and Fulbright Scholar Program.
On campus she took on leadership roles as the Student Government Association chief of staff, enacting policy and guided school activities, according Bobby Gandu, the university's associate vice president for Strategic Enrollment Management.
Duggins and her fellow student senators collectively founded the school's first resources pantry, according to Gandu. The Shocker Support Locker is still flourishing in 2025, offering students in need thousands of items for free, from food to school supplies and personal hygiene products.
Gandu met Duggins she was a student at Wichita High School East, where he quickly recognized promise in the trailblazer. He said after graduating from Wichita State, she cemented a legacy as a "model of excellence" for other students, including future cardiologists, attorneys and educators.
"When you got to know her you saw both her intellect, her ability to relate to people, her ability to be passionate and compassionate for people," Gandu told Paste BN on Friday. "People in need, in particular, she would advocate for them, and you would see that Kiah had so many gifts, but she was just at the end of the day a fun person to be around, too."
Duggins interned at White House, taught English in Taiwan
Duggins also served as a White House policy intern during the Obama administration, working under First Lady Michelle Obama.
Gandu said he wrote a letter of recommendation for Duggins to be selected for the Fulbright Program, which allowed her to teach English abroad to young children in Taiwan. In the letter he wrote that he hoped his daughter, who was 1 at the time, would one day be mentored by her.
"I wrote something to the effect of that 'I can't think of anybody better than Kiah to represent not just Wichita State, but the United States and humanity," he said. "She was just such a wonderful person, and you knew that she was going to go into an area that might be poverty stricken or lack opportunity, and she would bring such joy to the people in that community."
Where was Attorney Kiah Duggins from?
A Wichita native, Duggins attended Wichita Public Schools, the district confirmed to Paste BN on Friday, and graduated from Wichita High School East.
A graduate of the Class of 2013, she was an International Baccalaureate Diploma graduate, a member of the Dance Team, Model UN Club, Spanish and National Honor Societies, and Student Government, Wichita High School East Principal Sara Richardson told Paste BN on Friday.
"She was also a Homecoming Queen candidate, a testament to the admiration and respect she earned from her peers," Richardson said. "Her determination to make a difference, especially in the lives of young people of color, was evident in everything she did. She led with kindness, purpose, and a commitment to lifting others up, inspiring those around her to strive for excellence and equity.
"While we grieve this tremendous loss, we also honor the incredible legacy Kiah leaves behind," she continued. "Her impact on our school, community, and beyond will not be forgotten."
Duggins worked as civil rights attorney for non-profit
Duggins graduated from Harvard Law School and was a civil rights attorney with the non-profit Civil Rights Corps.
According to its website, the organization litigates "on behalf of movements challenging unconstitutional policing" and is dedicated to challenging systemic injustice in the United States’ legal system.
"Kiah was more than a scholar and activist," Aisha Duggins wrote. "She was a beloved sister-friend, a source of inspiration, and a beacon of grace and integrity. She made you want to be smarter, kinder, and bolder. Her presence challenged everyone around her to step into their most fearless, compassionate selves."
Childhood friend, Dylan Severson posted a tribute on Facebook: "Dear God, please give Kiah the highest seat in heaven. Her memory is abundant with blessings and love overflowing. Her name brings profound joy and hope and her passing leaves painful tears and sorrow."
He ended the post by saying to Duggins: "You're irreplaceable in my heart, and I love you forever."
Kiah Duggins was also Miss Kansas contestant
According to Larry Strong, Duggins' former pageant director, Duggins was a two-time former Miss Kansas contestant.
“It is with heavy heart that the Miss Augusta and Miss Butler County organization just learned that Kiah Duggins... was a passenger in the plane that crashed last evening in Washington DC,” Strong posted on Facebook Thursday. “Keep the rest of the family in your thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.”
Duggins was Miss Butler County in 2014 and 2015, Strong wrote.
"The Miss Kansas Organization community, to include our brand ambassadors, board of directors and volunteers, call on our entire state to join in us collectively sending our love and deepest condolences to the families and loved ones impacted by the tragic loss of life aboard American Airlines Flight 5342."
"Our hearts are with you all as we lift each other up during this incredibly difficult time," the organization posted on its Facebook page.
What happened to American Airlines Flight 5324?
The crash took place just before 9 p.m. Wednesday when AA Flight 5342 from Wichita, Kansas, attempted to land at Reagan National Airport and crashed in midair with a Black Hawk helicopter carrying three people.
The passenger plane with 64 people aboard then fell into the icy waters of the Potomac River.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, which confirmed Thursday that divers had recovered black boxes from the passenger plane.
During a news conference, NTSB member Todd Inman said the military helicopter was also equipped "with some form of recording."
This story has been updated to add more information.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for Paste BN. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund
Anthony Robledo covers national trending news for Paste BN. Reach him at arobledo@usatoday.com or follow him on X and Instagram @anthonyarobledo
Contributing: James Powel