By Kolby LaMarche

Keren Sita, a South Burlington resident known for her frequent appearances during public comment periods at city council meetings, received a trespass notice from city officials on April 4, barring her from city-owned property for 90 days. 

The order came on the same day that the Burlington City Council held its annual reorganization meeting and Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak delivered her State of the City address in Contois Auditorium.

Sita, who was Miss Black Vermont in 2017, has emerged as one of the more persistent critics of city leadership in recent years, particularly about the leadership of Mulvaney-Stanak, often using the public comment portion of meetings to, sometimes – in violation of the rules – directly question or make statements on the decisions of the council, ranging from housing, public safety, equity, and identity. 

While city officials have not publicly detailed the specific reasons for the trespass notice, and BDN has not yet obtained them, the timing has raised questions among some residents about whether it was intended to limit a vocal critic’s presence during a high-profile municipal event.

Sita, originally from Congo and a longtime Vermont resident, has spoken openly about her experiences as a refugee and as a Black woman in the state. 

In 2020, she attended a community event where local organizations declared racism a public health emergency. At that gathering, she commended then-Mayor Miro Weinberger for efforts aimed at creating a better future, stating that the city was finally recognizing the struggles of Black residents. 

Her involvement in local government meetings has been fairly consistent for the past few years, leading some in Burlington to watch the council meetings just for her appearance. 

WATCH: Keren Sita: “Free speech gets messy, it gets messy!”

Sita has, most recently, taken aim at Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak, targeting key, and personal, issues for the mayor. Sita has, in the past, made unclear remarks about the mayor’s sexual orientation during public comment, bashed the mayor’s stance on equity and race initiatives, and too about the lives of women, specifically black women, as debates around transgender identities rages on.

It seems Sita never really has one central point, rather her comments frequently involve legal debates, personal frustrations, and an abundantly clear love for herself, and her image. 

Supporters see her as a dedicated advocate holding officials accountable, while others have described her participation as repetitive or disruptive to the flow of business.

Sita has pursued multiple legal actions against government entities, often representing herself in court. Court records reflect cases filed against the City of Burlington and its council, the Vermont Department of Labor, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and various other local parties. 

In November 2024, she filed an administrative case against the City Council of Burlington and related entities, likely related to previous council-led pushback against her routine remarks.  

Other lawsuits have involved housing disputes, employment claims, and allegations of unequal treatment. Vermont courts have issued rulings on several of her matters, including decisions on motions in superior court, where many were thrown out. 

BDN does not know the mayor’s or the government’s motives, but we do know the record. 

Some time in late March, around the time of the ICE protests in South Burlington, Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak began limiting, sometimes completely, comments on her official Facebook account. The mayor will restrict comments on videos she has made, changes to her profile picture, and event posts. There doesn’t seem to exist a rubric for how the mayor decides which post can get comments and which cannot. 

The April 4 trespass notice prohibited Sita from entering city property for a 90-day period. 

Under Vermont law, municipalities have authority to issue such civil orders when they determine that an individual’s presence could disrupt operations or raise safety concerns. These notices are not criminal charges but can be enforced by police if violated. 

Sita has continued to voice her perspectives through other channels, including social media and legislative testimony in the weeks following the notice. 

Sita’s profile gained wider notice in 2024 when she filed a federal lawsuit against Airbnb hosts, alleging she was asked to leave a rental due to her appearance and attractiveness as a young Black woman. 

The case, which sought substantial damages on multiple claims including discrimination and emotional distress, drew media coverage. She has positioned herself as an advocate against perceived discrimination in various settings.

According to meeting minutes, Sita’s case went before the City’s Public Safety Committee, where City Attorney Jessica Brown presented evidence against Sita, and testified to the committee that the request for trespass should be upheld and enforced. Jen Zakaras, the mayor’s deputy chief of staff, testified in support of the trespass order. Sita spoke briefly against the motion. 

The committee closed the hearing and, it seems, supported the order.