What was the context or conversation in which Crystal Wilsey used those slurs—private, public event, or online post?

1. On‑site, recorded confrontation: what the reporting says

News coverage consistently describes the incident as a face‑to‑face altercation inside a Cinnabon at Bay Park Square Mall in Ashwaubenon, Wisconsin, where a Somali couple recorded the exchange on a phone; the viral clip shows Wilsey using the N-word, mocking a hijab, flipping off the customers and explicitly declaring “I am racist” during the dispute over an order ^{[2] [1] [5]}.

2. Public video, not a private conversation

Sources identify the encounter as captured on video and posted publicly to TikTok by one of the customers’ relatives; outlets frame the episode as a public in‑store interaction that became public through the social media posting rather than a private remark or an online‑only rant by Wilsey ^{[6] [1] [5]}.

3. Consistent descriptions across outlets — substance and location

Multiple outlets — Newsweek, Atlanta Black Star, NewsOne, Primetimer and others — report the same core details: the setting (Cinnabon stall in Ashwaubenon), the targets (a Somali couple), and Wilsey’s conduct (use of racial slurs, hijab mocking, admission “I am racist”) — indicating broad agreement in reporting about the on‑site, recorded nature of the episode ^{[3] [7] [8] [6]}.

4. How the clip entered public view and consequences

The video was uploaded to TikTok and circulated widely; Cinnabon’s franchise ownership fired Wilsey after the clip spread online, and supporters subsequently raised money for her on GiveSendGo with totals reported variably from tens of thousands to over $100,000 depending on outlet and timing ^{[2] [1] [4]}. Reporting notes that some donations included messages endorsing her remarks, which became part of the public reaction narrative ^{[3] [1]}.

5. Competing narratives and framing in fundraising messaging

Reporting highlights competing frames: many outlets characterize the episode as an unambiguous racist outburst recorded in public ^{[7] [5]}, while the GiveSendGo fundraiser and sympathetic commentators cast Wilsey as a “hardworking white mom” allegedly provoked or “harassed” by customers and argue her firing was unjust — a framing that drew donations and further polarized online response ^{[9] [4] [1]}.

6. What the sources do not say or confirm

Available reporting does not provide the full unedited footage context beyond the posted TikTok clip; sources note Wilsey and some defenders claim earlier provocation or harassment but do not supply corroborating full‑length video or independent witness statements in the articles cited ^{[10] [1]}. Criminal or civil legal outcomes beyond the firing are not detailed in these pieces; some outlets reference past arrests or records but documentation and outcomes are inconsistently reported ^{[3] [7]}.

7. Why format matters: on‑site recording changes public reach and liability

Journalistic accounts emphasize that the encounter was captured on a customer’s phone inside the store and then uploaded publicly, which transformed a local confrontation into a viral incident that prompted employer action and national commentary; multiple outlets link the firing and the fundraiser directly to the social‑media circulation of that on‑site video ^{[5] [1] [4]}.

8. Bottom line for your query

All available reporting in the collected sources identifies the slurs as occurring during an in‑person, in‑store confrontation that was recorded by the customers and later posted to TikTok — not as a private offline conversation nor as a solely online post by Wilsey — and that public posting of the clip precipitated her firing and large‑scale public reaction ^{[2] [1] [5]}.