Rachel Dolezal has been invited to an event about black hair
Rachel Dolezal was publicly disgraced for claiming that she identified as black amid accusations she had long tried to pass herself off as African-American. Now, she is actively being asked to represent black culture.
Dolezal was invited to attend the Braid On Economic Liberty March & Rally in Dallas led by natural hair stylist and activist Isis Brantley. The rally is branded as an event to encourage black women's hair care and empowerment.
In 2015, Dolezal resigned as president of the Spokane, Washington, chapter of the NAACP after her parents informed local NBC affiliate KHQ-TV in Spokane that Dolezal is white, and not of African-American descent.
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Brantley told the New York Times that she had no idea about Dolezal's reputation and had invited her after seeing her braiding on TV.
"People threatened to boycott me [after the announcement]," she told the New York Times. "They are calling me a sellout. ... I just stopped looking [at the backlash on social media] and blocked everybody."
Brantley also stressed that Dolezal would only be "meeting and greeting" other attendees and would not have a headlining role.
However, the Daily Beast points out that Brantley sent a message on Facebook months ago asking if Dolezal should be allowed on a team of organizers for another march and natural hair event in Washington, D.C., causing some to cast doubt on Brantley's claim that she knew nothing of Dolezal's reputation.
"Isis knows exactly what she's doing and why she's doing it," argued Kerin Rodriguez, who has attended other events of Brantley's. "[She wants] to get people to go to her event."
"I'm not coming [to the rally] as a curiosity or for anycontroversy," Dolezal told the Daily Beast. "My intention is to support Isis and the braid freedom movement in whatever way it will be most helpful. I don't want to be a liability for anyone. It's a justice issue and I've been a social justice activist for years. It's really that simple."
