Rachel Dolezal, president of Spokane's NAACP chapter, has found herself surrounded by controversy over her race. Follow Cliff Judy: http://www.twitter.com/cliffjudy See more at http://www.newsy.com Transcript: The president of a NAACP chapter in Spokane, Washington has found herself in some controversy. And it's getting a little weird. So this is Rachel Dolezal. She's the president of Spokane NAACP. She's also a self-described black woman. But ask her parents — this is where things get weird — and you'll get a different answer. "She wants to recreate reality, she wants to just invent it herself," Ruthanne Dolezal, Rachel's mother, told KHQ-TV. "She's Caucasian, by birth," Larry Dolezal, Rachel's father, said. Speaking to the Spokesman Review, Dolezal's mother said the family's ancestry consisted of Czech, Swedish and German origin with trace amounts of Native American. Dolezal has claimed in the past that another man was her father, sharing photos on social media showing the two together. Though according to the Coeur d'Alene Press, the man bears no relation to Dolezal. When pressed about the discrepancy by a local KXLY reporter, Dolezal didn't do much to help her case. "Are you African American?" asked the KXLY reporter. "I don't, I don't understand the question." The odd story has caused a bit of a stir online, and it hasn't taken long for it to reach national outlets. It's also permeated social media, with folks both defending and criticizing Dolezal's predicament. The hashtags #RachelDolezal and #transracial have both been used to respond to the controversy. Some say, similar to a transgender person, it's okay for Dolezal to identify as a black person if that's how she feels. Others say it's unfair since black people can't identify as white if that's how they feel. Dolezal's past has come under scrutiny since the controversy swelled up and folks are now questioning her role as an adjunct faculty member teaching Africana Studies at Eastern Washington University. Dolezal also serves as chairwoman on Spokane's Office of Police Ombudsman Commission. On her application, she apparently identified herself as white, black and Native American. The city is now investigating Dolezal to see if she violated any policies when filling out that application to get the volunteer position. (Video via City of Spokane) Sources: The president of a NAACP chapter in Spokane, Washington has found herself in some controversy. And it's getting a little weird. So this is Rachel Dolezal. She's the president of Spokane NAACP. She's also a self-described black woman. But ask her parents — this is where things get weird — and you'll get a different answer. "She wants to recreate reality, she wants to just invent it herself," Ruthanne Dolezal, Rachel's mother, told KHQ-TV. "She's Caucasian, by birth," Larry Dolezal, Rachel's father, said. Speaking to the Spokesman Review, Dolezal's mother said the family's ancestry consisted of Czech, Swedish and German origin with trace amounts of Native American. Dolezal has claimed in the past that another man was her father, sharing photos on social media showing the two together. Though according to the Coeur d'Alene Press, the man bears no relation to Dolezal. When pressed about the discrepancy by a local KXLY reporter, Dolezal didn't do much to help her case. "Are you African American?" asked the KXLY reporter. "I don't, I don't understand the question." The odd story has caused a bit of a stir online, and it hasn't taken long for it to reach national outlets. It's also permeated social media, with folks both defending and criticizing Dolezal's predicament. The hashtags #RachelDolezal and #transracial have both been used to respond to the controversy. Some say, similar to a transgender person, it's okay for Dolezal to identify as a black person if that's how she feels. Others say it's unfair since black people can't identify as white if that's how they feel. Dolezal's past has come under scrutiny since the controversy swelled up and folks are now questioning her role as an adjunct faculty member teaching Africana Studies at Eastern Washington University. Dolezal also serves as chairwoman on Spokane's Office of Police Ombudsman Commission. On her application, she apparently identified herself as white, black and Native American. The city is now investigating Dolezal to see if she violated any policies when filling out that application to get the volunteer position. (Video via City of Spokane) Image via: Spokane NAACP http://spokanenaacp.com/

• published: 12 Jun 2015
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