Because you're you and I'm here, I'll tell you. If I'm at the grocery store or anywhere else I'd be like, 'none of your business; back off,' this is a weave, and I do it myself.

Rachel Dolezal

Categorized in : Top News

It's not something that I can put on and take off anymore, like I said, I've had my years of confusion and wondering who I really (was) and why and how do I live my life and make sense of it all, but I'm not confused about that any longer. I think the world might be -- but I'm not.

confused life thinking

I felt very isolated with my identity virtually my entire life, that nobody really got it and that I really didn't have the personal agency to express it, i kind of imagined that maybe at some point (I'd have to) own it publicly and discuss this kind of complexity.

agency identity life

It's taken my entire life to negotiate how to identify, and I've done a lot of research and a lot of studying, i could have a long conversation, an academic conversation about that. I don't know. I just feel like I didn't mislead anybody; I didn't deceive anybody.

taken life long

It is with complete allegiance to the cause of racial and social justice and the NAACP that I step aside from the Presidency and pass the baton to my Vice President, Naima Quarles-Burnley.

vices president justice

I have a huge issue with blackface. by Rachel Dolezal

I have a huge issue with blackface.

blackface issues huge

Overall, my life has been one of survival and the decisions that I have made along the way, including my identification, have been to survive.

survival decision life

I stand by my work on behalf of the citizens of Spokane to further justice and promote civilian oversight of law enforcement.

enforcement law justice

But for sure there is some similarity in terms of harmonizing the outer appearance with the inner feeling, in terms of stigmatized identities, some people will forever see me as my birth category and nothing further. And the same with Caitlyn.

She kind of recognized and seemed to understand my affinity for black is beautiful and black is inspirational.

If people feel misled or deceived, then sorry that they feel that way, but I believe that's more due to their definition and construct of race in their own minds than it is to my integrity or honesty, because I wouldn't say I'm African American, but I would say I'm black, and there's a difference in those terms.

You can't just say in one sentence what is blackness or what is black culture or what makes you who you are.

I felt very isolated with my identity virtually my entire life, that nobody really got it and that I really didn't have the personal agency to express it, i kind of imagined that maybe at some point (I'd have to) own it publicly and discuss this kind of complexity. (But) I wasn't expecting it to be thrust upon me right now.

Even the word 'disguise' has been put out there, but it just sounds very intentional and deceitful, i just want to feel beautiful, and this is how I feel beautiful.

Any man can be a father, not every man can be a dad. by Rachel Dolezal

Any man can be a father, not every man can be a dad.

She did not ever refer to herself or draw pictures (like the described self-portraits) or do anything that indicated she thought she was black.

After that comes out, then I'll feel a little bit more free to reveal my life in the racial social-justice movement, i'm looking for the quickest way back to that, but I don't feel like I am probably going to be able to re-enter that work with the type of leadership required to make change if I don't have something like a published explanation.

I identify as black. by Rachel Dolezal

I identify as black.

I have a huge issue with black-face, this is not some freak ... mockery black-face performance. This is on a very real, connected level. I've actually had to go there with the experience.

Albert Wilkinson is my dad, any man can be a father. Not every ma... by Rachel Dolezal

Albert Wilkinson is my dad, any man can be a father. Not every man can be a dad.

I actually was talking to one of my sons yesterday, he said, 'Mom, racially, you're human and culturally you're black.