Dolezal promises to address race issue Monday; online petition calls for her to resign

Rachel Dolezal, a local civil rights activist and president of the Spokane chapter of the NAACP, sent out a statement late Friday promising to address the controversy swirling around her on Monday. Dolezal has presented herself as a black woman for years, but her parents are both white and say she is too. Both she and the NAACP executive committee will make statements during the NAACP meeting scheduled for Monday evening, Dolezal wrote in an email. “I have discussed the situation, including personal matters, with the Executive Committee,” she said. “I support their decision to wait until Monday to make a statement.” On Friday on online petition calling for Dolezal to resign her position in the NAACP was posted on moveon.org by Kitara McClure, the former multicultural director at Spokane Community College and a member of the NAACP. McClure argues that the issue that Dolezal needs to address is not race, it’s integrity. “The basis for what’s really wrong with this entire situation has been lost in race,” she said. “Race is not the issue. You cannot lead without honesty.” Dolezal did not just tell a single lie about her race, McClure said. “It’s a web of half truths and make believe,” she said. “For the local and the national NAACP to say they stand behind her is appalling.” McClure said she worries that people will pull away from the NAACP and hamper the work being done if Dolezal remains as president. A mistake must be acknowledged and apologized for before anyone can move forward, McClure said. “I believe the community wants to forgive her, but first she has to come clean,” she said. “People just want the truth.” McClure said that after she posted the online petition she received a text from Dolezal that said, in part, “Please don’t contribute to the drama.”