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A Black Woman Satirically Creates A “GoFundMe” To Get White Privilege

By on July 11, 2014

In really, really odd internet news, I’m sure many of you have heard about a white man named Zack Brown who created a kickstarter to raise funds for a potato salad….and even while writing this, I can’t help but just think what an idiot. Tons of white guys think they’re funny and they live for the mighty laugh because everything is a joke; however, tons of folks are upset at the massive amounts of money that Zack is actually starting to raise.

potato salad

Here’s the image of the potato salad on Zack’s kickstarter page…yeah…

For those of you that don’t know, kickstarter is a fundraising platform where anyone can pitch their project idea and receive random donations and funds from the public. It’s actually become a space that many minoritized people have utilized because our voices and ideas are regularly marginalized in the mainstream. So, if you have an idea for a web-series, a film, or a product, you can pitch it on kickstarter and receive funds [assuming people like your idea]. It’s been noted that many minoritized people have a difficult time reaching their full requested amounts because our projects are not as easily funded.

So, cue Mr. Zack Brown who has already raised over $47,000 for a potato salad.

Yes….over $47,000….for a potato salad.

The fact that he has such an easy time raising joke funds for a potato salad speaks to the ways that projects featuring white people and white voices are prized over serious projects put forth by minoritized people.

In response to this ridiculousness, a Black woman [with natural hair!] named Yaya created her own fundraising page on the platform “gofundme” and is attempting to raise funds for white privilege.

yaya m

Here’s Yaya M…the genius behind the satirical kickstarter page.

In fact, her page is called, “I need some white privilege.” Her description on the page states:

“I am writing you today to ask that you assist me in acquiring some white privilege. Although I have layered oppressions that have affected my ability to access my slice of the American Pie™, no issue has affected me more readily than my lack of white privilege.

From being assumed to have “cheated” my way into programs for gifted children AND college (via affirmative action), to having my natural hair viewed as unprofessional amongst professional peers, to having people make negative assumptions about my competency level, interests, and job knowledge, to being viewed as naturally dangerous or threatening, my lack of white privilege has created numerous obstacles as I’ve struggled to successfully compete in a white dominated workforce. I am hoping that, through this campaign, I will begin to make some headway towards closing the gap that white privilege has created in my life.”

Over 170 people have already donated to her page, and based upon these numbers, I’m assuming she will receive even more funds from people who are frustrated by Sir Potato Salad White Man.

While I get that tons of white guys have the time and energy to engage in trivial jokes constantly because not having to worry about systemic racism or sexism opens up a lot of  free time on your daily schedule, I think that the kickstarter joke can easily be interpreted as someone flaunting their white privilege in the faces of those of us who are not so lucky to have people willing to donate to our critical projects….or in his case, a potato salad project. People are more willing to fund a potato salad project because it’ s connected to a white man, rather than a project with some substance created by a minority person.

If you ever needed a ripe representation of privilege, this is it…with a side of potato salad.

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  • Shirley whaley

    I agree

  • Linda Sue Collins

    At this point $49,176 raised for Zack’s stupid potato salad joke; and less than $4,000 for the serious & evasive issue of white privilege. Those numbers reveal much about white privilege & racism. At the campaign end we shall see a better comparison. Glad Yaya’s efforts are causing more conversation about this matter, since most who benefit from the sick system refuse to acknowledge it.

    • Aph

      Exactly Linda!! I think the funding amounts highlights the issue even further. Thanks for reading and commenting 🙂

  • Herbert Wright

    Very Perceptive Aph….GOD Bless You and The Work You Are Doing !!!

    • Aph

      Thanks Herbert! I appreciate the compliments!! 🙂

  • Black Lady

    Very interesting on so many levels. I can remember older relatives from the south who experienced serious racism and oppression always pushing the issue of looking presentable. Straighten your hair, put on a church going dress or suit, stand up straight, wash your face, brush your teeth, shine your shoes, iron your clothes, smile, speak softly, and say yes ma’am or no sir. This is what they learned was acceptable by the whites they got to know as domestic servants. My mom is in her 70s and cracks me up as she puts so much effort in choosing her dress up attire and working hard to look presentable when she goes to the doctor. She shops for very nice outfits just for doctors’ visits. My grandmother passed away in 2002 at 101. She had dresses, gloves, and hats and her hair was always pressed. Our ancestors and Madame CJ Walker are probably disappointed in our natural hair choices.

    I have a white male friend (former co-worker) in his late 60s, born and lived in the south, was a cop, has racist thoughts (as revealed in stories), but has a very compassionate heart. Since we’re friends, he took liberty to tell me he liked my hair better straight than braided with wavy extensions, which he feels looks wild and untamed. I told him this style is carefree and easier to maintain.  

    Do we think and behave as our mothers and grandmothers by straightening our hair and dressing in proper attire so we will be presentable and more acceptable to white America?

  • Rob G

    To be fair to society, asking for donations for potato salad IS quirkier than asking for donations to combat manufactured racism. It just is. I think that is what we can take away from this experiment in comparative philanthropy.

    I’m sure my observations will be dismissed due to the fact that I’m a middle aged white male entrenched in the upper middle class of our culture. But, I will give it a shot anyway.

    Manufacturing racism where none exists does not benefit society. If anything, it makes it more difficult to combat actual racism by numbing the public to the issue. Much like the Boy Who Cried Wolf, pretending to be a victim constantly only makes it easier to be dismissed when confronting a real threat.

    Many minority activists are hypersensitive to anything that might be considered an insult to their sensibilities. I am of the opinion that there is a rational explanation for this phenomenon.

    Job security. An individual who has decided to pursue an education devoted to dissecting social interactions between “the oppressors” and “the oppressed” must either find actual racism to confront or manufacture racism so as to legitimize their position as a Racial Authority.

    The problem is, oftentimes the White Privileged are accused of the crime of Racism unfairly and it appears that nobody in the minority sectors are willing to stand up and say so.

    Racism CAN be extremely subtle. We all know that. However, sometimes our society finds racism in instances that defy logic.

    For instance, my Hispanic wife might be accused of racism if she crosses the street if she is approaching a group of young black men. In reality, the only thing she should be accused of is prudence. She would do the exact same thing if she was approaching a group of young white men or young Hispanic men. And, she SHOULD cross the street when approaching a group of young men.

    Thus, Logic is misidentified as Racism.

    This can also occur in the workplace. Logic can be lazily dismissed as Racism if one is inclined to not investigate further because their livelihood is dependent upon finding and exposing racism even if none exists.

    I work in a blue collar field that is devoted to cleaning up the environment. We are exposed to every possible health threat imaginable. These include chemical, biological, radiological and mechanical hazards.

    Most of us White Privileged don’t give a damn what color you are. We only care if you are competent and dependable in a life threatening situation. Danger tends to be the Great Equalizer.

    If you are NOT dependable or competent AND you happen to also be a minority then your status as a minority is insignificant. It plays no part in your ability to maintain a job or receive additional monetary compensation.

    It’s possible that even if you are competent and dependable that you might get passed up for promotions simply due to logical considerations as opposed to institutional racism.

    For instance, let’s say that there are two cases in which a salaried worker is asked to perform uncompensated overtime. In one instance, the reason the work is requested is relatively benign. Perhaps a client is going on vacation and wants the job completed before he leaves. The overtime is not really necessary. We are simply doing someone a favor.

    In the other instance, we are faced with a serious emergency. A swift response may allow containment of a spill that will save a ton of money and red tape style paperwork.

    Both workers may perform their jobs perfectly. Both may have put in the exact same amount of uncompensated overtime. Yet, at the end of the year one might receive a larger bonus or a larger raise or even a promotion.

    The reason is simple and it has nothing to do with race. Logically, those in charge if giving raises, bonuses and promotions might not even realize that someone worked overtime to satisfy the vacation whims of a client. But they sure as heck know who responded to an emergency that saved them millions of dollars.

    A problem arises when a minority activist examines this situation and determines it is a clear cut example of racism. Simply because due to luck of the draw the person who responded to the emergency happened to be white.

    In reality, if the minority had responded he would have received the benefits of his good luck. Sometimes, life just plays out that way without some nefarious undercurrent of discrimination.

    Now, if the person who responded to the emergency was a minority and the person who simply performed some innocuous overtime was white and the minority was not recognized more aggressively than the white worker then the case for racism is obviously legitimate.

    The point I am attempting to make is that we need to attack the issue of racism with more honesty. Neither side of the issue should let emotions cloud our judgement. The White Privileged should be willing to confront racism in a honest and meaningful way. Minorities should be more discerning of what they call racism.

    Because, if we don’t then we will fail to confront other injustices.

    Like, two morons receiving donations for illegitimate “causes” when that money could better spent helping someone in need.

    THAT is the real crime here.

    RG

  • Black Lady

    Rob G – Please STOP drinking that distorted view, white privilege and clueless moonshine!
    First, the issue is white privilege rather than racism. There is a difference!
    Next, do not attempt to dictate when minorities can speak up about racism they have personally experienced or feel they have been subjected to!
    Finally, your scenarios are ridiculous and inappropriate because they come from a white privilege worldview that screams “I need a racial sensivity training workshop to help me truly comprehend the plight of Black men and women from various educational and socioeconomic levels!”

    p.s. I’ll give you a “C” for courage to speak on a topic that is out of your area of expertise.

  • Great article. To Rob G, the only way to know what racism is to “minorities” is to live in their shoes. That is the oppressor cannot truly know what the oppressed face on a daily basis the oppressor will never truly understand what it is is to face racism both subliminally and overtly. The majority of what you wrote made absolutely no sense and hence also speaks from the experience of white privilege.

  • alboraison

    This is not satire, it’s a repeat of reality. Has anyone heard the disingenuous girls on the UNCF radio campaign ? They talk about giving them money, and they, yes, *they*, are our “return”. Not one mention of this being a “negro” or “black-only” organization.