Rachel Dolezal, 37, president of her local National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) chapter, is involved in a controversy about her true ethnicity. Dolezal presented herself as African-American and is an active advocate of the group. Recently, she just resigned from her position as the head of NAACP chapter in Spokane, Washington, Today News reports.
The issue questioning Dolezal's true race has brought her parents to speak up. On Friday, two Caucasians revealed to CCN that they are her biological parents. They presented Dolezal's birth certificate and provided old pictures of Dolezal. The photos they provided showed a Caucasian woman.
Dolezal's father, Lawrene Dolezal told CNN, "We are her birth parents, We do not understand why she feels it's necessary to misrepresent her ethnicity."
The parents were displeased with Rachel's decision of transforming herself into another individual. She pretended to be black and changed her background, which they believe were purposely done to hurt them.
On Monday, Ruthanne Dolezal, Rachel's biological mother told TODAY, "I think Rachel has tried to damage her biological family and those kind of claims, as false as they were, seem to serve her purposes in her mind."
In a report from TODAY, a few hours after Rachel's parents were interviewed, she resigned from her position as head of the NAACP chapter in Spokane, Washington.
The NAACP still supports Rachel, and informed CNN that a person's racial identity is not among the qualifying criteria or disqualifying standards for the association's leadership.
The group said, "The NAACP Alaska-Oregon-Washington State Conference stands behind Ms. Dolezal's advocacy record. "
However, her decision was followed by a backlash from the people who knew about her claims like being black and her stories of being born in a teepee and growing up hunting for food with a bow and arrow.
When Lawrence and Ruthanne were asked why their daughter lied, they could not really tell the reason. Lawrence admitted that he was also puzzled. However, Ruthane suggested that maybe Rachel did it to boost her credentials as a black educator and activist.
Aside from being an active advocate for NAACP, Rachel is also a professor in the African Education Department at Eastern Washington University, TODAY has learned.
Both parents denied the charges that they were abusive parents. Lawrence is open for reconciliation. Rachel's mother hoped that she would get the help she needed to deal with her identity issues.
Fran Walfish, a family psychotherapist in Beverly Hills, Calif., was against the decision of Rachel's parents to come out to the media. Walfish told Yahoo Parenting, "Publicly blowing the whistle on their daughter won't help this family heal."
Walfish added, "Rachel would benefit from individual psychotherapy - and her parents should be in couples counseling with a focus on parenting issues and their relationship with Rachel."
