This is my first post. I have been searching and searching for years for an avenue to help me with my research and feel that after having more time to research this website, I surely hope I can be more enriched by joining. I have endured a very bad setback in my life due to medical reasons, and decided to see if I can find another avenue to vent and get help. I did see this website years ago, but did not realize how incredible it is until now. Funny thing though, to me, is that this article about Ms. Dolezal kind of strikes a painful feeling inside of me. I understand what you say about others passing for White and now she has done the opposite, but as an African American woman, it does hurt on the inside that she has been able to advance her life byway of this organization that I suppose was set up to help people of color. No, I don't have any animosity against her and I think she is so pretty, but as a Black woman, man, it hurts because I have endured so much racism that has hit me financially, and to see someone posing as me, to help me, well, I just don't get it. I believe that she could have just helped black people without having to present herself as being Black. I don't think she will ever fully endure the full impact of racial injustice that an original African American woman endures. I have just been denied medication by a major private hospital and it was a White woman that denied me and for this reason, I know I am up against the wall. When I was a little girl, 5 years old, my kindergarten teacher, a White woman, shoved my head into the table one day as I was drawing a picture of my favorite season, autumn, and still today, I can't understand how a White woman could do that to a child. So, it strikes me in an odd way, when I see White women who are trying to represent the Black culture for many reasons, one of which is that if we endured racism, it would not just be from the White man, however, it seems that many Black people don't equate White women to also victimizing our race and culture. Even though Ms. Dolezal may have meant know harm, but her actions are sort like mocking us.