Ex-NAACP leader Rachel Dolezal says she was born white — VIDEO
For the first time a white woman who posed as African American, has spoken out about the ordeal and has admitted that she was born white, but identifies as black.
Appearing on the panel discussion show "The Real," Rachel Dolezal, the former president of Spokane's chapter of the NAACP in Washingston, said she was "biologically born white to white parents," Time reported.
One of the panelists, Jeannie Mai, responded to Dolezal's admittance by saying, "you weren't born black, so when you say you are black, it makes it hard for people to understand where you're coming from."
Dolezal went on to say although she acknowledges that she was born to white parents, she "identifies as black."
Dolezal initially came under fire in June when her parents outed her as white, while she had been identifying as African-American during her time with the NAACP.
Although her Montana birth certificate says she was born to two Caucasian parents, Dolezal, 37, has maintained that she was black.
Along with presiding over her local chapter of the NAACP, she is also an academic scholar on African-American culture and has taught related courses at Eastern Washington University.
Contact Caitlin Lilly at clilly@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @caitiesmith
