Fundraiser cancelled because of its racist name
The name of the fundraising event included the word "slave," which referred to students who would work on a ranch in exchange for donations. As many were outraged by the word s racist connotation, the organisers eventually decided to cancel the annual fundraiser with nearly 40 years of tradition.
A high school rodeo club in the town of Faith, South Dakota, has held its annual fundraiser for decades. Fundraising was done through students offering labour to a local farmer in exchange for donations. The club used the money raised to finance various events. The fundraising event is called Slave/Branding Auction.
There was still nothing wrong with the name a year ago. Since last year, however, the fundraiser has come under attack with the Black Lives Matter movement coming into focus in the wake of George Floyd s death. The fundraising event has been criticised for the word slave in its name.
A recent advertisement for Faith High School Rodeo Club s „Slave/Branding Auction,” a fundraising event that includes a pancake supper and a pie auction, has caused backlash on social media and from human rights organizations in South Dakota. https://t.co/X5JeevSRmV
— Rapid City Journal (@RCJournal) April 21, 2021
After the event had been advertised on a variety of posters and platforms, the head of the local community centre organising the event was contacted by several people who were outraged by the use of such a racist and hurtful name in 2021. Glenda McGinnis disclosed that she had a call from a local cowboy who said the way the event was advertised was „wrong”.
At first, McGinnis did not see what the problem was and thought it was a joke. She said they had held Rodeo Club s event every year, for about 40 years. She said: „I didn t even think of slavery in racist terms. It s just kids work for free to raise money for their club.” She went on to admit that it was „a very bad choice of words.”
Slave auctions have been a good way for youth organizations to raise money for worthy causes. They give senior citizens & others a way to get odd jobs done. AND they are a good way to promote communication between all generations in the community.
Faith, SD should reconsider.— OldStudent (@OldStudentnow) April 25, 2021
Many South Dakota residents were outraged by the incident, calling the event racist and hurtful. State representative Linda Duba said the club had the opportunity to change the name and still host the event, but it decided not to host it at all. There had been problems with the name of the club s fundraiser before, but so far nothing has changed.
Many Democratic politicians in the state were also riled, calling the name particularly disturbing, especially now that the nation is struggling with institutional racism and police violence.
Republican State Senator Ryan Maher called the controversy „absolutely crazy.” „This is western South Dakota. Most people don t even know we are here; they need to get off their high horse and let these kids be kids and do their own thing,” he told the Washington Post.
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