KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — The Kootenai County branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is reacting to an alleged racially motivated incident involving an out-of-state basketball team in town for the NCAA Tournament in Spokane.
Allegations surfaced over the weekend that the Utah Women’s Basketball team faced racial abuse while staying at the Coeur d'Alene Resort in downtown Coeur d'Alene. The incident reportedly left the team so shaken they opted to move to a hotel in Spokane for the remainder of their stay. As reaction to the incident pours in, the Kootenai County NAACP released a statement on how what occurred has impacted the organization and the community.
James McDay, the president of the Kootenai County NAACP, sent KREM 2 the following statement regarding the incident:
It comes as no surprise that Coeur d’Alene is again making regional and national news for the wrong reasons. I experience similar racist slurs and profiling daily. In an effort, to constructively assist my community in lessening racist attitudes and actions, I founded (and current serve as president) of Kootenai County branch 14AA of the National Association of Colored People (NAACP) in 2018. Earlier I founded a nonprofit, The Other Choice (TOC), to provide educational programs and develop policies on ways to address racist attitudes and actions. But have been denied access and participation by other local Civil Rights advocacy organization locally.
In the course, of our efforts and advocacy over the last ten years in the five northern counties of Idaho, I am today saddened and traumatized to watch our community reverting back to darker attitudes and practices of overt racial bias. For me the most disheartening observation is to watch the same community leaders, who regularly appear on local news at times of embarrassment and crisis, regurgitating statements that are essentially supporting the status quo performative approach. These are the same folks who have listened politely to my organizations proposals for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Access. Literally a year ago this month but chose to sit it out. With the following settlement “We can’t support you, but we won’t oppose you.”
As a person of color who has lived in Coeur d’Alene for 22 years, it became blatantly clear to me there is an insider/outsider bias that perpetuates racial bias. These twin biases have a profound impact on our community’s efforts to attract tourists, sustain ethnic diversity and overall community strength. Research I have directed through TOC over the past 13 years has repeatedly shown three things about the Coeur d’Alene area:
There is no input from ethnic diverse viewpoints accepted in any facet of community leadership I’ve found this lack of input to be intentional. And the responses to events such as the racial slurs and threats directed at a visiting women’s basketball team to be superficial and performative. I want to express my sincerest apologies to the Utah Coach and her team.
TOC shared research results with the CDA Press in 2019 showing that citizens of color did not remain in Coeur d’Alene more that 2-5 years. Daily experiences of racial bias in the work place, district court, and community wore them down. They often moved just across the border to Spokane and only reluctantly return to visit north Idaho. I suspect members of the University of Utah women’s basketball team share those feelings.
Local community leaders and experts do not seem to have the experience, education, or interest to effectively provide the training and resources to implement diversity, equity, inclusion, and access policies and programs. Or to work with organizations in the community which may augment these deficiencies, such as the TOC or the NAACP.
Sadly, our Tri-State Conference leadership ID, UT, NV & Regional offices of the NAACP has also failed to provide much needed support and leadership to our fledgling NAACP branch. The Tri-State Conference has obstructed or ignored requests for critical resources and training.
I am compelled to consider leaving Coeur d’Alene myself due to daily experiences of racial bias and profiling in local courts and law enforcement leadership. I have sought assistance in vain. I no longer feel safe today in my community.
On Thursday, March 21, the Utah women's basketball teams were walking to dinner in downtown Coeur d'Alene when a truck with a confederate flag allegedly stopped and began yelling racial slurs, including the N-word. After dinner, the team was walking back when the same driver came back with reinforcements and continued harassing the players.
The driver was reportedly revving his engine while yelling racial slurs at the players, which appeared to be a threat towards the players.
The incident is currently under investigation by local law enforcement.
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