Rachel Dolezal: ‘I Don’t Identify as African-American, I Identify as Black’

[excerpt GUTHRIE What are ░░░░░░░░ hoping to say in ░░░░░░░░ book What s the ░░░░░░░░ you are trying to ░░░░░░░░ out there DOLEZAL I ░░░░░░░░ want to advance the ░░░░░░░░ about race and identity ░░░░░░░░ I really hope that ░░░░░░░░ are encouraged to be ░░░░░░░░ who they are And ░░░░░░░░ also really hope that ░░░░░░░░ some way like I ░░░░░░░░ I want to tell ░░░░░░░░ whole story of my ░░░░░░░░ and in some way ░░░░░░░░ that is able to ░░░░░░░░ of set the record ░░░░░░░░ because my life story ░░░░░░░░ really warped beyond recognition ░░░░░░░░ a lot of the ░░░░░░░░ press in 2015 GUTHRIE ░░░░░░░░ don t have to ░░░░░░░░ you you re still ░░░░░░░░ controversial Rachel A lot ░░░░░░░░ people think Okay even ░░░░░░░░ I understand the fact ░░░░░░░░ she has ton of ░░░░░░░░ for the African American ░░░░░░░░ that she identifies with ░░░░░░░░ African American community feels ░░░░░░░░ part of it why ░░░░░░░░ that you are in ░░░░░░░░ a member of the ░░░░░░░░ American community I think ░░░░░░░░ s the disconnect people ░░░░░░░░ have What s your ░░░░░░░░ I m sure you ░░░░░░░░ it all the time ░░░░░░░░ Right Well I don ░░░░░░░░ identify as African American ░░░░░░░░ identify as black I ░░░░░░░░ part of the pan ░░░░░░░░ diaspora I definitely feel ░░░░░░░░ in America even though ░░░░░░░░ is a social construct ░░░░░░░░ we ve acknowledged this ░░░░░░░░ academia and in science ░░░░░░░░ is a line drawn ░░░░░░░░ the sand There still ░░░░░░░░ sides Politically there s ░░░░░░░░ black side and a ░░░░░░░░ side and I stand ░░░░░░░░ on the black side ░░░░░░░░ stand with my own ░░░░░░░░ sense of self and ░░░░░░░░ own values I stand ░░░░░░░░ my sons I stand ░░░░░░░░ my sister and I ░░░░░░░░ stand really with a ░░░░░░░░ cause of challenging the ░░░░░░░░ of white supremacy GUTHRIE ░░░░░░░░ s interesting because you ░░░░░░░░ stand there and take ░░░░░░░░ of those same positions ░░░░░░░░ saying But I m ░░░░░░░░ member of this community ░░░░░░░░ DOLEZAL I really prefer ░░░░░░░░ just be exactly who ░░░░░░░░ am And black is ░░░░░░░░ the closest race and ░░░░░░░░ category descriptive term that ░░░░░░░░ the essential essence of ░░░░░░░░ I am.”