A taxpayer-funded food pantry in Minnesota is under fire for banning white people from receiving assistance.
The Food Trap Project Bodega in Minneapolis is funded, at least in part, by a Paths to Black Health Grant from the state.
Despite being funded by taxpayers of all races, the founder of the food pantry, Mykela “Keiko” Jackson, says that they will only serve "black and indigenous folx."
“The resources found in here are intended for Black & Indigenous Folx. Please refrain from taking anything if you’re not,” a sign at the food bank, originally located at the Sanctuary Church, read.
The Paths to Black Health grant states that it aims to help the black community that has been "impacted as the result of historical trauma," including "post-traumatic slave syndrome."
The grant description reads:These grant program funds are specifically designed to support organizations that work with U.S.-born African Americans. For the purposes of this RFP, Black(s) or African American(s) specifically references the U.S.-born African American population for whom studies indicate that health has been impacted as the result of historical trauma. This trauma includes post-traumatic slave syndrome (PTSS) and epigenetic inheritance.
Howard Dotson, a caretaker at an apartment building near the food pantry, told Alpha News that a tenant was turned away from receiving help because he was white.
“This is not building community, it’s destroying it,” Dotson said.
Dotson told the outlet that he has now filed a complaint with the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission.
“I went over there and confronted her,” said Dotson. “I told her that I saw the sign and I asked if she really thought she could take grant money from the state and discriminate against poor white people.”
Jackson defended the discrimination against white people and pointed Dotson to another place where white people could receive food assistance.
“There was no one there directly turning them away. They felt entitled to the resources that were not for their demographic—white privilege is real,” Jackson told Alpha News.
Jackson also claimed that Dotson's civil rights complaint was an act of "political violence."
"We hope these white patrons can go about their day and not harass us anymore," Jackson said.
After being alerted to the discrimination at Jackson's food pantry, the church cut all ties — and electricity.
The church told Alpha News, “When Mykela Jackson approached us to set up her Food Trap Project in our Sanctuary front field, we were excited to support her. This would be a place accessible to anyone 24×7. No registration necessary. No demographic [information] necessary. Anyone in need would be welcome. As the Sanctuary already hosts a community food pantry, the Food Trap idea resonated with us, and we welcomed her and even paid for her electrical hook up. Ms. Jackson had laid out her entire plan with a written proposal. Nowhere in her original proposal did she indicate that she would be restricting usage to specific communities. This does not align with the vision and mission of the Sanctuary.”
“When we discovered her signage and social media posts, we asked her to abide by her original proposal. Ms. Jackson was unable to do so and decided to move her Food Trap elsewhere. The deadline for moving her trap is 9/30. We’ve already cut power to it,” the statement continued.
The food pantry will now be relocated to Za’Rah Wellness.
