I want to inform about Teen raises $35,000 after racism tale

Allie Dowdle, shown along with her boyfriend, recognized as Michael Swift, posted this image on the page that is goFundMe: Allie Dowdle’s gofundme page)

After an Eads teenager used a crowdfunding web web site to accuse her parents of racism over her black colored boyfriend, supporters have actually added almost $35,000 to fund her educational costs.

Allie Dowdle, 18, who’s white and a senior during the Hutchison class, posted her GoFundMe plea online on Jan. 11, and hardly seven days later, contributors have actually raised $34,675, far surpassing the goal that is original pair of $10,000.

Nevertheless the crowdfunding web web site additionally the teenager’s tale of woe have not been without debate.

This started, Dowdle penned, about this past year whenever she informed her moms and dads, Bill and Demetra Dowdle, that she had been dating Michael Swift. Swift, who’s black colored, is a soccer that is former at Memphis University class whom now plays midfield and ahead as a freshman at Clemson University. His dad is Michael Swift, whom invested four years within the NFL aided by the Carolina Panthers, Jacksonville Jaguars additionally the San Diego Chargers.

“we showed my moms and dads their image, plus the discussion had been over before it also started,” Dowdle wrote. “My dad failed to offer me personally an alternative: he told me that I became maybe not permitted to see Michael again. Why? Strictly because of skin tone. It absolutely wasn’t a”no that is quiet” either. We’ll never ever your investment yelling my moms and dads did, if they expressed how disappointed they certainly were in me personally, that i really could do a great deal better,” she had written.

Dowdle proceeded to see Swift in key, she penned, but about 30 days her parents they were still dating ago she told. In accordance with Dowdle, her moms and dads then took away her phone, automobile and cash and then refused to cover university. Dowdle included that she had been nevertheless residing in the home, however.

Message and phone phone phone telephone calls left for the Dowdle family members are not came back. Reached at their Collierville house previously this the elder Swift also declined to comment week. Bill Dowdle runs a neighborhood shoe business, Dowdle Sports.

Nonetheless, Bill Dowdle talked to the nyc regular News earlier in the day, stating that his child “dating a man that is black never be his ‘preference’ due to ‘issues’ involved in biracial relationship within the South,” the paper said.

“It had been never ever about competition,” the paper quoted Dowdle as saying, including that their child’s feedback are “a justification and gave her the ethical high ground.”

Dowdle said he disapproved of Swift and another of their child’s boyfriends because she began dating them secretly. Dowdle added he made a decision to cut off her university money because she’s got been ruined and “it became apparent that she necessary to venture out on earth and develop,” the paper had written.

Even though many of these whom contributed cash have actually congratulated Allie Dowdle on the stand against racism, other people have actually questioned whether that is actually just what this woman is doing.

“You are not eligible for a totally free training because you are dating a black colored man,” a female known as Ashlyn Rae posted on Twitter. Another Twitter user, Marissa Kizer, stated, “Sending a rich white woman to university is certainly not racism that is fighting. Simply head to a less expensive college.”

Charles McKinney can be a connect teacher at Rhodes university and manager of the college’s Africana studies system. He praised Dowdle’s stance against racism, but additionally stated he discovered town’s a reaction to her plea intriguing.

“This thing moved viral. Thats a testament to her courageous stance against racism,” McKinney stated. “Were proficient at pinpointing these stances that are individual prejudice. The main reason that there is therefore blowback that is much this is just what we constantly have a tendency to do. We have a tendency to glorify specific stances while we perpetually ignore cases of institutional racism.”

However when expected if he will be enthusiastic about donating to Dowdle, McKinney possessed an answer that is quick.

“No. ‘Cause shes gonna be OK. Allies going to be fine. This is certainly regrettable and its particular bad. But its unpleasant to claim that of all of the cases of racism we’re able to get in Memphis, Tennessee, here is the the one that individuals should offer cash to,” he stated. “this can be regrettable that it has happened to her, but Im significantly more thinking about the reaction to this dating apps better than zoosk tale, just just just how its being spun since the community rallying round the unfortunate target of racism. In a grouped community where African-Americans are disproportionately underemployed, less educated and poorer … and also this could be the tale that bubbles as much as the very best. So what does that say about us?”