A viral video showing a white woman allegedly calling a Black 5-year-old child the N-word at a playground in Rochester, Minnesota, has sparked outrage and unexpected financial support for the woman at the center of it.
The incident took place on April 28 and was filmed by 30-year-old bystander Sharmake Omar, according to NBC News. In the footage, the woman, later identified as Shiloh Hendrix, accuses the 5-year-old of going through her child’s diaper bag.
When Omar confronts her about calling the boy the N-word, she responds, “If that’s what he’s going to act like.” As he presses her further, asking, “Why don’t you have the balls to say it right now again?” she appears to repeat the slur. In the video, she also sticks her tongue out and makes an obscene gesture at Omar while holding her child.
Since the video began circulating widely across TikTok, Twitter and Reddit, Hendrix has launched a fundraiser on the Christian crowdfunding platform GiveSendGo titled “Help Me Protect My Family.” In the description, she claims, “I called the kid out for what he was,” and says the video “has caused my family and myself great turmoil.” As of Sunday, May 4, the fundraiser has raised over $630,000.
The campaign has also drawn heavy criticism for attracting support from individuals espousing white nationalist and far-right rhetoric. In response, GiveSendGo restricted public comments. “We understand the sensitivity of this situation and the strong emotions it has evoked,” the platform’s CEO, Jacob Wells, told The Washington Post in a statement.
In response to the campaign, the Rochester Branch of the NAACP launched its own GoFundMe to support the child and his family. The fundraiser, titled “Help Us Seek Justice for a 5-Year-Old Facing Racial Hate,” highlights the need for community action and racial justice.
“Shockingly, the woman responsible for this hateful act has launched a fundraising campaign for herself and has raised nearly $150,000 in less than 24 hours,” the NAACP wrote. “Many of the comments from her supporters celebrate and justify her hate. We’ve been asked by countless community members how they can help. This campaign is our answer.”
As of Sunday afternoon, the NAACP campaign has raised over $340,000. The description states that the fundraiser has since closed at the family’s request, with all funds placed into a trust account managed by the child’s parents.
Omar, the man who recorded the video, told local outlet KIMT News 3 that he’s been harassed online, with people resurfacing his past arrest. Hendrix included details about Omar’s criminal record, including dropped charges related to a 2022 sexual assault case, in her fundraiser. He has not responded publicly to the claims.
On May 1, the City of Rochester issued a statement on Facebook calling the video “deeply disturbing” and confirmed an investigation is underway. “The City of Rochester is firmly committed to fostering public spaces that are inclusive, welcoming and safe for all residents and visitors,” the city wrote.
For many, the sharp contrast between the support Hendrix received and the actions she was recorded taking are yet another example of where this country still stands when it comes to race, accountability and who gets protected.