The boss of a Minneapolis food pantry, funded by city taxpayers, has banned white people from taking advantage of the resource.
Mykela ‘Keiko’ Jackson used a Minnesota State grant to launch the Food Trap Project Bodega designed to help poor and hungry residents living close to the Sanctuary Covenant Church in the north of the city.
The pantry only opened up on July 27 but within months it has been forced to close and relocate away from church grounds after Jackson attempted to block white people from accessing the service, including a local chaplain who complained.
A sign that on the door to the pantry reads how the food inside was specifically for ‘Black and Indigenous Folx’ only. After a civil rights complaint was made against the pantry by a local, Mykela accused the complainant of ‘political violence.’
‘The resources found in here are for Black & Indigenous Folx. Please refrain from taking anything if you’re not,’ it stated.
Jackson used a Paths to Black Health grant which aims to reduce health disparities among African Americans while fostering a ‘vibrant and thriving’ community.
The last census showed Minneapolis to be 58 percent white with 18 percent of the population African-American.
But a number of reports have emerged suggesting how non-black residents are being denied access to the pantry, sowing the seeds of racial discrimination in an area considered to be an ethnically diverse.
The grant’s description states how the ‘funds are specifically designed to support organizations that work with U.S.-born African Americans… 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.’
Chaplain Howard Dotson, 54, went to take a look at the pantry for himself, but claims how as a white man was refused service.
‘This is not building community, it’s destroying it,’ Dotson said to Alpha News. ‘I went over there and confronted her. 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.’
Dotson then filed a complaint with the Minneapolis Civil Rights Commission.
He claims that Jackson told him in person how the food pantry was set up to serve black and indigenous people and was told how he should go across the road to the church’s free pantry should he needed it.
Jackson admitted to making the sign but stands by her position adding how she did not turn anyone away.
‘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 said accusing Dotson of ‘political violence’.
‘We hope these white patrons can go about their day and not harass us anymore,’ she added. ‘The community needs it and wants it, and is willing to go to bat for this cause.’
Later in an Instagram post she told how the pantry was moving because of a ‘karen’.
‘It has been recently brought to our attention that our partnership with Sanctuary Church may not be fully aligned with our mission due to a recent incident with a “Karen” last week,’ Jackson wrote.
‘Although the church likes our concept they feel our commitment towards directing these resources towards Black & Indigenous families ONLY is exclusionary to other POC & White members of the community that use their establishment.
‘It’s an unfortunate situation but we are deciding to stand on our beliefs and relocate the F.T.P Bodega to a space more aligned with the work we are trying to do,’ the post read.
‘The Black community consistently faces hunger at higher rates than whites due to racism within social, economic and environmental aspects,’ Jackson’s website states.
Jackson says the pantry has managed to distribute 2,000 pounds of food and claims the grant specifically targets African-American communities and believes her free pantry to be part of an effort to right such wrongs.
The food pantry announced on its Instagram page that it is now moving location but claims the move has nothing to do with the current controversy.
Sanctuary Covenant Church said in a statement how they believe they were somewhat misled by Jackson’s proposal.
‘When Mykela Jackson approached us to set up her Food Trap Project we were excited to support her. This would be a place accessible to anyone 24./7. No demographic [information] necessary. Anyone in need would be welcome.
‘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.’