A white Brooklyn area studio founder is begging for forgiveness after a local resident complained about brown kraft paper dolls depicted hanging from nooses in the woman’s home windows for Halloween.
Dany Rose, the homeowner, lives across the street from a school, she said Wednesday in a public apology she posted on the Facebook page of her nonprofit ceramic studio ArtShack.
She said that the images were supposed to be depictions from the horror film “Annabelle” and that she didn’t realize how they appeared until it was too late.
“They were deeply racially offensive,” the woman said in the Facebook post. “No one should have had to point out this obvious fact to me, and I immediately removed the figures when I was contacted by a parent from P.S.11, across the street from my home.
“I understand that ignorance is no excuse and apologies are not enough, but nonetheless I want to apologize sincerely to my neighbors and community.”
Leslie Short, owner of The Cavu Group, which focuses on diversity and inclusion, offered to host bias training for Rose in a comment Wednesday under Rose’s Facebook post.
“I’m more then happy to come in and do a bias training for you and your staff as the trainings should not be part of a crisis situation but clearly a refresher is in order,” Short said.
Other social media users protested Rose’s work Wednesday more vehemently under her post.
“On behalf of all of Brooklyn, we the people encourage you to GET OUT!!!,” Monique Ginn said.
“THIS WAS A POOR EXCUSE furthermore I’ve seen the movie and these dolls look NOTHING like it,” J Mel Jones said.
“Bad enough it’s poor judgment as a human being but ACROSS FROM A SCHOOL 🙄yea sure you’re sorry for your ‘poor judgment’ you sat and crafted those atrocious things and displayed for everyone to see how you really feel,” Chelley Thepopstar said.
Rose said in her apology post the depictions didn’t represent what is in her heart, and she asked that her nonprofit, which provides free and subsidized classes to children, adults, seniors and people with disabilities, not be penalized for the display.
“Please do not punish this wonderful organization because of my personal failings,” she said.
The Bedford-Stuyvesant studio founder also said she is already exploring ways to “make amends,” including meeting with teachers and administrators from a local P.S. 11 school.
Rose said she wants “to promote racial justice and to use my example of white privilege as a teaching moment.”
“You may not believe that I have an open mind,” she said, “but please believe that I have an open heart and open ears and I will listen to your voices to make things right.”
