Viral Video Sparks Outrage as Woman Raises Over $600K After Using Racist Slur Toward Black Child
A Minnesota woman caught on video using a racist slur toward a Black 5-year-old child has raised over $600,000 for herself through a Christian crowdfunding platform, sparking national backlash and renewed discussions on racism, privilege, and the dark underbelly of online fundraising.
The woman, identified as Shiloh Hendrix, appeared in a viral video recorded at a Rochester playground on April 28, where she seemingly called a Black child the n-word. The child, according to the man recording—Sharmake Omar—is on the autism spectrum and is known personally to him and his family. The video shows Hendrix holding her own child while repeatedly using the slur and justifying it by saying the boy had “taken [her] son’s stuff.” When confronted, Hendrix responded, “If that’s what he’s going to act like.”
Fundraiser Flooded With Racist Rhetoric
Shortly after the video spread across TikTok, Reddit, and X (formerly Twitter), Hendrix launched a fundraiser titled “Help Me Protect My Family” on the conservative-leaning crowdfunding site GiveSendGo. The original goal of $50,000 was quickly surpassed, leading her to raise the target to $1 million. As of May 4, donations had topped $624,000.
In her campaign description, Hendrix claimed she and her family were being “attacked,” that her private information had been leaked online, and that she now needed funds to relocate for safety. “I recently had a kid steal from my 18-month-old son’s diaper bag at a park. I called the kid out for what he was,” Hendrix wrote, adding that she felt “scared, yet reassured” by the overwhelming financial support.
However, the fundraising page was soon flooded with comments from donors espousing racist, far-right, and white nationalist ideologies—some even referencing Holocaust denial. Due to the volume of inflammatory messages, GiveSendGo disabled the comment section.
“We do not endorse or condone the personal views or actions of individual campaign organizers or their supporters,” said GiveSendGo CEO Jacob Wells in a statement to The Washington Post. “Nor do we control the motivations of donors.”
NAACP Responds With Counter Fundraiser
In response to Hendrix’s fundraiser, the Rochester chapter of the NAACP launched a separate campaign to support the 5-year-old child and his family. “Shockingly, the woman responsible for this hateful act has launched a fundraising campaign for herself,” the chapter said in a statement. “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 May 3, their fundraiser had already brought in over $320,000.
City Officials and Police Investigate
The City of Rochester acknowledged the video in an official Facebook statement posted May 1, calling it “deeply disturbing.” The statement affirmed the city’s commitment to fostering “inclusive, welcoming, and safe” public spaces and confirmed that the Rochester Police Department is actively investigating the incident. PEOPLE magazine reached out to the RPD on May 4 but has not received a response.
The controversy surrounding Hendrix has not only highlighted the persistent racial tensions in America but also raised uncomfortable questions about who gets supported—and why—on digital fundraising platforms.
