HAMDEN–Controversy has surrounded Quinnipiac University over the last several weeks, and the newest punch comes from a philanthropy event.
Quinnipiac senior Lexie Gruber saw an advertisement for a charity event that the sorority Kappa Alpha Theta was holding for the Court Appointed Special Advocates, or CASA, an advocacy organization for children in foster care.
The event was called “Queso for CASA,” and sorority members were going to sell Mexican food to raise money for the charity. The advertisement read “Nacho average philanthropy” and advertised that the date the event was being held was March 3.
Gruber, who is not a member of the sorority, saw the ad on Twitter and felt offended by the ethnic stereotypes it was portraying. So she tweeted the poster image and wrote “Philanthropy with a side of cultural appropriation and stereotypes. So shameful.” She then tweeted “And next time you appropriate Latin culture, do your research. Maracas aren’t a staple of Mexican music.”
Her messages spread, and it led to the cancellation of the event, though Gruber made sure to point out that she didn’t ask for the event to be canceled and that she hoped it would still go on. In fact, as a foster child, Gruber feels strongly about the work that CASA does.
Other students vilified Gruber online, throwing racial and offensive remarks her way, as well as physical threats, leading her to talk to Hamden Police.
When people began discussing the incident on Facebook, Gruber responded with the following posts:
It is offensive when you utilize stereotypes. Maracas are not a Mexican instrument, and had there been cultural sensitivity that would have been understood. And when you appropriate culture, which was done here, it’s offensive. It should also be noted that nearly 40% of foster children are Hispanic, and it may be wise to be culturally sensitive to the population you are serving.
Elizabeth, I am not trying to make your philanthropy look bad. As I said, I appreciate your mission. I am a foster kid and had a CASA worker. That is not my point.
Fox CT talked to Gruber on Wednesday night, and she spoke about her dedication to the cause that Theta was trying to promote, and that the charity wasn’t the issue here.
“The biggest problem for me isn’t the ad,” she said, “it’s that at an institution of higher learning” this issue would exist.
Gruber hopes this incident shows the need for a more open dialogue on race and gender issues in general.
When reflecting on the whole ordeal, Gruber said, “Everyone says ‘it’s so sad, it was for the kids,’ but what have they done for them?”
Well, she has the right to ask, because she has done quite a lot.
Besides the fact that Gruber is a still a foster child–Connecticut is one of the few states in which you can chose to remain “in the system” until you complete college–she has briefed Congress on a report she wrote, “From Homeless to the House of Representatives: How a Stable Education Saved a Foster Child,” and has visited the White House to advocate for children in foster care.
She is also holding a prom dress drive on campus this coming weekend for foster girls.
However, of all her calls to action, this is the biggest response she has received. Gruber says that besides the members of Kappa Alpha Theta, who she says do positive work to advocate for foster kids through CASA, most other people who are upset about the cancellation of the event are just angry that they’ll miss out on all-you-can-eat burritos.
While” Queso for CASA” won’t be rescheduled, Gruber did say that Kappa Alpha Theta planned to fundraiser in other ways. If you’d like to donate directly to CASA, click here to find out how.
Here is a statement posted on the sorority’s Facebook page:
