Raquel Evita Saraswati, a 39-year-old Diversity Activist and Chief Equity, Inclusion, and Culture Officer for the Quaker-based American Friends Service Committee who claimed to be a Latino, Arab, and South Asian, has recently been exposed as allegedly white by her mother, Carol Perone. In an interview with The Intercept, Perone claimed that Saraswati is of British, German, and Italian descent, while questioning her daughter’s choice to allegedly live a lie.
Carol Perone Explained When She Believes Her Daughter Raquel Evita Saraswati Began to Transition into Her Fake Transracial Latino, Arab, and South Asian Identity
The controversy surrounding Raquel Evita Saraswati is similar to that of Rachel Dolezal, a white woman who falsely claimed to be a black woman. According to her mother Saraswati’s transracial identity may have began in high school when she converted to Islam, leading many to speculate that she was faking her Latino and Arab identities. On social media, people have already dubbed her the “new Rachel Dolezal.”
In the viral interview Saraswati’s mother said, “I call her Rachel, I don’t know why she’s doing what she’s doing. I’m as white as the driven snow, and so is she. I’m German and British, and her father was Calabrese Italian. She’s chosen to live a lie, and I find that very, very sad”.
The controversy raises important questions about the danger of misrepresenting one’s identity. Not only can this practice be incredibly offensive to minority groups, but it also takes away from authentic people of color who are actually struggling for recognition and respect in a society full of constant racism.
Details Behind the Conspiracy Theory that Alleged White Woman Raquel Evita Saraswati is a Right Wing Agent Pretending to Be Latino, Arab, South Asian to Undermine AFSC
As news of situation spread AFSC members made some interesting statements that fueled a conspiracy theory about the true nature of her motive behind faking her racial identity. It’s alleged that Saraswati once appeared on right-wing TV shows after 9-11, where she allegedly expressed having ideologies against Islamic beliefs. With the revelation that she may actually be a white woman, some AFSC members now believe it’s possible that Raquel Evita Saraswati is a right wing agent sent to undermine their movement in secret.
According to the report from The Intercept one AFSC member was quoted as saying, “There’s a fear that she could be an agent, because she started her career right-wing. She was a token Muslim voice in that milieu. She never publicly apologized”. The right-wing agent conspiracy theory is particularly concerning considering the fact that the top AFSC leaders are allowing her to continue working for them, despite acknowledging that she may have misled people with her racial identity.
Ultimately, the controversy surrounding Raquel Evita Saraswati allegedly pretending to be a Latino Arab South Asian woman is a reminder that we must always be sure to represent ourselves in an honest and respectful manner. We must strive to be aware of the impact our actions can have on other individuals, and on the cultures we are representing. Doing so will help ensure that we are not only being authentic, but also contributing to a more just and equitable society.
Saraswati’s mother’s claims serve as a reminder that we must always be mindful of who we are and the way we choose to represent ourselves. Though it is possible to identify with a culture that one does not belong to, it is important to do so without taking away from the true members of the culture.
