Today we are examining the problematic posts and ideas from boss babe and influencer, Carolyn Elliott. Carolyn brands herself as a witch and coach that can help you integrate your shadow side. While we would love to break down the issues with offering an entry-level 75-minute consultation session for $1500, we'll simply start by examining how Carolyn doubled down on giving cultural appropriation a solid endorsement by saying her ancestral (euro-centric) indigenous ancestors and practices were erased and therefore, she is Indigenous. WRONG - sorry, not sorry, Carolyn, but it doesn't work this way.
Rachel and Meg break down the layers of problems in Carolyn's original post. She subsequently posted more support for her originally claim while also trying, and failing, to apologize to people that were harmed in her practice of deleting BIPOC commentaries and even blocking some of them.
You can take a look at the posts below (don't worry we screenshot everything in case the dirty delete comes back). Carolyn carves out a place in her IG feed to embolden folks that are already clearly confused. Her posts and thoughts give white folks, who are clearly struggling with the responsibility of understanding cultural appropriation vs. cultural appreciation, the permission to center whiteness.
As two very white folks we know we can't speak to the personal experience of harm experienced at the hands of BIPOC AND we are committed to continuing to expose these harmful and hurtful posts that endorse on-going bad behavior and prop-up white supremacy in the coaching industrial complex.
Here at the Sell The Transformation, we understand the provocative nature of posts like Carolyn's and the way they distract from the true march toward social and racial justice in America. When a white woman claims she's Indigenous, deletes the comments of POC and then returns to her feed to double and triple down on her beliefs, we've gotta show up and share how this person is trying to sell the transformation.
Posts from Carolyn Elliot:
Post #1 - Original Post
Posted After we recorded:
Post #2 - Faux Apology
Post #3- Sets ground rule of blocking people calling for accountability
Post #4-Triple Down (be sure to read the comments)
Videos mentioned in the show:
The White Spiritualist Reel by RKA
The Life Coach Reel by RKA
Your Action Items:
Follow Grace
Donate to @FundBlackFuturesMutualAid
Learn the anatomy of an apology
Do you have a story to share? Got Feedback? Drop it in the Coaching Confessionals or send us a voice message.
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