Free And For Me

Racism In Calabasas

Is Calabasas racist? Racism is alive and well in Calabasas. Is everyone really welcome in Calabasas?   This is a hard no.  I have lived and worked in Calabasas for over 20 years and have had many racist experiences.    

 Racism is ever so present in Calabasas.  Black people in the community silently deal with hurtful and insulting behaviors from many of the non-black people in our community.

Over the years, I have dealt with going into our local stores and restaurants, and nine times out of ten, an employee will point out that they have never seen me before or say something along those lines.  I then find myself stating that I live in the community and have been here for over 20 years.  This is none of their business and I am wrong for explaining myself. 

The supermarket is the worst.  If a worker does not recognize me, I am always approached with, “Are you finding everything okay?”  Not only do they ask this, but they also speak to me in some insulting form of stereotypical slang, most of the time. Trader Joe’s in Calabasas and Agoura Hills are notorious for this sort of behavior.   A couple of the black employees at the Calabasas store have expressed their frustration when they hear or see their coworkers approaching me and other customers in that manner.  Trader Joe’s Calabasas has a sign in the front, warning people to not leave their purses in the baskets because of thieves.   When I am in the store I am being watched as if I may be the purse snatching thief.  This is a predominately white community, do the math. While they are so focused on how well I am doing, they are missing the real thief.  

Dining out is the worst if I take a break from dining at a restaurant, and they do not recognize me.  Almost every time I dine out, I go through the same drill as I do at the supermarket.  Le Pain in the Commons is probably the most frustrating when it comes to this.  I have dined at that restaurant with friends that are non-Calabasas residents.  They are not black or are fair-skinned.  Each and every time,  I am either ignored for while if I am seated alone or with another black person they do not recognize or when my non-black friend arrives, they scurry over wanting to bring out menus, water, etc.  Not only that, but they will also address my non-black guest first.   It is absolutely insane and insulting.

Shopping at Sephora and Ulta Beauty is terrible also.  They do the same things as restaurants and supermarkets.  When shopping in these stores I receive extra attention.  I am followed around the store.   I was happy when the singer SZA tweeted when she was being racially profiled in Sephora at The Commons.   Her viral tweet prompted Sephora to close all stores and educate the employees, for one day.  Of course, the day of closure did not make a difference.  I have gone into the store since then and nothing has changed.

My store experiences are one thing, but living in this community is another.   Last October, I pulled my truck over in front of a house in my neighborhood, because I heard a funny sound.  My son was with me.  As we pulled over, within seconds, an angry white man came out of his house yelling at us telling us we could not park there.  I initially yelled back, but then drove off.  Every day, I pass this racist old white man’s house with thoughts of giving him a piece of my mind.  I realize it is not worth it, and all I can do is pray for him.  He is not the only racist in my neighborhood, I recently had a neighbor follow me while on a walk with my daughter and a friend of mine.   The neighbor followed us until we were feet away from my doorstep.  I am guessing she did not know we lived in the neighborhood.  

Racism is at it’s finest in the Las Virgenes school district, also. For over a decade, I have expressed my concerns about racism within the district and they have turned a blind eye.  Many of the white students are very comfortable using the ‘N’ word, they do not mind issuing death threats on black students, they lie on the black students and they are always believed, and they have also physically attacked black students.  Racist videos have gone viral and the district has tried to handle it privately as if it is an isolated incident.  The students are not the only problem.   Some teachers have physically and mentally harmed black students, and they are still employed.   I have been told, although I see the teachers continuing to work, they are being disciplined for their actions. Dan Stepenosky, the school superintendent, district administrators, and teachers are all in support of one another when it comes to keeping things silent.  They hold internal investigations when racism is brought to their attention.  I have sat in many meetings, and it is like talking to a brick wall.  The meetings are such a waste of time.  They listen, and ask insulting questions like, “What do you suggest we do?”   They act as if I am the spokesperson for black people, and I need to teach them how to stop being racist.   Last year, I met with the Directory of Secondary Education, Ryan Gleason. I suggested they bring in an outside organization, Village Nation to help with the racism issues in the district.  Mr. Gleason said he would contact Village Nation, but he never did.  The district later decided all teachers would read a book called White Frugality.  This district needs more than a book to change.  They are not open to change.  Two years ago, Kiyomi Kowalski, a black woman ran for a spot on the Las Virgenes School District, and her voice was not heard and she did not win the election.

Today, I saw this flier posted and had mixed feelings.   Now, Calabasas City Leaders want to have a conversation about racism? Why now?  This is not something new.  They have known about and have joined in the systemic racism within the community for years.      

Our recent black uprising is forcing them to deal with the fact there are black people in the community.  I question their genuineness.   It seems as though it is all for appearances.  These are the same people that are accusing the rioters of being black thugs, these are the same people that were on their Facebook group fearing the looters were coming to this area and were boarding up there stores and thinking of boarding their homes.  These are the same people that make racist remarks among one another in person and/or on social media and will talk about how abrasive, aggressive, or difficult black people are for defending themselves.  When LA County was placed on a curfew they feared for their lives not looking at the demographics.  For years, I have not freely walked in my neighborhood without judgment or scrutiny. With the number of black people being killed and/or harassed by white people, I am the one that is most concerned about protecting myself and my family.  

I am aware there are have been a few protests in this city.  Even with that, they make statements about how they are setting an example of how to protest.  Are they kidding?   My daughter said it best,  “Protesting in our privileged community is going to be different than in larger cities.”  They were also missing the point, not all looters are protestors.  

Lastly, I have reached out to the local newspaper The Patch.  They continue to report one-sided stories to make the city seem in support of the black community.  They have even made the racist school video appear to be milder than it was.  They have yet to respond to my requests to interview black people in the community.  

Calabasas is known as “Calablackless” because all are not welcome.