(Ken Silva, Headline USA) A Nordic spoon-carving class reportedly advertised to be held at a public library for non-whites only was, in fact, “incorrect,” according to the library.
The Minnesota-based Alpha News reported the bizarre details of the story, noting that the event scheduled for Hennepin County Library specifically asked people: “Please do not register if you are a white-bodied person,” and said classes are “intended for folks identifying as people of color.”
Alpha News reported Wednesday that the Minnesota library contacted Fireweed Community Woodshop to fix its discriminatory advertisement.
“The woodcarving event description from Fireweed Community Woodshop was incorrect. We have contacted our programming partners and they have updated the listing to remove the exclusionary language,” Daniel Rogan, the assistant county administrator, reportedly told Alpha News.
“Anyone is welcome to participate in this woodworking class and any future library program. Excluding participants in a library program based on skin color would be wrong and a violation of contract,” Rogan added, according to Alpha News.
Fireweed Community Woodshop has updated its advertisement, but it still says that “BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students are encouraged to sign up” to the event.
Not the Bee—a publication that runs seemingly satirical articles that are actually true—noted the irony of an event promoting Nordic culture banning white people.
“This is an actual story about a woodworking class in NORDIC carving that banned anyone not deemed melanated enough from attending!” Not the Bee jeered.
On its website, Fireweed Community Woodshop says its mission is to “empower women and non-binary folks through the art of woodcraft.”
Other events advertised on the Fireweed’s website include “BIPOC CENTERED POWER TOOLS 101,” which the group says is “intended for women and marginalized genders that feel comfortable with a femme approach to woodworking.”
The power tools class and other Fireweed events are set to be held at private venues instead of a public library, and therefore presumably don’t trigger the same constitutional and civil rights issues.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
