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| Ayo Henry & young white supremacist |
By Kira Sparkles
While scrolling through Facebook one night, I found a video of the woman that I wish I was in the face of adversity. Meet Ayo Henry of Rhode Island. Mother of four. Derby Girl. Badass. She charged unapologetically forward ready to mom the hell out of a kid who called her n*gger. Lucky for me, we’re part of a mutual interest group on Facebook so I was able to snag Ayo to ask her all about the infamous video that has trended on World Star, Raw Story, TheRoot, and even D.L. Hughley gave it some love! This is what she had to say about the incident…
Hi Ayo, obviously,
there was some backstory. What happened to lead up to this point?
So I
got out of scrimmage practice on a Sunday about a month ago…my daughters were
with me and I was taking them up to their dad’s house in MA so I wanted to feed
them real quick and we decided to go to D’angelos restaurant. As I pulled into
the parking lot like any normal person would, this dude on a bicycle comes
swooping across the lot swerving like he’s got not a care in the world, nearly
clips me…before I get a chance to even blow the horn, the kid turns around
and starts shouting at me. I can barely hear him so I roll down my window just
in time to hear “you dumb bitch!” At which point (and I have my kids
in the car so I’m restraining TF out of myself) I’m like “Excuse
me!???” He’s wearing his confederate sweatshirt… he shouts something
back, and I say something along the lines of “why don’t you watch where
you’re going you ignorant douche, btw the confederacy is over.” At which
point he calls me a “dumb nigger” and says “suck my dick you
nigger bitch.” Well, now I’m just dumbfounded with rage…because A. wtf
even just happened? B. my kids are in the car and C. this is Rhode Island
(people are racist, but it’s much more subtle, generally).
got out of scrimmage practice on a Sunday about a month ago…my daughters were
with me and I was taking them up to their dad’s house in MA so I wanted to feed
them real quick and we decided to go to D’angelos restaurant. As I pulled into
the parking lot like any normal person would, this dude on a bicycle comes
swooping across the lot swerving like he’s got not a care in the world, nearly
clips me…before I get a chance to even blow the horn, the kid turns around
and starts shouting at me. I can barely hear him so I roll down my window just
in time to hear “you dumb bitch!” At which point (and I have my kids
in the car so I’m restraining TF out of myself) I’m like “Excuse
me!???” He’s wearing his confederate sweatshirt… he shouts something
back, and I say something along the lines of “why don’t you watch where
you’re going you ignorant douche, btw the confederacy is over.” At which
point he calls me a “dumb nigger” and says “suck my dick you
nigger bitch.” Well, now I’m just dumbfounded with rage…because A. wtf
even just happened? B. my kids are in the car and C. this is Rhode Island
(people are racist, but it’s much more subtle, generally).
So I say to my kids, watch…he’s gonna forget
all about this, but Rhode Island is small…I’m gonna run into him again and I
will remember him.
all about this, but Rhode Island is small…I’m gonna run into him again and I
will remember him.
Fast forward a month…again, I’m leaving
practice and damn if I don’t see this kid go peddling by the rink wearing the
same dingy confederate flag sweatshirt….Right before I started the video, he
saw me pull into the gas station and we locked eyes and he took off. That’s
when I turned the camera on.
practice and damn if I don’t see this kid go peddling by the rink wearing the
same dingy confederate flag sweatshirt….Right before I started the video, he
saw me pull into the gas station and we locked eyes and he took off. That’s
when I turned the camera on.
What
made you go after him? Were you afraid it might turn violent?
made you go after him? Were you afraid it might turn violent?
I don’t even know… I was still pretty amped
up from scrimmage…I am also one of those people who can’t help but speak
their mind regardless of consequence, particularly when it comes to certain
issues and racism is one of those. It’s in my blood I think, lol…my mom,
grandma, great grandma were and are very outspoken, justice-oriented, strong
black women. Maybe a little quick with the mouth, but with sincere integrity.
up from scrimmage…I am also one of those people who can’t help but speak
their mind regardless of consequence, particularly when it comes to certain
issues and racism is one of those. It’s in my blood I think, lol…my mom,
grandma, great grandma were and are very outspoken, justice-oriented, strong
black women. Maybe a little quick with the mouth, but with sincere integrity.
I was not afraid, and I have read many
comments reminding me that what I did was dangerous…
comments reminding me that what I did was dangerous…
But I’ve always been really good at reading
people. I come from a real mixed up background growing up in the projects, but
attending private school, working in hospitals and pharmacies, and having a
career in sales.
people. I come from a real mixed up background growing up in the projects, but
attending private school, working in hospitals and pharmacies, and having a
career in sales.
So I could tell from his demeanor right off
the bat that he was far more afraid of me than I was of him… not to say it
wasn’t still risky, but I definitely would give myself credit for having pretty
good street smarts.
the bat that he was far more afraid of me than I was of him… not to say it
wasn’t still risky, but I definitely would give myself credit for having pretty
good street smarts.
You
really went straight up into mom mode on this kid! Were you hoping to
accomplish something with your interaction with him?
really went straight up into mom mode on this kid! Were you hoping to
accomplish something with your interaction with him?
I think
my initial feeling was just that I wanted him to know that he couldn’t just get
away with what he said. I wanted him to know that I remembered his words and I
remembered his face and I remembered his sweatshirt and that I wasn’t afraid.
Whenever I see terrible racist crap on the internet or in real life (or any of
the degenerate shit the media inundates us with) the first thing I always think
is “where is this person’s mother…and is she proud?” or “who
is raising their children to be such garbage humans?”…Like my primary
objective on earth right now is raising 4 kids, but it’s not just raising kids
you’re raising future adults. I can’t understand for the life of me why racism,
sexism, transphobia any of this stuff is still even an issue because in my
household the number one rule is “don’t be a dick.”
my initial feeling was just that I wanted him to know that he couldn’t just get
away with what he said. I wanted him to know that I remembered his words and I
remembered his face and I remembered his sweatshirt and that I wasn’t afraid.
Whenever I see terrible racist crap on the internet or in real life (or any of
the degenerate shit the media inundates us with) the first thing I always think
is “where is this person’s mother…and is she proud?” or “who
is raising their children to be such garbage humans?”…Like my primary
objective on earth right now is raising 4 kids, but it’s not just raising kids
you’re raising future adults. I can’t understand for the life of me why racism,
sexism, transphobia any of this stuff is still even an issue because in my
household the number one rule is “don’t be a dick.”
What
would you love to change about the world with your newfound platform?
would you love to change about the world with your newfound platform?
If I
could change one thing about the world, it would be to make people understand
that we ARE all essentially the same. We all want to be successful, we all want
to make our folks proud, we all want to give our children the best
opportunities in life. We all love a good meal, we laugh and cry the same
despite language differences. If everyone understood that and could have a
little empathy for the next, without the presumption of superiority or
inferiority between groups, we would have none of the problems we have in the
world today.
could change one thing about the world, it would be to make people understand
that we ARE all essentially the same. We all want to be successful, we all want
to make our folks proud, we all want to give our children the best
opportunities in life. We all love a good meal, we laugh and cry the same
despite language differences. If everyone understood that and could have a
little empathy for the next, without the presumption of superiority or
inferiority between groups, we would have none of the problems we have in the
world today.
Thanks so
much for chatting with us Ayo!
much for chatting with us Ayo!
How do you/have you dealt with racists?
Kira is a passionate, outspoken writer keeping it real for the people. She’s a UF graduate with a soft spot for cats. Read more of her work at her blog KiraSparkles!
