Raven-Symone thinks people misinterpreted her comments a decade ago about not wanting to be called African-American.
According to Vibe, the former child star addressed the controversy in her podcast’s latest episode, Tea Time With Raven and Miranda.
Raven-Symone Never Said She Wasn’t Black
“A lot of people thought I said that I wasn’t Black. And I never said that.”
Raven-Symone also doesn’t want to be labeled or categorized.
“I don’t need a categorizing statement for it. I don’t want to be labeled gay. I want to be labeled a human who loves humans. I’m tired of being labeled — I’m an American, I’m not an African American. I’m an American.”
She offered clarification on her comments on the podcast.
“Now, when that aired, I felt like the entire internet exploded and threw my name in the garbage. There was so much backlash from my community and others that misunderstood slash didn’t hear the exact words that I said.”
“When I say that African American does not align with me — that label – It doesn’t mean that I’m negating my Blackness or I’m not Black. It means I am from this country. I was born here. My mom, my dad, my great-great-great-great-great — that’s what I’m saying. The pure logistics of it. I also understand how much blood, sweat, and tears they soaked into this earth in order to create the America that I live in today — free, happy, tax-paying American citizen.”
The Cheetah Girls brought back the topic after the infamous clip resurfaced.
