Tempe school board president’s virtual birthday party crashed by racists
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Tempe, AZ (KPHO/KTVK) — Racist slurs and threats ruined a virtual birthday party for the board president of a Valley school district. Her son, who’s running for a seat at the county board of supervisors, set up the party.
“We are grateful for you,” said Jevin D. Hodge, a candidate for Maricopa Board of Supervisors, on September 3 to his mom during her Zoom birthday party.
The virtual birthday party was a way to celebrate his mom, Tempe Union High School District’s Board President Berdetta Hodge, in the age of social distancing. But just over 24 minutes into the Zoom birthday celebration, an anonymous voice said, “Happy birthday! I hope you die.”
Twenty-one seconds later, a video played of a Ku Klux Klan rally. Then another anonymous voice said, “Stop talking n—er.”
The hateful speech turned into a chilling message. “We are coming for her,” an anonymous voice said.
“It’s disgusting! It’s not new. This is something our country has experienced for hundreds of years,” said Jevin, who told Arizona’s Family the party was through RSVP only to deter people from crashing the party. Yet, it still happened through anonymity and fake accounts.
“How and why do you hate someone you’ve never met?” asked Berdetta. “How and why do you want to hurt someone on their birthday when there is no reason to?”
The Hodge’s said they are sharing this story to lift the curtain on racism in America and to show the Black Experience in this country marred by hatred.
“The Zoom call, the Zoom bomb, the people who said this disgusting rhetoric to my mother, this is what Black America experience is on a daily basis,” said Jevin.
Hodge said Tempe Police is investigating. Meanwhile, Berdetta isn’t letting Zoom bombers break her spirit.
“Even though that happened, in America, there is still more love than hate,” said Berdetta.
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