Message from Andrea Warren-Deegan,

Assistant Director for the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition

 

My name is Andrea Warren-Deegan.  I moved to Fargo with my husband in 2002.  I am a tribal member of the Shinnecock Nation in Southampton, NY.  I am also biracial, my mother is native and my father was black.  I have come to think of Fargo as my home away from home, and until recently, I had considered it to be a safe community.  Today, I no longer feel safe.

 

On Thursday, March 24^th around 3pm, several white males repeatedly harassed me.  I wasn’t hurt; however it scared me.  I am training for the Fargo marathon and run daily.  This particular day I was running on Prairiewood Drive around the golf course.  A red 4-door SUV with several white males inside passed me, and one of the males screamed out the window, “go back to your country.”  I immediately began looking for something to defend myself with, should they return.  All I could find was a golf ball.  I continued to run holding the golf ball, uncertain of what might happen next.  A few minutes later, the same SUV drove passed me again, yelling some more.  I couldn’t tell what they were saying, but I’m sure it was similar to the tone of their first statement.  This time they slowed down after they passed me, and so threw my golf ball at them, out of fear and anger.  The ball made no contact with the truck, and they drove away.  Even more upset, I began thinking what are these fools going to do the next time around.  I started looking for something more threatening.  I found a glass bottle and continued running, looking back and forward.  Not long after I found the bottle, the same SUV approached me again, this time from behind.  I saw them coming and waved the bottle in the air.  They continued to approach, so I broke the bottle on the ground and waved the broken bottle in the air.  They stopped and someone opened a door and yelled out of it.  The driver pulled into an empty drive and turned the vehicle around the other direction.  One or two white males stood up through the sunroof and continued yelling at me.  I continue to wave the broken bottle in the air and the truck slowly drove away.  I continued my run, shaken up and holding onto the broken bottle.  I found another bottle along the way and picked it up as well.  I ran uncomfortably looking around the remainder of the way.

 

As I was running with my broken bottle in hand, I felt as if I was the one at fault.  I could see people looking at me suspiciously, just as I may have if I saw someone running down the street with a potential weapon.  I began thinking, what if someone calls the police on me, thinking I’m some type of threat.  I thought about how unfair the situation was and I wanted to do something about it.

 

Fortunately, I had an idea of where to go for help.  I knew I wanted to file a formal police report, and bring public awareness to the incident.  After speaking with my supervisor at the North Dakota Human Rights Coalition, I decided to share my experience with the Fargo Human Relations Commission, in addition to filing a formal police report.  I hope to present this information to the FHRC at their next meeting on April 6^th.