DE PERE (NBC 26) — When De Pere resident Rhonda Chandler and her family moved to De Pere from Charlotte, North Carolina for a job opportunity in 2015, she quickly noticed the lack of diversity in the area.
“It’s a predominantly white community so when we first came we were the only African American family in our neighborhood,” Chandler said.
She says she felt like her family stood out when they were out in the community. Her son was in high school and she had one daughter in middle school and one in elementary school. It quickly became apparent that there were no teachers, administrators or peers that looked like them.
“We would get the stares," Chandler said. "Sometimes people were blatant enough to ask if we were affiliated with the Packers or what brought us here, was it because of sports?”
She soon began to notice changes in her children's behavior. They were being bullied at school and would frequently receive racist comments about their hairstyles and skin color or be the brunt of racist jokes.
"They wanted to go back to Charlotte," Chandler said. "They didn’t want to be here because they didn’t feel like they belonged or were included.”
She noticed that her daughters became particularly worried about their appearance, especially their hair, which was the target of many comments at school.
“I noticed changes with my older daughter," Chandler said. "She didn’t want to wear her hair natural anymore. She wanted to wear her hair straighter because her peers wore their hair straighter and she just felt like it was easier to fit in."
She first noticed the change in her older daughter and then her younger daughter. That's when she decided to take action, collaborating with other mothers to create a community for her children.
She founded Lovin' The Skin I'm In, a non-profit that aims to uplift girls aged 7-18 and older who identify as African American, Black or biracial in Northeast Wisconsin. The non-profit provides group meetings and volunteering outings, even working with Howe Elementary School and Foxview Intermediate School to offer weekly groups for fourth and fifth grade girls.
"The younger we can reach these girls and give them the tools that they need when these issues arise the better," Chandler said. "When they really get through those tough years of middle school and high school, they'll at least have some tools under their belt and be able to know no matter what this person says about me or this negativity that comes my way, they don't really know me and I know my self worth."
Kelli Vanzego, whose 9-year-old daughter Nyla Vanzego participates in the group, says having a group of girls who look like her daughter has helped build her confidence.
“It’s been a great opportunity to meet other moms in the area and discuss current events and do fun projects,” Vanzego said.
For the parents and daughters alike, Lovin' The Skin I'm In provides them with a community to lean on through life’s challenges.
“You’re not alone and there are people that do care and it’s not so much about the black and white thing as it is coming together collectively as women and what we can do in this community to make it better for everyone,” Vanzego said.
Lovin' The Skin I'm In is one of 45 local non-profits participating in the fundraising event Give BIG Green Bay. From noon February 23rd until noon February 24th, you can donate to Lovin' The Skin I'm In and other non-profits at givebiggreenbay.org
