IRVINE, CA - JULY 13: Guests ride the Tomcat Racers at the soft opening of Wild Rivers water park at the Great Park on Wednesday, July 13, 2022 in Irvine, CA. Wild Rivers opens today. After closing in 2011, the revamped water park is now 50% larger than the original Wild Rivers which debuted in July 1986. (Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Unfortunately, Roommates, another racial discrimination act against Black people, have been caught on tape. A Kansas City-area family claims they were racially discriminated against at a Lee’s Summit water park on Saturday. According to Fox 4, the Evans family, including their two teenagers, along with others, said they paid $2,000 to host a large birthday bash for their children at Summit Waves. During the visit, video shows an employee denying the large group entry due to her being “uncomfortable.”
As the footage of the incident sparks outrage, an investigation is underway per WDAF. Lee’s Summit Mayor Bill Baird released a statement about the incident saying, “
Unfortunately, statements were made by a Parks and Recreation manager at Summit Waves that were inappropriate and insensitive.”
An additional statement from the city released on Monday claimed the family advertised the party on social media. About 500 people showed up for the party, which is twice the number Summit Waives said it agreed to for the event. Mayor Baird has requested the city’s Parks and Recreation department to implement a process that could have alleviated safety concerns with the large group that showed up for the party as the investigation is underway.
Mayor Baird isn’t stopping there. He also asked the department to review its approach to communicating and interacting with people using the city’s parks so everyone is treated with dignity and respect.
“We must intentionally embrace a culture that is welcoming and inclusive, and we must continually denounce any urge or impulse to exclude. I want to expressly denounce comments posted by a Lee’s Summit Parks and Recreation employee on social media.”
He added, “The comments were appalling and not condoned by Parks and Recreation, and are inconsistent with the culture I know the City of Lee’s Summit strives to reflect.”
Roommates, do you think Mayor Baird’s approach will be sufficient?
