“Black people like watermelon and chicken” ... Dancer Kany Diabaté Ahn (Kany) apologizes amid racism controversy

[Financial News] Choreographer and dancer Kany apologized after coming under fire over remarks that Black people like watermelon, chicken and other foods. She explained that the remarks were jokes based on her own cultural experience, while acknowledging that generalizing about all Black people was inappropriate.
On the 10th, Kany posted an apology on social media (SNS), saying, “I sincerely apologize to those who were hurt or offended by my remarks.”
The controversy began when Kany said in a video posted on her YouTube channel, “Black people like watermelon, chicken and Fanta.” The scene also included the caption “Black soul food.”
After the remarks came to light, critics said they could reinforce racial stereotypes about Black Americans. Watermelon and fried chicken are foods that have historically been used in the United States as racist imagery to mock or demean Black people.
Kany said she understood the historical context, saying, “I understand that watermelon and fried chicken carry a painful history of racial stereotypes in the United States. I sincerely regret causing hurt.”
However, she explained that the remarks were not intended to be racist. She said they came out as she spontaneously talked about foods familiar to her as a Black person of Senegalese descent.
Kany explained the intent behind her remarks at the time by referring to her upbringing and food culture. She said, “I am proud to have been born and raised as a Black French-Senegalese woman,” adding, “From my experience of Senegalese culture, watermelon is a fruit we commonly enjoy, chicken is an important part of our cuisine, and Fanta is a familiar drink in many African households.”
She added, “When I made that joke, I wasn’t consciously referring to racial stereotypes in the United States; I was speaking from a familiar cultural background.”
She explained that the caption “soul food” inserted into the video was not an expression she had used herself. Kany said, “I never used that phrase. It was added as a caption during the editing process, and that may have caused a misunderstanding.”
Kany acknowledged that her words could be taken as inappropriate even if she had no racist intent. She apologized again, saying, “Even so, I understand that using expressions such as ‘we like’ and ‘everyone’ could make it sound as though I was generalizing about all Black people.”
Meanwhile, Kany removed from her YouTube video the scene containing the controversial remarks.
[email protected] Han Seung-gon Reporter