Anti-racist educator and author Robin DiAngelo, known for her book White Fragility, has spoken out after being unwittingly featured in Matt Walsh and The Daily Wire‘s first film, Am I Racist?.
DiAngelo claims she was deceived into participating, and now vows to be more cautious about future interviews. In a lengthy post, DiAngelo explains she was approached in 2023 by a group claiming to be making a documentary titled Shades of Justice, which aimed to explore efforts to address racism in the U.S. She agreed to participate for $15,000, which she has since donated to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund after learning the true nature of the project.
DiAngelo noted feeling uneasy during the interview, describing how crew members avoided eye contact and the interviewer, introduced as “Matt,” appeared to be wearing an ill-fitting wig. Initially, the questions seemed earnest, but by the end, DiAngelo says the tone shifted, and she began to feel manipulated.
One key moment that made its way into the film shows Walsh convincing DiAngelo to hand cash as reparations to his producer, Ben, who is Black. DiAngelo describes how Walsh framed the situation in a way that put her on the spot, making her look foolish on camera. She acknowledges feeling discomfort but ultimately handed Ben the money after checking to ensure he was okay with it.
Afterward, DiAngelo reached out to the contact person, “Lee Hampton,” requesting that this scene not be included in the film, as she felt it misrepresented the concept of reparations. It was only after consulting colleagues that she realized she had been misled.
DiAngelo also expressed disappointment that the film, instead of being the documentary she was promised, turned out to be a Borat-style mockumentary titled Am I Racist?, designed to discredit anti-racist activists. She lamented that the film specifically targets women of color, whom she believes were particularly exploited.
In her post, DiAngelo criticized Walsh, The Daily Wire, and founder Ben Shapiro for promoting white supremacy, misogyny, racism, and transphobia. She concluded by emphasizing the importance of thorough research before engaging with unknown individuals or sharing content online, and vowed to continue her work for racial justice despite these efforts to undermine it.