Source: Oliver Eltinger / Getty
Today in “___ While Black,” Black folks can’t go to the pool in their own apartment complex without getting harassed.
Shayne Holland, 23, was banned from his apartment’s pool for just chilling and laying out. He called in to Hot 96.3 to speak with B-Swift about his story. He said the first incident occurred when he stopped by the pool at his apartment complex after his workout.
About 30 minutes later, he was approached by a female officer who asked if he lived there and what his address was. He went on to say that he lived there and showed her his key to prove that he is a resident. He said he didn’t know if she was really an officer because she didn’t identify herself or show proper credentials before questioning him. When he asked her for more info, she didn’t provide any answers.
“I felt like she thought that I was asking too many questions,” Holland said in his interview with B-Swift. “I need more information. I didn’t feel comfortable at all.”
From there, the situation escalated when a female employee from the complex came outside. Based on the video taken, the female employee knew who he was by name and even said that she had his mother’s purse at the office because she accidentally left it there the day before.
But he was eventually asked to leave the pool area by the female officer, who referenced a sign that says she can ask anyone to leave at any time.
“I don’t feel like I was treated like a citizen,” Holland said. “Like I didn’t belong there, which is crazy because I had just paid my rent that day and I can’t even go to the pool.”
A similar situation occurred the next day when he and three of his friends visited the pool, but this time he was approached by a male officer who asked him to identify himself and provide proof of residence.
Since these incidents, Holland said he was put on the ban list for the pool.
“I still feel at the end of the day that it was racial discrimination,” Holland said. “Nobody apologized, they didn’t even apologize for more being able to get back in the pool…. Nobody on any end [has] said sorry to me.”
You can listen to Holland’s full interview with B-Swift below.
