A young Black woman who was subjected to racist abuse after being selected to lead celebrations of a Swedish festival of light in Helsinki has received an apology from the Finnish prime minister.
According to the Swedish tradition, each year a young woman or girl is chosen to represent Saint Lucia by dressing in a costume of a white gown, red waistband and crown of candles as part of the official annual festivities in Finland at the Lutheran Cathedral on 13 December to mark the shortest day according to the Julian calendar.
About 5% of people in Finland, which until 1809 was part of Sweden, speak Swedish as their native language, which is one of two national languages in the Nordic country.
Daniela Owusu, 20, who is Finnish Ghanaian, received thousands of hate messages after on Friday becoming Finland’s first Black Lucia. The organisers have reported the abuse to police and the discrimination ombudsman and are considering taking legal action.
That poor kid.
Dafuq is wrong with people?
I have seen that in our society it’s acceptable to treat people as if their race is inferior. Threaten them. Scare them.
Because… No one says anything to these people. No one holds them accountable, and there’s no consequences for their actions.
Until there is a consequence for racism and threatening others… This will be norm and will only get worse.
At least this is what I see here in a red state. (USA)
She did get to play her part!
It’s sad that she had to go through that. I hope this doesn’t put them off other POC participants in the future.
They should just have black women in the role from now on. Maybe have black men do it too for fun.
A few decades of black people in the role exclusively should cause all the racists to stroke out and die.
Yeah, you gotta make sure a genuine fair-skinned and blonde Swedish girl plays that Sicilian saint.
The only thing I think when I see black people is how awesome the hair of most them looks.
Racism is very high ranked in the list of dumb things.
I remember when Lola Odusoga was Finland’s first black Miss Finland in 1996 and there were some* racism back then (*but internet wasnt still huge). I think it calmed a bit when Lola did well in Miss Universe competition. She was 3rd. Since then Miss Finland has been won by Sara Chafak (half moroccan), Shirly Karvinen (half chinese) and Alina Voronkova (Russian and Ingrian Finn). Alina got lot of heat in the internet because many didnt like her Russian name. Last year St. Lucia maiden Finland was a Finn with Italian roots and with Italian name. No criticism. But somehow black skin and russian name activates these idiot rednecks.
