Staff Reports
Shiloh Hendris is making waves, and not the good kind you’d want your beach trip to provide. This self-proclaimed “White Savior” has hit the fundraising scene like a golden retriever running after a squirrel—decidedly uncontrolled and with a lot of people watching. The buzz around her well-meaning (or poorly executed) fundraising efforts has folks feeling all kinds of ways. Last we heard, she was sitting pretty with a nearly $800,000 haul aimed at a lofty million-dollar goal. Talk about funding a new adventure!
Now, Shiloh isn’t just sitting back, sipping iced tea while the money rolls in. No, she’s out there making a case for all her actions, claiming it’s not a scam and assuring everyone that she’s received every dime. In a strange twist, she is raising money while attempting to assert herself as a ticker tape parade of virtue. And with the number of receipts flying around, there’s enough paper to wrap a house. Critics say she’s become a parody of herself, but hey, who doesn’t love a good old comedy of errors?
Supporting Shiloh and her journey has become a sort of rallying cry for those who believe white folks are victims, too. Yes, you heard that right. There’s a group that feels the struggle of modern white existence is real. Political commentary, huh? And just like that, Shiloh’s community has risen to defend her plight against a world that seems to have rendered them emotionally fragile. They want to make it clear that being miffed about words is their new hill to die on. Forget the mortgage; they prefer to fundraise their way into a new life entirely.
But what spices up this pickle is the contrast between Shiloh’s situation, sparked by an unfortunate incident involving a misunderstood young man with autism, and the fundraising juggernaut that is often called out for—shall we say—bigger misdeeds. Watching this play out is akin to witnessing two circus acts vying for the spotlight while teetering on unicycles. One side says, “Look at me! I’ve been wronged!” while the other represents a trend of groups that haven’t historically felt sorry for themselves, rallying around much bigger causes and problems.
Ultimately, what Shiloh is doing may make some hilarious headlines, but it’s also an opportunity to poke at something deeper. Should we be hanging our hats on the woes of a word or an awkward encounter? When we consider the avenues available for justice and support, one cannot help but shake their head at the thought that a quick Internet fundraising campaign could be a valid answer to societal grievances. Sure, the struggle for awareness and support is real, but let’s not pretend that’s the same as genuine advocacy. Maybe folks should band together, not just to fundraise, but to better understand the pressing issues at hand, beyond making someone feel good about their missteps.
Shiloh Hendris may have inadvertently opened up a can of worms larger than she might have anticipated. Hopefully, in all of this, there’s a silver lining of learning, growth, and maybe a touch of humility. If nothing else, it’s given folks something to talk about at the proverbial water cooler, or at least on the sofa while scrolling through TikTok. If her journey serves up a slice of introspection, it might just be the unexpected twist everyone needed.
