COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Christina Konley received a racially-charged letter in the mail just last week all because of the Black Lives Matter sign in her front yard.
The letter came through the postal system addressed to "neighbor" with no return address. It was postmarked May 23,2021, just two days before the one-year anniversary of George Floyd's murder, and said that Black Lives Matter is a "racist organization" and went on to say "anyone can be rich if they just chase their dreams."
The College Station mother said when she read, what she believes to be a hate letter, it caused her to become instantly upset.
“I didn’t want to open it first because it didn’t have a return address on it," Konley said. "And a lot of times you get crazy stuff in the mail and something in my heart told me to open it and just see what it was. When I opened it and started to read it, I was highly upset, that somebody would actually take the time and write this and send it to me. It was disgusting.”
Konley’s two children are biracial and said she's had the Black Lives Matter sign in her yard for at least six months. When she showed her son, Damian, the letter he was not surprised at what he read.
“I tried to laugh it off at first and not let it bother me so much,"said Damian Buckner. "But yes, it did bother me that somebody did take the time to write this. But at the same time, letting it upset me felt like it was letting them win."
The letter was signed "Indian Lakes Community," bearing a striking similarity to the Village of Indian Lakes located in south College Station, and mailed 11 miles north to the Konley’s mailbox.
KRHD News reached out to the Board of Directors of the Indian Lakes Homeowners Association. They forwarded us this written statement regarding the letter sent to the Konley home:
"The Board of Directors of the Indian Lakes Homeowners Association, Inc. (the “Association”) recently became aware of an anonymous letter, dated May 23, 2021, making numerous incendiary, discriminatory, and racist statements. It is the Board’s understanding that this letter was delivered to a property located several miles from the Indian Lakes neighborhood that is not part of the Association. The letter was signed “Indian Lakes Community.” The Association’s Board of Directors had no hand in, and is not aware of any person involved in, the drafting and/or delivery of this letter. The Association and the Board does not, in any way, condone or support the statements contained in the letter and denounces the beliefs and statements expressed in the letter in the strongest possible terms. The Association prides itself on fostering an inclusive, diverse community, and it is the Association’s goal and hope that all owners and residents of Indian Lakes, and all persons in College Station, can feel welcome where they live."
Before receiving the letter, Konley had never heard of the Indian Lakes Community.
“At first I didn’t know what Indian Lakes Community was," Konley said. "That’s why I went to my neighbor because she’s been in this community for a long long time and she knows a lot in this area. So I went to ask her because I didn’t know if that was the name of our neighborhood of our community."
Konley also contacted the College Station Police Department, and Public Information Officer Tristen Lopez told KRHD News that while the letter may be upsetting and hurtful in nature, a criminal offense did not occur. Lopez said without an offense police can only document what was received by Konley through the mail.
Konley has lived in the College Hills neighborhood of College Station for nearly two years and has since put up more signs in her yard expressing equality and sticking up for what she believes is right.
“I am going to speak up. I am going to say what’s right is right and what’s wrong is wrong," Konley said.
Since sharing the letter with some of her neighbors, Konley said some homeowners have decided to also purchase Black Lives Matter yard signs to stand in solidarity with her family.
“It made me feel good," said Buckner. "That’s why I am the way I am now it's because of her. She always told me no matter what you see is wrong don’t be afraid to talk about it. Stand up for it.”