Report: Mom Says Activist Daughter Claiming Arab Descent Is ‘White as Driven Snow’

Members of a social justice group are reportedly concerned after learning one of its leaders has allegedly been misrepresenting her ethnic background.

Raquel Evita Saraswati is a Muslim activist who reportedly has for years led people to believe she is of Latin, South Asian, and Arab descent, per an Intercept article published Thursday.

The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) members are worried she may be working for other organizations that want to undermine their own, the outlet said.

Meanwhile, the AFSC website lists Saraswati as its Chief Equity, Inclusion and Culture Officer.

“Raquel has over twenty years of experience working to advance social, economic, gender and racial justice, and has worked internationally to support other Muslim women and girls, LGBTQ+ Muslims, and those marginalized in all faith spaces,” her bio reads.

However, Saraswati was reportedly born Rachel Elizabeth Seidel, and her mother, Carol Perone, told the outlet the young woman is actually of British, German, and Italian descent.

“I’m as white as the driven snow and so is she,” Perone said, adding her daughter became a Muslim in high school, and it makes her sad she has allegedly chosen to live a lie.

The accusations are reminiscent of Rachel Dolezal, the white woman who for years posed as a black civil rights leader, and an Indiana activist named Satchuel Cole who admitted in 2020 she lied about her race, according to Breitbart News.

Per the Intercept, Oskar Pierre Castro, a human resources professional who helped find Saraswati for the position, claimed the woman also presented herself as “queer” and “multiethnic.”

Castro said initially he was pleased, but now, “I definitely feel conned. … I feel deceived.”

AFSC spokesperson Layne Mullett told the Intercept in a statement:

We are in receipt of the documentation alleging that our Chief Equity, Inclusion, and Culture Officer, Raquel Saraswati, has been misrepresenting her identity. AFSC has given Raquel the opportunity to address the allegations against her, and Raquel stands by her identity. Raquel also assures us that she remains loyal to AFSC’s mission, which we firmly believe.

In addition, the leadership said the organization does not require staff members to prove their heritage.

On what appears to be Saraswati’s Twitter page, she describes herself as a Muslim, feminist, vegan, who is “building inclusive spaces.”

The Intercept confirmed the AFSC’s concerned members penned an anonymous letter shared on Medium, saying she made appearances on “right-wing” television shows after 9/11, and was presented as a “moderate” Muslim woman.

According to the New York Post, Saraswati reportedly said in a social media post over the weekend she planned on responding to the allegations.

“I understand all the reactions you’re having. I am currently taking the time to get to where I can answer in a way that is most helpful and thorough,” she added.