Vice News is known for finding interesting stories and turning them into documentaries. But a new Vice mini-documentary published last week has stirred the racial pot.
The documentary focuses on a travel agency with retreats in Costa Rica that require clients to be non-white women. The reason for the retreats? To get away from white people in the United States.
The documentary notes there are many black-only travel agencies and retreats in the U.S., but this one, called the "Women of Color Healing Retreat,” is different because clients come specifically to take a “break” from white people’s oppression.
On the 10-day retreat, the women eat vegan, do yoga, meditate, and “discuss the frustrations of being black in America,” the narrator says. Participants agree that white people would “ruin” the retreat if present.
Andrea X, the retreat founder, told Vice: “We needed a safe space that was outside of the United States to hold certain conversations and just to heal. I don’t think that we can do that in the United States."
Andrea permanently moved to Costa Rica in 2014 and has removed all white people from her personal life because of their “micro-aggressions” and “passive-aggressiveness."
"And ever since then, my life has been way more breezy,” she said.
In fact, Andrea X’s disdain for white people runs so deep that she doesn’t even believe white people should be allowed to travel or have passports.
“Especially white Americans, leave them in the United States, they do not need to come here,” she said. “They need to stay in the United States."
"My tip to white people is to let us have our space, let us have our room, and go hang out with other white people. We’re okay. You know, you’ve done enough damage,” she added.
When asked if her idea of banishing white people is espousing the same "hate" that racist white people express, Andrea X said: "It doesn't have anything to do with [white people]. This is about us healing our community."
As to be expected, the documentary explained the agency has seen a sharp increase in interest since Donald Trump became president last year.
