A former Houston city board member, Sade Perkins, is under heavy criticism after posting a video online claiming that a flood-hit Texas summer camp was “White-only, conservative and Christian.” The video, which went viral over the weekend, focused on Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas—a camp currently mourning the loss of several children following devastating floods.
Perkins, who served on the Houston Food Insecurity Board until January 2025, was appointed by former Mayor Sylvester Turner. In the TikTok video, she said she expected backlash, then alleged that Camp Mystic does not include any racial diversity, describing it as a “White-only” space where non-White girls are not accepted.
She claimed that the flood’s victims were receiving sympathy because of their race and political background, saying such attention wouldn’t exist if the missing children were Hispanic. While she stated that she did not wish harm on anyone, she questioned why the public was being asked to donate, volunteer, or search for the missing girls. She also linked the situation to broader political issues, including immigration policies and racial injustice.
In response, the office of current Houston Mayor John Whitmire called Perkins’ comments “deeply inappropriate.” A spokesperson said she would not be reappointed to the board and that the mayor was taking steps to remove her entirely.
As of Sunday, at least 80 deaths have been confirmed due to the flood, with several children among the victims. Ten campers from Camp Mystic remain unaccounted for.
