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Neighborhood Says 'No' To Hate Letter Directed At Nanny

(CBS) -- A play date with a twist.

After a racist e-mail targeting an African-American nanny, neighbors in Chicago's Ukrainian Village banded together to show they will not tolerate it.

CBS 2's Audrina Bigos attended what was billed as a "Stand up to Hate Play Date."

It looks just like any other party in the park.

"We were expecting 30 to 40 people if we were lucky," parent Maria Ippolito says.

"Actions are louder than words, and this speaks for itself."

One hundred and fifty people showed up for the event after a racist letter was left in a mailbox. It was aimed at a nanny Ippolito shares with Heather DeJonker because the nanny is black.

Part of the letter read: "We do not need an infestation in our community. There are plenty educated Caucasian nannies available if you are willing to pay them accordingly."

The target of the letter is Ferrai Pickett, who says the letter made false assumptions about her – including that she's uneducated.  She says she's a college graduate, magna cum laude.

"If we don't do anything, the person who wrote this thinks that we think it's OK," DeJonker says.

The moms have turned the letter over to police.

 

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