Former Spokane NAACP chapter leader Rachel Dolezal has a new look for the new year, but her “trans-Black” scandal has not been forgotten. The white woman was exposed in 2015 for falsely presenting herself as a Black woman. Amidst the fallout, she has changed her name to Nkechi Diallo, doublin g down on her deep-rooted desires of having Black heritage despite her white mother and father revealing childhood and adolescence photos of their controversial, but clearly Caucasian, daughter. Rachel Dolezal is still living as a self-identifying Black woman after being exposed for her white roots in 2015. (Photo: @racheldolezal/Instagram) ‘This Is Where Rachel Dolezal Got Her Inspiration’: ‘Touched By an Angel’ Actress’s Blackface Episode Resurfaces Amid Outrage Over White Author Disguising Himself as Black to Uncover Racism In America Dolezal shares a biracial son with her ex-husband and adopted two additional sons, all of whom are Black. Now, years later, the former Tucson teacher is once again generating social buzz for her ethnically inspired appearance. The content creator ditched her box braids and curly hairstyles for faux locs in a new picture posted to X. The “transracial” advocate was photographed lying in a field of green sprouts as she rested her chin in the palm of her left hand. She wrote “#NewProfilePic,” making the post a viral hit as it reached nearly one million users and garnered hundreds of interactions just one week into Black History Month. The irony of Dolezal’s post and the cultural significance of February was not lost on those who first met her as a purported white-passing Black woman. Among those whose timelines featured the new photo was a user who snarked, “She’s so committed to blackfishing sometimes I forget she white.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nkechi Diallo (@racheladolezal) For others, though, the civil rights activist was almost racially ambiguous, a stark contrast to the days of her kente cloth headwraps and heavily tanned skin. Presently, her skin appears fair, colored only by freckles and bronzer. Her new look prompted one person to ask, “Are you detransitioning into a white woman again?” Similarly, a third individual insinuated that an extensive makeover involving more than hair had taken place. That observer wrote, “Who is her doctor? They ate with the surgeries.” Others were convinced that Dolezal was somewhat of a blank canvas for a new chapter. People joked, “You should pretend to be Asian next. Keep ’em guessing,” and “She bout to start her afro latina roll out. She been taking lessons and all that. ‘Que lo que, y’all!’” And these are her parents?? Did she stop saying she was black or? Girl WHAT ARE YOU DOING https://t.co/1jWVUwjn5X pic.twitter.com/I0nPTdAmQ1— Caleb (@PolitclyNcorekt) February 9, 2026 The Howard University alum sparked similar responses in 2025 while celebrating her 48th birthday. The former Africana studies educator posted unrecognizable side-by-side photos, one of herself as a baby and a then-up-to-date image. Instead of generating celebrations, it dredged up the fact that Dolezal lied about not being white.  She once told Vanity Fair, “If people feel misled or deceived, then sorry that they feel that way, but I believe that’s more due to their definition and construct of race in their own minds than it is to my integrity or honesty, because I wouldn’t say I’m African American, but I would say I’m Black, and there’s a difference in those terms.” Since the race-baiting scandal, Dolezal has penned a book, “In Full Color: Finding My Place in a Black and White World,” become a hair braider, and a content creator. According to a recent Instagram post, she is currently working towards becoming a certified intimate coach. ‘I Forget She’s White’: Rachel Dolezal‘s Dramatic New Look Slammed By Critics Who Say She’s Still ‘Committed to Blackfishing’ ...read more read less