New York Dealership Gifts Car to Wisconsin Woman After Racial Slur Incident
West Allis resident Makayla Starks received a brand new electric car from a dealership in New York after a racial slur was found on an oil change sticker from a dealership closer to home.
Starks had taken her car to Kunes Buick GMC in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, for an oil change in early January. When she went to pick up her car, she found a racial slur printed on the oil change sticker.
“Initially I just sat in my car for about 20 minutes and cried,” Starks said.
The story of the incident reached Family Nissan in Inwood, New York, nearly 900 miles away. After seeing the news, the dealership decided to gift Starks a new car.
Ramzey Rizk of Family Nissan said the team was moved by the story.
“The team here got kind of fired up to add more support and add more voice to her voice and to her narrative and to push her message forward that this should’ve never happened,” he said.
At a Saturday morning meeting, the idea of gifting Starks a car was brought up and quickly gained support, according to Rizk.
“We did it together as a family, you know, Family Nissan,” Rizk said.
The dealership decided to give Starks a brand new Nissan Leaf, an electric car with a $38,000 MSRP, so she would not have to get oil changes. Plans were made and Starks traveled to New York.
“I am looking forward to meeting everyone at the dealership and getting to know them a bit,” Starks told the Journal Sentinel before leaving. “Based on this heartfelt gesture, I just know they are kind people, and the world needs more of that.”
Starks’ visit to the dealership on March 1, with her fiancé Joey Koepp, included a book signing of her self-published book, “A Painting Bird’s Whisper: Poetry & Prose.”
Rizk said the staff learned she was a published writer and bought multiple copies of her book out of support.
Starks said the book, published in March 2024, is “about overcoming the internalized shame that accompanies not meeting societal standards of ‘normal’ under the American patriarchy.”
Arrangements were made to transport the car back to Wisconsin.
Starks said that an employee from Kunes had contacted her, claiming they needed to retrieve a forgotten tool from her car. However, an employee from Kunes had previously tipped her off about the racial slur.
“Before they had a chance to do that, one of (Kunes’) own employees reached out to me by phone call and text message telling me that there was no forgotten tool,” Starks told the Journal Sentinel last month. “They were just trying to come and retrieve the proof which would be the oil change sticker with the racial slur on my windshield.”
Kunes issued a statement saying the company was “deeply disturbed and saddened by the incident” and that the employee had been terminated.
Starks has protested in front of the Kunes dealership and is seeking further accountability.
“More than one person knew about this (and) they tried to cover it up with a lie,” she said.
She also wants proof that the employee(s) were disciplined or fired.
