As_CJS Americans_NN2 dress_VVB up_AVP for_PRP Halloween_NN1 during_PRP a_AT0 year_NN1 of_PRF record_NN1 holiday_NN1 spending_NN1 ,_PUN experts_NN2 are_VBB saying_VVG :_PUN Be_VBI careful_AJ0 ._SENT Costumes_NN2 might_VM0 come_VVI off_AVP as_PRP racists_NN2 or_CJC offensive_AJ0 ,_PUN even_AV0 if_CJS that_DT0 was_VBD n't_XX0 the_AT0 intent_NN1 ._SENT Mia_NP0 Moody-Ramirez_NP0 ,_PUN director_NN1 of_PRF graduate_NN1 studies_NN2 and_CJC American_AJ0 studies_NN2 at_PRP Baylor_NP0 University_NN1 ,_PUN says_VVZ cultural_AJ0 appropriation_NN1 has_VHZ long_AV0 been_VBN present_AJ0 in_PRP American_AJ0 history_NN1 ,_PUN but_CJC social_AJ0 media_NN0 has_VHZ elevated_VVN the_AT0 awareness_NN1 of_PRF it_PNP ._SENT In_PRP recent_AJ0 years_NN2 ,_PUN celebrities_NN2 have_VHB been_VBN called_VVN out_AVP by_PRP the_AT0 public_NN1 for_PRP their_DPS use_NN1 of_PRF cultural_AJ0 appropriation_NN1 for_PRP Halloween_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ There_EX0 's_VHZ been_VBN so_AV0 many_DT0 events_NN2 like_VVB that_CJT in_PRP the_AT0 news_NN1 ,_PUN so_CJS I_PNP think_VVB we_PNP 're_VBB at_PRP a_AT0 point_NN1 now_AV0 where_CJS everyone_PNI has_VHZ heard_VVN about_PRP cultural_AJ0 appropriation_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ Moody-Ramirez_NP0 told_VVD USA_NP0 TODAY_AV0 ._SENT "_PUQ Sometimes_AV0 it_PNP 's_VBZ out_AVP of_PRF ignorance_NN1 or_CJC innocence_NN1 ._SENT But_CJC then_AV0 sometimes_AV0 it_PNP can_VM0 be_VBI done_VDN on_PRP purpose_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ What_DTQ is_VBZ cultural_AJ0 appropriation_NN1 ?_SENT Cultural_AJ0 appropriation_NN1 is_VBZ when_CJS someone_PNI adopts_VVZ a_AT0 culture_NN1 that_DT0 is_VBZ n't_XX0 their_DPS own_DT0 and_CJC does_VDZ not_XX0 acknowledge_VVI or_CJC respect_VVI the_AT0 culture_NN1 being_VBG used_VVN for_PRP their_DPS own_DT0 benefit_NN1 ,_PUN according_VVG to_PRP the_AT0 Cambridge_NP0 Dictionary_NN1 ._SENT Examples_NN2 can_VM0 be_VBI hair_NN1 ,_PUN clothing_NN1 and_CJC impersonating_VVG ,_PUN like_PRP using_VVG popular_AJ0 African_AJ0 American_AJ0 Vernacular_AJ0 English_AJ0 terms_NN2 ,_PUN to_TO0 fit_VVI a_AT0 persona_NN1 ._SENT Moody-Ramirez_NP0 said_VVD those_DT0 who_PNQ wish_VVB to_TO0 have_VHI a_AT0 cultural_AJ0 costume_NN1 for_PRP Halloween_NN1 should_VM0 think_VVI twice_AV0 about_PRP it_PNP ._SENT She_PNP adds_VVZ it_PNP 's_VBZ important_AJ0 people_NN0 actually_AV0 understand_VVB the_AT0 culture_NN1 and_CJC are_VBB n't_XX0 attempting_VVG to_TO0 profit_VVI from_PRP it_PNP ,_PUN whether_CJS it_PNP be_VBB monetary_AJ0 or_CJC by_PRP popularity_NN1 ,_PUN and_CJC there_EX0 are_VBB many_DT0 other_AJ0 ways_NN2 to_TO0 appreciate_VVI a_AT0 culture_NN1 throughout_PRP the_AT0 year_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ For_PRP Halloween_NN1 ,_PUN I_PNP think_VVB it_PNP 's_VBZ important_AJ0 just_AV0 to_PRP kind_NN1 of_PRF steer_NN1 clear_AJ0 of_PRF those_DT0 types_NN2 of_PRF costumes_NN2 ,_PUN "_PUQ Moody-Ramirez_NP0 said_VVD ._SENT Shannon_NP0 Speed_NP0 ,_PUN director_NN1 of_PRF American_AJ0 Indian_AJ0 Studies_NN2 Center_NN1 at_PRP UCLA_NP0 and_CJC member_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 Chickasaw_AJ0 Nation_NN1 of_PRF Oklahoma_NP0 ,_PUN said_VVD rather_AV0 than_CJS dressing_VVG up_AVP ,_PUN people_NN0 should_VM0 respect_VVI and_CJC engage_VVI with_PRP communities_NN2 instead_AV0 ,_PUN whether_CJS that_DT0 be_VBI learning_VVG about_PRP their_DPS interest_NN1 or_CJC needs_VVZ as_PRP a_AT0 community_NN1 ._SENT "_PUQ There_EX0 's_VBZ no_AT0 reason_NN1 to_TO0 take_VVI it_PNP for_PRP yourself_PNX ,_PUN "_PUQ she_PNP said_VVD ._SENT Why_AVQ does_VDZ cultural_AJ0 appropriation_NN1 happen_VVB ?_SENT The_AT0 use_NN1 of_PRF costume_NN1 cultural_AJ0 appropriation_NN1 ranges_NN2 all_DT0 across_PRP ages_NN2 ,_PUN but_CJC Susan_NP0 Scafidi_NP0 ,_PUN director_NN1 of_PRF the_AT0 Fashion_NN1 Law_NN1 Institute_NN1 at_PRP Fordham_NP0 University_NN1 and_CJC author_NN1 of_PRF "_PUQ Who_PNQ Owns_VVZ Culture_NN1 ?_SENT Appropriation_NN1 and_CJC Authenticity_NN1 in_PRP American_AJ0 Law_NN1 ,_PUN "_PUQ said_VVD the_AT0 issue_NN1 really_AV0 came_VVD to_TO0 light_VVI in_PRP 2015_CRD when_AVQ Yale_NP0 told_VVD its_DPS students_NN2 to_TO0 be_VBI cautious_AJ0 of_PRF wearing_VVG certain_AJ0 Halloween_NN1 costumes_NN2 ._SENT Schools_NN2 like_PRP the_AT0 University_NN1 of_PRF Michigan_NP0 Ann-Arbor_NP0 have_VHB put_VVN warnings_NN2 of_PRF what_DTQ cultural_AJ0 appropriation_NN1 looks_VVZ like_PRP ._SENT 
