TULSA, Okla. -- — Monique Washington said she's always had positive relationships with people in Brookside. But Thursday morning she was blindsided.
"I turn around and I notice the words that kind of stab you in the heart whenever you read it, anytime you see it. I was just like "Wow...wow. Right in front of my business," she said.
Now the "Physiques by Monique" owner wishes she could speak to the person who used graffiti for a racial slur outside her business, and tell them why such a hateful word shouldn't be a part of anyone's vocabulary.
"I was extremely emotional but what's funny is I was never angry, I was just extremely hurt, just to read those words. Just know that it was probably directed towards me because I'm the only African American business owner right here," Washington said.
Monique's wife cleaned up the message as quickly as she could. In its place, she left chalk art with a motto the two of them live by.
"You want to do for your spouse everything you can to protect them, to save their heart and save any hard feelings. When something like that happens... there's nothing you can do," Joy Jones-Washington said.
They received dozens of offers to help with cleanup, and ultimately got assistance from Tulsa's Equality Center.
"You can't fight hate with more hate. We need to get less hate in the world. So let's fight this hate with more love. Spread love," Washington said.
Police are looking at surveillance video from surrounding businesses to find a suspect.
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