Two years ago Rachel Dolezal was a respected black rights activist with the NAACP and part-time professor of African Studies.

Identifying as a black person, Dolezal became famous after being 'outed' as white by her parents.

Dolezal was forced to step down from her leadership role when her parents Larry and Ruthanne told a local newspaper that their daughter was, in fact, born Caucasian.

The 39-year-old mother of three is going through a difficult time and on the verge of becoming homeless.

Unemployed and feeding her family with food stamps, Dolezal has applied for more than 100 jobs without success.

According to The Guardian the only work she has been offered is reality TV and porn.

“Right now the only place that I feel understood and completely accepted is with my kids and my sister,” said Dolezal.

Dolezal hoped that changing her name would create positive attention around her new identity but people still recognise her.

After being turned down by 30 publishing houses, Dolezal finally found a company to publish her memoir, titled 'In Full Color'. “The narrative was that I’d offended both communities in an unforgivable way, so anybody who gave me a dime would be contributing to wrong and oppression and bad things. To a liar and a fraud and a con,” The Guardian quoted her saying.

What does Dolezal's new name mean?

Nkechi, short for Nkechinyere, is a name that originates from the Igbo language of Nigeria and means 'what god has given' or 'gift of god.'

Diallo, meaning 'bold,' is a last name of Fula origin. The Fula people are a Muslim ethnic group thought to have roots in the Middle East and North Africa, who are now widely dispersed across West Africa.

Interesting background facts:

- Dolezal was born at home in rural Montana, to a pair of white Christian fundamentalists

-  Parents Larry and Ruthanne entered “Jesus Christ” on her birth certificate as the only other witness to her birth.

- As a young child she would choose brown crayons to draw pictures of herself with dark skin and curly hair. She would also hide in the garden and smear herself in mud.

- When she was 15, her parents adopted a black Haitian baby and three African American babies.

- Dolezal became primary caregiver to her adopted siblings and became very protective when she discovered the racial bias present in her hometown.

- She felt more connected to black history after teaching it to her new siblings.

5 throwback pics, about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 years ago. Time flies...