SPOKANE, Wash. — The leader of the NAACP in Spokane is facing calls to step aside after her parents said the 37-year-old activist falsely portrayed herself as black for years.

Rachel Dolezal canceled a chapter meeting Monday where she was expected to speak about the furor sparked over her racial identity. But other members of the organization said they still planned to gather Monday evening.

Dolezal sent out an email Sunday canceling the monthly membership meeting “due to the need to continue discussion with regional and national NAACP leaders.”

Shortly after her announcement, the head of the chapter’s executive committee, Lawrence Burnley, questioned whether Dolezal had the right to arbitrarily cancel the meeting, KREM-TV in Spokane reported, quoting an email thread mailed to NAACP members.

“I don’t see any language in the bylaws that empowers you, or any one member, to arbitrarily cancel/postpone tomorrow’s meeting,” Burnley wrote in his email Sunday.