New Black Woman

>This Newsweek commentary by Raina Kelley is on to something. 

From the beginning, the media began speculating Sean Taylor’s death was connected to something mysterious and was probably apart of his supposed “thug” lifestyle.

Kelley points to speculation to Taylor’s past as a predicament to his downfall:

He skipped a day of the NFL-mandated rookie symposium three years ago and was fined seven times for late hits and uniform infractions. He spat in the face of an opponent during a playoff game, missed a mini-camp and sometimes freelanced outside the defensive scheme—all considered bad form in the image-conscious NFL. Off the field, he was pulled over for a DUI in 2004, but the charges were thrown out. In 2005, Taylor was arrested for aggravated assault and faced 46 years in jail for waving a gun and beating up the alleged thieves of his ATVs. He pleaded no contest to reduced charges, and was sentenced to 18 months probation. His SUV was later shot 15 times in a drive-by. These events indicate that Taylor was far from an angel. But do they mean he was a menace to society destined to die bloody?

So, why did the media rush to judgement? Kelley said:

Perhaps because that’s how the average American sees young black men—unapologetic thugs hustling and acting out. But for oft-mentioned exceptions such as Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama and Will Smith, our media are awash with thugs—whether it be “I Love NY” on VH1, “Socially Offensive Behavior” on BET or the recently released movie “American Gangster,” starring Denzel Washington. Demeaning images of African-Americans are encouraged not only by mainstream media sources that use them to attract the eyeballs and dollars of black youth, but also by black entertainers who profit from it. 

The black community has been silent for too long about the continued negative media stereotypes of our people. We have sat idly by as shows like “I Love New York,” “Flavor of Love” and other shows rake in big bucks and ratings by disgracing our honor.

I’m so grateful to see many other young, black professionals take up this cause on the blogosphere (read: the revolution will NOT be televised).

As a reporter, I feel let down by those in my field who claim to be open minded, anti-racism/sexism/homophobia and against stereotpyes continuously let their subconscious misconceptions about a group of people alter their judgement of the quality of news reporting.

I’m hoping this same institution that prides itself on providing fair, unbiased reporting can see their flaws in their reporting and prevent the mistakes they have made for the future.

But, as a known characteristic of journalism, we never like to admit our faults, even if they continue to perpetuate stereotypes.

>I took a two week hiatus from blogging, not on purpose. I had no energy for blogging.

>This is no surprise to me. European colorism and colonialism still has its influence in its former colonized countries.

But the American company mentioned in this article is surprising:

Who is behind this product and this advertising campaign that tells Indian women not to be brown — or to be brown and suffer the humiliating consequences? Skin care giant, Unilever, that’s who.

“Real women, real curves!” shouts Dove. Go ahead, Western women! You have our permission to be yourselves!

I guess exploiting Indian women’s insecurities about their color is the new American dream for some companies.

>This is good news. 

Jakaris Taylor, 16, has agreed to plead guilty to three charges in the June Dunbar Village gang-rape, including one count of burglary with assault or battery with a firearm while wearing a mask and two counts of sexual battery by multiple perpetrators with a firearm while wearing a mask, WPBF reported. In the deal, the State Attorney’s Office will drop 11 other charges against Taylor.

Taylor will receive 20 years in prison and will testify against the other three teens arrested in the case: Tommy Lee Poindexter, 18, Nathan Walker Junior, 17, and Avion Lawson, 14. The three teens were arrested after being linked to the crime scene by DNA evidence, according to court documents released Nov. 1. Taylor had been linked to the crime through fingerprint evidence, police said. Prosecutors will give Taylor credit for 130 days already served in prison, according to the plea deal. He is also required to register as a sexual predator.

>A five-part series to air beginning Monday, Nov. 26

Throughout the week of November 26, “NBC News With Brian Williams” will take a look at the issues facing African-American women across our nation in a new series “African-American Women: Where They Stand.” The series will cover a wide-range of issues from their role in the ’08 Presidential race, to the increased health-risks that they need to be concerned about.

Monday’s installment will discuss African-American women’s progress in the education field. Nearly two-thirds of African-American undergraduates are women. At black colleges, the ratio of women to men is 7 to 1. And that is leading to a disparity in the number of African-American women who go on to own their own businesses. Rehema Ellis will talk to educators, students and businesswomen about why this disparity exists.

Tuesday, Ellis will look at relationships within the African-American female community. Many agree the gender disparity in education and business among African-Americans is having an effect on relationships that African American women have. Some even say the implications could redefine “Black America’s family and social structure.” In the past fifty years, the percentage of African-American women between 25-54 who have never been married has doubled from 20% to 40%. (Compared to just 16% of white women who have never been married today). Ellis sits down with the members of a Chicago book club and talk about this difference and how it impacts them.

Dr. Nancy Snyderman will discuss the increases risks for breast cancer for African-American women on Wednesday. Mortality rates for African-American women are higher than any other racial or ethnic group for nearly every major cause of death, including breast cancer. Black women with breast cancer are nearly 30% more likely to die from it than white women. Premenopausal black women are more than twice as likely to get a more aggressive form of the disease. And, not only are African-American women more likely to die from breast cancer, but they’re less likely to get life-saving treatments. Dr. Snyderman will profile one of the only oncologists in the world who specializes in the treatment of African-American women with breast cancer.

On Thursday, Ron Allen will take viewers to South Carolina — the first southern primary state — and ask the question: Will race trump gender or gender trump race? In South Carolina , black women made up nearly 30 percent of all democratic primary voters in 2004. This year, polls show a significant number are undecided, torn between choosing the first African-American or first female Presidential candidate. Allen talks with the undecided, as well the state directors for the Clinton and Obama campaigns, who happen to be African-American women.

To close the series on Friday, Dr. Snyderman will raise the frightening statistic that African-American women are 85% more likely to get diabetes, a major complication for heart disease. And, like breast cancer, more black women die from heart disease than white women. Dr. Snyderman will profile a leading expert and a unique church-based outreach program in South Carolina that seeks to spread the word about heart disease risks to black women congregants.

Mara Schiavocampo, Digital Correspondent for “Nightly News,” will address two hot topics in the African – American community: interracial dating and the impact of hip hop music on black women (For those of you who attended NABJ this year, Ms. Schiavocampo won the Emerging Journalist of the Year Award). Interracial dating is a growing trend in the African – American community. An Essence.com poll found that 81% of participants approved of black women dating non- black men. According to a U.S. Census Bureau report in 2000, 95,000 black women were married to white men. In 2005, that number increased to 134,000. Schiavocampo will talk to experts about the trend and discuss how this defines the “Black family” of the future.

Schiavocampo will convene a panel of leading black men and women from the hip-hop industry for an engaging discussion on whether hip hop lyrics and videos positively or negatively affect black women. The roundtable also will address how these portrayals are affecting relationships between black women and black men.

Courtesy: MSNBC Daily Nightly, Nov. 20

Please, please, please let this be a positive series, focusing on the achievements of black women. I’m really hoping NBC will take this opportunity and shine some light on these complex issues. I would be deeply disappointed if this turns into another blame-the-black-woman-for-the-downfall-of-the-black-community, the black-women-will-die-alone-because-of-the-lack-of-successful-black-men or the black-women-are-scared-to-venture-outside-of-their-community-for-romantic-relationships series.