Maybe it’s a sentiment that occurs within every generation: the feeling that you aren’t ready yet to take up the life’s work of the leaders you have so long admired both near and far. When greats like William Raspberry leave this Earth it feels almost as if no one can fill that void in quite the same way. Who will speak against the grain when it’s right but unpopular? Who will remind us that every child has the capacity to be a sound and beneficial citizen with the right support? Who will speak for the “cabbie” that represents the every man with no time to be his own voice?
The reality is, as is often stated when a legend passes away, there will never be another William Raspberry. But the beauty is that his mentorship leaves the treasures of his mind behind for our generation to continue onward. This speaks directly to one of Mr. Raspberry’s most constant points of view that with the right guidance, specifically parenting, every child has a chance despite the hardest of societal pressures to succeed. When I was first introduced to Mr. Raspberry, through the Ron Brown Scholar Program, I wasn’t even aware that I was an example of his sound theory. Like many of my fellow Ron Brown Scholars, I was coming from a single parent household and a school system that struggled to meet the statewide standards. But for some reason I was standing in a room with individuals like William Raspberry on the verge of being selected for a $40,000 scholarship, a lifetime pool of mentors and a premier college education. How? Because I had a mother that knew despite all of the odds that were against me as an African American in a lower income community that her encouragement and belief in me would make all the difference. My story is not different from the other nearly 300 Ron Brown Scholars throughout the world that have benefited from Mr. Raspberry’s insight. And I like to believe that Mr. Raspberry believed in us and our Program because we were proof of his theory.
Once I did learn of his great ideologies, I needed to learn more and continued to follow his many opinion pieces through the Washington Post. His life’s trailblazing work awed me from a distance and when I and my fellow scholars had the opportunity to meet with and learn from him directly the insight was priceless. His keen ability to never waver from his stance on what is right in America whether or not his thoughts were popular or appropriately aligned with political tags was a personal trait that cannot be taught but should always be aspired towards. His mentorship through his column, speeches and conversations will be used to direct the nation’s moral code long after his passing this week.
Because Mr. Raspberry was so rich in thought and touched the lives of so, it is necessary to say thank you in words but also through action. As I know, having had an amazing mother, parenting is vital but in the last seven years after losing her to cancer, mentors have proven to be a more than necessary alternative when parenting is not available. William Raspberry served as a mentor to so many, and I hope his life encourages others to support the innate potential that all young people possess. I hope it encourages individuals to become mentors to even younger generations to share the teachings of greats like William Raspberry and encourage independent thinking in our young people. In his passing, I believe he has also passed the baton of leadership onto our generation. So as daunting as it may be to even begin to think of stepping into the shoes of the likes of William Raspberry, the reality is that we must answer the call. We are no longer the next generation; we are the generation responsible with teaching the next generation. It is time.
So in honor of Mr. Raspberry, his work, his unyielding thoughtfulness and longstanding dedication to ensuring that the United States had a voice that encouraged fairness and equity for all, I and my fellow Ron Brown Scholars will take up the charge of ensuring that mentorship is an integral part of our personal legacies.
We thank you for your life Mr. Raspberry.
Link to Washington Post version: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/william-raspberry-a-mentor-even-from-afar/2012/07/18/gJQAcmdetW_blog.html
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
Washington Post/The Root DC
Kinda exciting news! My piece (heavily edited) made it to the Washington Post/The Root DC. I am hoping this is another step to get the DC leadership to understand that DC Carnival is important to its residents.
For the Washington Post/the Root DC: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/love-for-the-dc-caribbean-carnival/2012/04/23/gIQAfXbZcT_blog.html
Below find the full letter I sent:
For the Washington Post/the Root DC: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/love-for-the-dc-caribbean-carnival/2012/04/23/gIQAfXbZcT_blog.html
Below find the full letter I sent:
Dear Mayor Gray and Members of the City
Council,
On any given day, you can find me discussing
policy, raising dollars and building relationships to ensure that justice and
resources are available for all. In addition to being a social justice
advocate, I am also a DC Carnival reveller. I proudly dance and sing down
Georgia Avenue covered in mud, paint or jewels, depending on the year. For many
onlookers, Carnival is merely a fun parade. For me, it has been the origin of
creativity in my life. As a child, Carnival was my outlet. It replaced the need
to succumb to peer pressure, drugs, and violence. As an adult, it continues to
be my personal emancipation from the pressures of life. The potential cancellation
of this event is unfortunate to say the least. As a longstanding participant in
Carnivals worldwide, I am writing to encourage further collaborative thinking
with your leadership towards finding a way to sustain this cultural gem.
DC prides itself as a haven for cultural
authenticity and preservation. DC Carnival
is an authentic representation of what began in Trinidad and Tobago in the
1800s as a form of celebration for emancipation. By dancing and singing in
unison in the streets, emancipated slaves celebrated their new freedom and
promise of equality- a struggle that people worldwide still fight for some 200
years later. This story is a vital component in the fabric of the history of
the world. It also is the story of the residents of African descent that make
up over 50% of the Washington, DC population. Like the many treasures that
reside in DC, the DC Carnival is worthy of being preserved.
DC Carnival is also seen by many as an
international attraction on par with the Cherry Blossom Festival and Fourth of
July Fireworks on the National Mall. Increased tourism from the event boosts
local commerce in the Georgia Avenue area, a community often forgotten during
other city-wide celebrations. Anyone who has ever attended this celebration
knows that Carnival is one of the most exuberant festivities one can
experience. The event brings an energy
that draws hundreds of thousands of people to the DC area. Thanks to the many
supporters of DC Carnival, it continues to be of financial benefit to the city.
Although it is easy for me to see the
positive, it is also important to discuss and suggest a resolution for the
city’s concerns. With regard to the crowds, managing large groups is a
difficult task for any city. However, if large crowds and their propensity for
violence were justification for event cancellation, we would have discontinued
the Olympics after the Centennial Olympic Park Bombing at the 1996 Summer
Olympics, and never had the March on Washington in fear of racially charged
violence.
Similarly, financial difficulties are a
reality, but they are not insurmountable. In place of cancellation, and
understanding that the DC Carnival is all volunteer-based, an alternative would
be to include the DC Carnival in the city’s budget as a cultural component of
city development as well as arts and culture. Additionally, there should be a
plan in place by the Carnival organizers and DC government that plans out how
the DC Carnival can be improved and better supported by the DC police force,
sanitation workers and all those who have a part in making the festival a
success. I also recommend that DC leaders seek support from engaged supporters
of the DC Carnival, both new and old, to gain a new perspective on the ways to
continue to make this event mutually beneficial. As we saw with “Screen on The
Green” in 2010, committed DC residents can make a difference. DC Carnival is
deserving of further consideration and innovative resolutions.
I do hope that we can turn this struggle into
a success for all and position the DC Caribbean Carnival as a consistent piece
of the fabric that makes Washington, DC the great city that it is today.
Respectfully,
DA Lovell
Thursday, April 19, 2012
An Open Letter to the Leaders of Washington, DC: Save DC Carnival
To the Leadership of Washington DC,
My name is DA Lovell. I am a first generation American of Trinidadian and Panamanian heritage and a resident of Washington, DC. As a professional, I work to ensure educational resources are available for all despite financial circumstances. As a resident of the District, I look to leaders, like each of you addressed here, as mentors, in the community effort to ensure that DC remains a premier example of a diverse 21st century American city. However, in addition to that, each summer I proudly promote this diversity as a reveller covered, in mud, paint or jewels, depending on the year, at the annual D.C. Caribbean Carnival. I participate in traditional dance and song with the 400,000 revellers that partake in this cultural celebration annually. As you may know, this event is being canceled this year and I am writing to encourage each of you to reconsider and understand that DC needs the Caribbean Carnival.
The irony of the cancellation of this event is that, on most days, my culture is applauded as being the cornerstone of my success. As a child, Carnival was my outlet. It replaced the need to succumb to peer pressure, drugs, and violence. It gave me something to look forward to and work towards. As an adult, it continues to be my personal emancipation from the pressures of life. One day a year, I am free to let loose and partake in a replication of an event that symbolizes the hard won freedom of my African ancestors brought to the Caribbean during over 300 years of slavery and indentured labor. For many onlookers, Carnival is merely a drunken parade. For me, it has been the origin of creativity in my life. On one day a year, Carnival, an expression of Caribbean culture, reminds us all that “we is all family”, a saying that teaches love, preaches unity and embraces racial and cultural diversity. DC needs the Caribbean Carnival.
Cancelling the D.C. carnival ignores the importance of this cultural festival for Washington, DC. DC needs the Caribbean Carnival.
History: In one of few majority-minority cities in the United States, it is only right that we preserve events representing the rich tapestry of cultures in the community. Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago began in the 1800s as a celebration of emancipated slaves, singing, dancing, and joyously uniting in the streets to celebrate their new freedom and promise of equality- a struggle that people of color still fight for globally some 200 years later. This history is a vital component in the fabric of the history of the world and the many residents of African descent that make up over 50% of the DC population. DC has also prided itself as a haven for cultural authenticity. Carnival is the manifestation of Caribbean culture and therefore should be welcomed in a city of preservation.
Community Building: Keeping Carnival active allows for a continued dialogue promoting cross cultural understanding, particularly about violence. The music of the Caribbean, particularly soca and calypso, speaks of unity, self-expression and enjoying life. Like any event with large crowds there is the need for increased security. However, if large crowds and their propensity for violence was justification for event cancellation, we would have ended the Republican National Convention after the death of Dean Johnson, a seventeen-year-old Sioux Indian from South Dakota , discontinued the Olympics after the Centennial Olympic Park Bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics, and never had the March on Washington for fear for racially charged violence.
Attraction: DC Carnival is an international attraction on par with the Cherry Blossom Festival, White House and National Mall. Over 400,000 participants annually boost local commerce in the Georgia Avenue area, a community often forgotten during other city wide celebrations. Anyone who has ever attended this celebration knows that Carnival is one of the most exuberant festivities on par with similar festivals that enjoy municipal support in Toronto, New York City, Miami, London and of course, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Transparency: As a member of the DC community, there is still a great deal of information that ought to be shared about the logistics of the DC Caribbean Carnival and its financial status. I offer the recommendation of further transparency from both sides so that interested participants may provide support and expertise where needed to ensure that this is a mutually beneficial experience. We are here and want to help.
As a form of historical preservation, continuation of peaceful gathering, an international tourist attraction, and an opportunity for further transparency, DC benefits by supporting the maintenance of the DC Caribbean Carnival. Without DC Carnival, I and many of your DC residents, lose a piece of our culture, our history and, ultimately, our lives. I do not believe that it is too late to engage new thought leaders on methods to sustain this event. Let us use this as a learning experience and a platform for community building and positive collaboration. So today, I ask you, my mentors in DC leadership, to reconsider the cancellation of this event.
Respectfully,
DA Lovell
To make your voice heard, please find the contact information of key DC officials below:
My name is DA Lovell. I am a first generation American of Trinidadian and Panamanian heritage and a resident of Washington, DC. As a professional, I work to ensure educational resources are available for all despite financial circumstances. As a resident of the District, I look to leaders, like each of you addressed here, as mentors, in the community effort to ensure that DC remains a premier example of a diverse 21st century American city. However, in addition to that, each summer I proudly promote this diversity as a reveller covered, in mud, paint or jewels, depending on the year, at the annual D.C. Caribbean Carnival. I participate in traditional dance and song with the 400,000 revellers that partake in this cultural celebration annually. As you may know, this event is being canceled this year and I am writing to encourage each of you to reconsider and understand that DC needs the Caribbean Carnival.
The irony of the cancellation of this event is that, on most days, my culture is applauded as being the cornerstone of my success. As a child, Carnival was my outlet. It replaced the need to succumb to peer pressure, drugs, and violence. It gave me something to look forward to and work towards. As an adult, it continues to be my personal emancipation from the pressures of life. One day a year, I am free to let loose and partake in a replication of an event that symbolizes the hard won freedom of my African ancestors brought to the Caribbean during over 300 years of slavery and indentured labor. For many onlookers, Carnival is merely a drunken parade. For me, it has been the origin of creativity in my life. On one day a year, Carnival, an expression of Caribbean culture, reminds us all that “we is all family”, a saying that teaches love, preaches unity and embraces racial and cultural diversity. DC needs the Caribbean Carnival.
Cancelling the D.C. carnival ignores the importance of this cultural festival for Washington, DC. DC needs the Caribbean Carnival.
History: In one of few majority-minority cities in the United States, it is only right that we preserve events representing the rich tapestry of cultures in the community. Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago began in the 1800s as a celebration of emancipated slaves, singing, dancing, and joyously uniting in the streets to celebrate their new freedom and promise of equality- a struggle that people of color still fight for globally some 200 years later. This history is a vital component in the fabric of the history of the world and the many residents of African descent that make up over 50% of the DC population. DC has also prided itself as a haven for cultural authenticity. Carnival is the manifestation of Caribbean culture and therefore should be welcomed in a city of preservation.
Community Building: Keeping Carnival active allows for a continued dialogue promoting cross cultural understanding, particularly about violence. The music of the Caribbean, particularly soca and calypso, speaks of unity, self-expression and enjoying life. Like any event with large crowds there is the need for increased security. However, if large crowds and their propensity for violence was justification for event cancellation, we would have ended the Republican National Convention after the death of Dean Johnson, a seventeen-year-old Sioux Indian from South Dakota , discontinued the Olympics after the Centennial Olympic Park Bombing at the 1996 Summer Olympics, and never had the March on Washington for fear for racially charged violence.
Attraction: DC Carnival is an international attraction on par with the Cherry Blossom Festival, White House and National Mall. Over 400,000 participants annually boost local commerce in the Georgia Avenue area, a community often forgotten during other city wide celebrations. Anyone who has ever attended this celebration knows that Carnival is one of the most exuberant festivities on par with similar festivals that enjoy municipal support in Toronto, New York City, Miami, London and of course, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago.
Transparency: As a member of the DC community, there is still a great deal of information that ought to be shared about the logistics of the DC Caribbean Carnival and its financial status. I offer the recommendation of further transparency from both sides so that interested participants may provide support and expertise where needed to ensure that this is a mutually beneficial experience. We are here and want to help.
As a form of historical preservation, continuation of peaceful gathering, an international tourist attraction, and an opportunity for further transparency, DC benefits by supporting the maintenance of the DC Caribbean Carnival. Without DC Carnival, I and many of your DC residents, lose a piece of our culture, our history and, ultimately, our lives. I do not believe that it is too late to engage new thought leaders on methods to sustain this event. Let us use this as a learning experience and a platform for community building and positive collaboration. So today, I ask you, my mentors in DC leadership, to reconsider the cancellation of this event.
Respectfully,
DA Lovell
To make your voice heard, please find the contact information of key DC officials below:
Mayor and At-Large City Council Members’ Staff Contacts:
- Mayor Gray: Carl Thompson, 202-340-7141, carl.thomas@dc.gov
- Chairman Kwame R. Brown: Jesse Saucedo, Outreach Coordinator, 202.724.9700, jsaucedo@dccouncil.us
- Councilman Catania: Jordan Hutchinson, Chief of Staff, 202.724.7772, jhutchinson@dccouncil.us
- Councilman Michael A. Brown: Carol Sadler, Constituent Services Specialist, 202-724-8198, csadler@dccouncil.us
- Councilman Mendelson: Celeste Duffie, Director of Constituent Services, 202-724-8064, cduffie@dccouncil.us
- Councilman Orange: Mark Long, Director, Community Outreach, 202-724-8174, mlong@dccouncil.us
Vintage Chic
Apparently, Essence magazine thinks I am fashionable. How can a girl be mad about that :) Normally, I tend to use this blog as a means of communicating all that should be right in the world. Well, today I am a firm believer that my fashion being highlighted in a world-renowned magazine...is what is right in the world!!
Here's the link to the Essence photo: http://photos.essence.com/galleries/street_style__luncheon#1258763
Here's the photo I want you to have ingrained in your head :)
Here's the link to the Essence photo: http://photos.essence.com/galleries/street_style__luncheon#1258763
Here's the photo I want you to have ingrained in your head :)
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
YouTube Might be the End of Me
No one ever promised me that fundraising was going to be easy but they did say it was necessary. Well, that is until I become a millionaire...then I'm done. Asking for money is not for the weak at heart. The past few days have created a few anxious moments but any bone of reservation that may have entered my body was continuously replaced with the bone of motivation to ensure that one more scholarship is raised.
However, one of my most anxious moments arose as I created my YouTube video to accompany this campaign. The issue was not the technology (although it would be great to have some more fancy features...wink wink to any techies out there). I created the video and loaded it up on YouTube no problem but hitting the Publish button created sheer PANIC in my soul.
The real issue was realizing that I am about to place my face on full blast for criticism and praise without my consent. Even us do-gooders have a bit of vanity. Aside from creating a new consciousness of beauty marks on my face, it created a very real sense of just how NOT private the internet is and just how available YOUR ENTIRE EXISTENCE can be to the world even those 1.6 billion other folks you will never meet.
After strongly debating removing myself from every form of social media I had ever attached myself too (yes, even that hot pink myspace page whose password I cant find but I know is still lingering), I came to two solid realizations.
1) I need to get over myself just a bit: I'm not that popular ... yet. So anyone watching my 4 minutes of begging is probably a friend or potential donor. So I can breathe a bit more calmly:)
2) This is the double edged sword of social media. We need it for branding and massive spreading of information but once its out there we have no control over it and how its interpreted.
The reality is that my PANIC was not without warrant (ok maybe the 5 minutes of hyperventilating in my hot pink fleece blanket was a little dramatic...but I digress). It's a reality of living in this digital age. Just about everything you say can be tracked. But thankfully all I'm saying is #onefor40 on repeat. But alas, YouTube was nearly the death of me but ended up giving me a reality check on the age of media that I've come to love in as a college student but fear as a budding young professional with accountability.
So thankfully this blog allows me to address these moments of PANIC and continue to push towards the goal of raising $40k by March 23...even if having my video all over youtube makes me a little nauseous.
Keep Swimming.
However, one of my most anxious moments arose as I created my YouTube video to accompany this campaign. The issue was not the technology (although it would be great to have some more fancy features...wink wink to any techies out there). I created the video and loaded it up on YouTube no problem but hitting the Publish button created sheer PANIC in my soul.
The real issue was realizing that I am about to place my face on full blast for criticism and praise without my consent. Even us do-gooders have a bit of vanity. Aside from creating a new consciousness of beauty marks on my face, it created a very real sense of just how NOT private the internet is and just how available YOUR ENTIRE EXISTENCE can be to the world even those 1.6 billion other folks you will never meet.
After strongly debating removing myself from every form of social media I had ever attached myself too (yes, even that hot pink myspace page whose password I cant find but I know is still lingering), I came to two solid realizations.
1) I need to get over myself just a bit: I'm not that popular ... yet. So anyone watching my 4 minutes of begging is probably a friend or potential donor. So I can breathe a bit more calmly:)
2) This is the double edged sword of social media. We need it for branding and massive spreading of information but once its out there we have no control over it and how its interpreted.
The reality is that my PANIC was not without warrant (ok maybe the 5 minutes of hyperventilating in my hot pink fleece blanket was a little dramatic...but I digress). It's a reality of living in this digital age. Just about everything you say can be tracked. But thankfully all I'm saying is #onefor40 on repeat. But alas, YouTube was nearly the death of me but ended up giving me a reality check on the age of media that I've come to love in as a college student but fear as a budding young professional with accountability.
So thankfully this blog allows me to address these moments of PANIC and continue to push towards the goal of raising $40k by March 23...even if having my video all over youtube makes me a little nauseous.
Keep Swimming.
Friday, February 3, 2012
#onefor40
Some days you wake up a bit crazier than others. But sometimes that "crazy" is your conscious kicking you for playing it safe and reminding you that real progress takes risk. For most of my life, service has been an integral part of what I did. I like to help other people and the hooplah of law school and just figuring out myself put a stump on how much I could serve. Well my conscious could not take it anymore. Today I’m making a BIG COMMITMENT!
Between today and March 23, 2012, I am committing to personally raise $40,000 for the Ron Brown Scholar Program. There are a few facts I should share that factor into this BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:
• I must be out of my mind.
• Life is too short not to have BIG, HARD-TO-ATTAIN goals.
• There is no way I can do this on my own.
SOOOOOOO, I am calling on YOU to help. Yes, you, my friends, frenemies, mentors, and yes, even the many complete strangers the have friended me over the years at Facebook. I am calling on anyone that will listen and cares about inspiring the next generation of leaders. I am calling on as many people as possible to donate any and everything to help me reach this goal.
If you are reading this blog, that means you love me. So stop reading here and just skip to the bottom to see how to make a donation (remember the hastag: #onefor40).
So why the Ron Brown Scholar Program?
You might not even know about the program so you can find the basics here. However, the most important part that you need to know is that I received this prestigious award and it did more than give me $40,000, it gave me the first taste of winning on a national level. It was a reminder that no matter my familial situation, no matter the stereotypes of my demographic, no matter any circumstances I would not only succeed but excel. Not only that I have the opportunity to meet some of the most engaging young people the nation has seen. (Learn more about them here).
I'm also doing this because over time it’s easy to become complacent. It’s easy to forget that this life is bigger than just our personal goals. No matter how many degrees received, accolades awarded or millions of dollars paid, I’m only as good as the number of lives I can improve.
I am going to raise this $40,000 by Selection Weekend (March 23, 2012). This is important to me, not out of obligation, but out of an internal need to ensure that at least one more young person feels the sense of limitlessness that I felt almost 10 years ago when I was selected. I’m doing it for the future.
So if you are with me, make a donation in the following forms and dont forget to include the hashtag #onefor40:
• Purchase a ticket or table to our annual fundraiser (American Journey Awards on March 23, 2012)
• Have your company match my amount raised (contact me at onefor40@gmail.com)
• Make a tax deductible donation to the Ron Brown Scholar Program (website)
#leggo
Between today and March 23, 2012, I am committing to personally raise $40,000 for the Ron Brown Scholar Program. There are a few facts I should share that factor into this BIG ANNOUNCEMENT:
• I must be out of my mind.
• Life is too short not to have BIG, HARD-TO-ATTAIN goals.
• There is no way I can do this on my own.
SOOOOOOO, I am calling on YOU to help. Yes, you, my friends, frenemies, mentors, and yes, even the many complete strangers the have friended me over the years at Facebook. I am calling on anyone that will listen and cares about inspiring the next generation of leaders. I am calling on as many people as possible to donate any and everything to help me reach this goal.
If you are reading this blog, that means you love me. So stop reading here and just skip to the bottom to see how to make a donation (remember the hastag: #onefor40).
So why the Ron Brown Scholar Program?
You might not even know about the program so you can find the basics here. However, the most important part that you need to know is that I received this prestigious award and it did more than give me $40,000, it gave me the first taste of winning on a national level. It was a reminder that no matter my familial situation, no matter the stereotypes of my demographic, no matter any circumstances I would not only succeed but excel. Not only that I have the opportunity to meet some of the most engaging young people the nation has seen. (Learn more about them here).
I'm also doing this because over time it’s easy to become complacent. It’s easy to forget that this life is bigger than just our personal goals. No matter how many degrees received, accolades awarded or millions of dollars paid, I’m only as good as the number of lives I can improve.
I am going to raise this $40,000 by Selection Weekend (March 23, 2012). This is important to me, not out of obligation, but out of an internal need to ensure that at least one more young person feels the sense of limitlessness that I felt almost 10 years ago when I was selected. I’m doing it for the future.
So if you are with me, make a donation in the following forms and dont forget to include the hashtag #onefor40:
• Purchase a ticket or table to our annual fundraiser (American Journey Awards on March 23, 2012)
• Have your company match my amount raised (contact me at onefor40@gmail.com)
• Make a tax deductible donation to the Ron Brown Scholar Program (website)
#leggo
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Ain’t I Mainstream?
Apparently not, so I’m asking all my “mainstream” friends (read: White) to go see Red Tails.
A movie theater is not my cup of tea on a Friday night. Personally, on any given weekend it’s more engaging to frolic through DC and experience life than to sit in a dark room and be sucked into a fictitious interpretation about fictional characters. (That is unless the fictional character is portrayed by Denzel Washington or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson…but I digress). To be completely honest, Red Tails was not an exception to this “No Denzel, No First Week Ticket Purchase” rule. However, having listened to George Lucas’s discussion of the difficulties with funding the film, I was moved to make sure that I not only saw this rendition of the story of the Tuskegee Airmen but also encouraged as many White people as possible to do the same.
In 2012, the year when I thought we would be driving space cars and such, Hollywood seems to have lagged as much as the automotive industry in terms of furturistic progress. The industry continues to struggle with presenting African Americans, and minorities at large, as the predominant center of blockbuster productions. As much as I cannot knock the hustle of Tyler Perry, it’s a sad reality that the recent movies produced with a predominantly minority cast have been connected to the infamous playwright. Historically, Spike Lee wore the title of African American filmmaker. Despite their independent successes and distinctive presentations of the African American community, both still struggle with “mainstream” appeal. Tyler Perry is great and all but if he’s all we have we’re in trouble. There’s a need for more stories, more opportunities and, in general, more representation. So, I was sold when Lucas spoke of the difficulties of getting the film funded despite his unparalleled success rate because it resonated with my frustrations with Hollywood. But I, not so quickly, realized that even if I bought my ticket to the Chinatown AMC theatre and dragged all my friends who would be interested in seeing the movie we would still be a predominantly African American group that is clearly not mainstream enough to encourage Hollywood to make more movies of the sort.
And of course there’s always the party pooper: A person I follow on twitter, suggested that Lucas’s discussion of the difficulties was merely a media ploy. (They were quickly unfollowed.) This idea only further encouraged me to see this historical adaptation of the Tuskegee Airmen. If it’s a media ploy, it’s the most socially relevant media ploy Hollywood has had in a while. Let’s just be clear: racial injustice is present and undeniable in economics, politics, and clearly yes, even the entertainment industry. So media ploy or not, this weekend I am going to succumb to the excessively overpriced movie theatre ticket (maybe even some popcorn) and support “Red Tails” and all those involved in the process of making the film. While this pessimistic tweeter might believe it to be a media ploy, I say, “Thank You Sir Lucas” for speaking candidly about the fact that the entertainment industry is still run almost entirely by White men interested in making money. And if I am going to place my fifteen dollars in the pocket of any affluent white man, I would much rather spend it on one who is producing a movie that encourages the reality that an all-minority cast can have mainstream appeal.
Now, back to the original issue, I’m African American and my dollars don’t constitute mainstream appeal. I am the market they expect to attend. So I’m asking all of my White followers to go see RedTails for the sake of my people in Hollywood. Whether you think of it as racism towards others or an affinity for one’s own racial group, the fact that Hollywood’s major players are still white males and the mainstream market is still predominantly white explains why an all-black cast would not be deemed audience friendly. Every day, minority communities watch movies and television that have nothing to do with their reality or when they do the depictions suggest that the stereotype is the norm.
So, here is my plea:
Dear White people, I am asking you for one weekend to do mw a favor and go see Red Tails for me and all the African Americans that will go see this film and, even in 2012, will still be considered something other than mainstream. Appreciation, The Folks Outside the Mainstream.
A movie theater is not my cup of tea on a Friday night. Personally, on any given weekend it’s more engaging to frolic through DC and experience life than to sit in a dark room and be sucked into a fictitious interpretation about fictional characters. (That is unless the fictional character is portrayed by Denzel Washington or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson…but I digress). To be completely honest, Red Tails was not an exception to this “No Denzel, No First Week Ticket Purchase” rule. However, having listened to George Lucas’s discussion of the difficulties with funding the film, I was moved to make sure that I not only saw this rendition of the story of the Tuskegee Airmen but also encouraged as many White people as possible to do the same.
In 2012, the year when I thought we would be driving space cars and such, Hollywood seems to have lagged as much as the automotive industry in terms of furturistic progress. The industry continues to struggle with presenting African Americans, and minorities at large, as the predominant center of blockbuster productions. As much as I cannot knock the hustle of Tyler Perry, it’s a sad reality that the recent movies produced with a predominantly minority cast have been connected to the infamous playwright. Historically, Spike Lee wore the title of African American filmmaker. Despite their independent successes and distinctive presentations of the African American community, both still struggle with “mainstream” appeal. Tyler Perry is great and all but if he’s all we have we’re in trouble. There’s a need for more stories, more opportunities and, in general, more representation. So, I was sold when Lucas spoke of the difficulties of getting the film funded despite his unparalleled success rate because it resonated with my frustrations with Hollywood. But I, not so quickly, realized that even if I bought my ticket to the Chinatown AMC theatre and dragged all my friends who would be interested in seeing the movie we would still be a predominantly African American group that is clearly not mainstream enough to encourage Hollywood to make more movies of the sort.
And of course there’s always the party pooper: A person I follow on twitter, suggested that Lucas’s discussion of the difficulties was merely a media ploy. (They were quickly unfollowed.) This idea only further encouraged me to see this historical adaptation of the Tuskegee Airmen. If it’s a media ploy, it’s the most socially relevant media ploy Hollywood has had in a while. Let’s just be clear: racial injustice is present and undeniable in economics, politics, and clearly yes, even the entertainment industry. So media ploy or not, this weekend I am going to succumb to the excessively overpriced movie theatre ticket (maybe even some popcorn) and support “Red Tails” and all those involved in the process of making the film. While this pessimistic tweeter might believe it to be a media ploy, I say, “Thank You Sir Lucas” for speaking candidly about the fact that the entertainment industry is still run almost entirely by White men interested in making money. And if I am going to place my fifteen dollars in the pocket of any affluent white man, I would much rather spend it on one who is producing a movie that encourages the reality that an all-minority cast can have mainstream appeal.
Now, back to the original issue, I’m African American and my dollars don’t constitute mainstream appeal. I am the market they expect to attend. So I’m asking all of my White followers to go see RedTails for the sake of my people in Hollywood. Whether you think of it as racism towards others or an affinity for one’s own racial group, the fact that Hollywood’s major players are still white males and the mainstream market is still predominantly white explains why an all-black cast would not be deemed audience friendly. Every day, minority communities watch movies and television that have nothing to do with their reality or when they do the depictions suggest that the stereotype is the norm.
So, here is my plea:
Dear White people, I am asking you for one weekend to do mw a favor and go see Red Tails for me and all the African Americans that will go see this film and, even in 2012, will still be considered something other than mainstream. Appreciation, The Folks Outside the Mainstream.
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