I know a lot of Americans are critical of all the news coverage of the Royal baby, but I love it! I'm not a huge royal watcher, but I am a history buff and it was a nice moment to get a peek at the baby in the very spot where we met William. I'm a year older than William, so it almost feels like I grew up with him. I was devestated along with the rest of the world when ge lost his mom. I know Princess Diana would be thrilled at the new baby! I hope they have Spencer in there as one of the names.
So simmer down all of you angry, jaded Americans who are salty about the media coverage. Its nice to take a break from all the negativity and tragedy in the news and focus on something positive. Cheers to the Duke and Duchess! Cheers to the future King!
Five days after the Zimmerman trial, the anger is still palpable. From the news to social media, the second that verdict was read the emotions of Black America have been running high. We'd all like to believe there is no White America and Black America, as then-senator Obama said in his 2004 Democratic National Convention speech. But, after seeing the vastly different way that Black and White people have read this case, we all know that's a lie.
The one positive aspect of this case is the dignity that Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin have shown during this case. We rarely see divorced Black parents in the media that get along and are successful co-parents. They've presented a united front from day one and have shown America a new image of the Black family and I applaud them for that.
The biggest shocker of this case besides the verdict itself is the different ways this case has been interpreted. Black people see Trayvon as a typical teenager who looks like someone we know. Whites (some, not all) see him as a threatening man with a checkered past. Though, I don't understand how much of a checkered past a 17 year-old could really have. But, the point is that we live such segregated lives that it makes it difficult to see the humanity in someone and have empathy for someone that you don't know. This case has put the racial divide under a microscope and it has become the defining moment in what I feel is the new Civil Rights Movement. Trayvon Martin is the new Emmitt Till and Twitter has become the new church basement where our movements are organized. I don't know where we go from here or how America is ever gonna heal from this. But, our pain is nothing compared to Sybrina and Tracy's.
Push Girls. One of the few reality shows on television that is both entertaining and educational.
The show airs on the Sundance channel and is currently in its second season. I started watching it last summer after seeing a magazine ad for the show and I was immediately hooked.
The show follows the story of four friends in Los Angeles who are all paralyzed. Three of the ladies were injured in car accidents and one became paralyzed after an illness.
The main cast included Angela a former model and actress. She was previously married to Dustin Nguyen of 21 Jump Street fame and was injured in the accident that killed her friend actress Thuy Trang who was best known as the Yellow Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
Auti is a hip hop dancer and singer, who was on the cusp of stardom in the 90's and about to sign a record deal before her accident. Party girl Tiphany, who was injured in high school after her car was hit by a drunk driver. Athletic, girl-next-door Mia, who's paralysis was caused by an illness when she was 15, and a recently paralyzed teenager, Chelsie, is also featured. The ladies mentor and help Chelsie as she comes to terms with her paralysis.
The show recently won the Critics Choice award for Best Reality Show and it is well-deserved. This show is entertaining because of the incredible spirit and personalities of these women. But at the same time, it also challenges the stereotypes of people in wheelchairs and educates us on what life is like for a person living with paralysis. This is one of those hidden gems on cable TV, that I think is going unnoticed amongst the thousands of other reality shows out there. But, this show is not a guilty pleasure. It is simply a pleasure.
I finally got a chance to watch "Dark Girls" a documentary that premiered this week on the OWN network. This documentary lit up the Black blogosphere and social media with conversations and debates about colorism.
I found myself having to rewind several times because I kept gasping and shouting out at the beauty of the women and girls onscreen. I was also struck by the obvious pain in the eyes of so many of these girls and women. As a Dark Girl myself a lot of the pain resonated with me.
Colorism also came into play when Olympic hurdler Lolo Jones created a controversy with a tweet she made about Rachel Jeantel, a 19 year-old who was on the phone with Trayvon Martin when he was murdered.
Lolo Jones' comment created an immediate backlash on social media, with much of the anger being levied at Jones' light skin color. This isn't the first time Lolo Jones' complexion has been used against her. I've seen numerous "tragic mulatto" comments and jokes since the Olympics last summer after Jones failed to win a medal. Which begs the question, are we replacing one kind of colorism with another?
In the Dark Girls documentary people talked about growing up hearing negative comments about darker Blacks. Mine was the complete opposite. I grew up hearing a lot of negative comments about light-skinned Blacks. I heard terms like "wasted yellow" as in a light skinned Black person who was unattractive and their high yellow complexion was deemed wasted on them.
The disdain for light skinned Blacks that was going on around me did not make me as a dark-skinned, kinky haired girl feel better about myself. It put the idea in my head that maybe the hatred toward light skin Blacks was jealousy and that they were better than us. It made me long to look like the biracial girl in my class because she was so loved by all of the Black boys.
As I got older and was able to unlearn some of the things I internalized as a child, I've often wondered why it has to be one or the other. Why do we have to uplift one and put down the other? Why can't we celebrate the beauty of Lolo's athleticism AND Rachel's courage on the witness stand at the same time?
If you're hungry for some good new music, then check out Lion Babe (@Lion_Babe) and Johnny Swim (@JOHNNYSWIM) Both are duos that feature celebrity daughters. Before you roll your eyes, just know that these ladies have inherited all of the talent and beauty of their famous mothers, but have a style and sound all their own. Lion Babe features producer Lucas Goodman and vocalist Jillian Hervey, the daughter of Vanessa L. Williams and publicist/manager Ramon Hervey. Jillian's voice is reminiscent of Erykah Badu and the video for their first single "Treat Me Like Fire" is like performance art with Jillian playing the part of a fierce lioness in the wild and showcasing her dancing skills.
Johnnyswim is husband and wife duo Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudano. Amanda is the daughter of the late great Donna Summer and Singer/Songwriter Bruce Sudano. Being a fan of Donna Summer, I've been aware of this group for several years. I happen to be watching the VH1 show "Mob Wives" recently and I heard their song "Heartbeats" and loved it. Only later did I find out that Johnnyswim was behind that song. The video has a very earthy feel to it which is the perfect setting for Amanda and Abner's haunting, bluesy vocals.
Don't sleep on either of these artists. I hear so many people complain about the lack of good R&B. Well, here it is. No bling, no grills, no materialism, just good music.
This has been such an incredibly racially-charged week in the media, I've been reluctant to even attempt writing about it. It's been too much, even for a person like me who loves talking race and culture.
I've never been a Paula Deen fan. I've been to one of her casino restaurants a few times and I only went because it was free. The food was mediocre and a feeble attempt at copying the southern cooking style pioneered by Black people.
I have however, NOT enjoyed watching her downfall this week. It's laughable that all of these companies and advertisers severed ties with Paula Deen, yet continue their association with the likes of Donald Trump, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Fox News.
I'm not making excuses for Paula Deen. Her use of the n-word and her love of slave imagery is offensive. But, I think she is harmless. There are people out there spreading hate on the air and the Internet everyday. These people have a lot of power and influence and they use it. Paula Deen may be racist, but her using the n-word and wanting slaves at a wedding does not affect our daily lives. In the grand scheme of all the racism out there, Paula Deen is meanigless. Save your outrage for someone who really deserves it.
Welcome to The Black Girl Critic. My name is Cicely. I am 32 years old. I am a journalism school drop-out and I work as a temp. I'm an introvert, a bibliophile, a movie buff, a political junkie, a TV addict, and a music lover. I also love to write and I am tired of waiting for someone to give me an opportunity. The internet and social media has leveled the playing field. It has provided so many people with a platform for their voices to be heard and I want to add my voice to that chorus. I've had some tough breaks these last several years and have lost my voice. I'm hoping to use this blog to help me get my voice back, while also helping give a voice to other people and topics that need a platform.
On a very serious note, former South African President Nelson Mandela's health is now critical. Let's send all of our love and good wishes to Madiba and his family tonight.
