Post from Tumblr Blog: http://tamzlavender.tumblr.com/post/66155455794/when-the-issue-of-having-media-for-black-people
When the issue of having media for black people comes up, for some it is deemed as raciest; I find this laughable. If shows like Black Girls Rock and magazines like Jet, Ebony, and Essence didn’t exist I believe we would be even more segregated as a society and undermined as people of color. These outlets were created because “mainstream” media greatly caters to a white audience. All of this can be researched and validated.
I find it even more absurd when these comments are stated from one who is not considered a “minority”. It’s a shame that it can’t even be fathomed to these individuals about the psychological affects that this has and that these affects need to be counteracted with positive affirmations. It feels different and it is different when someone assumes they know all about you just by looking at you. When media shows only negative associations with people of color these images are implanted into our minds and are then brought up in everyday life, reinforcing itself into our psyche.
When you come from a family history of limited opportunities and struggling to make your voice heard, you need an outlet to begin to build a foundation you can stand on. These outlets don’t seem to be given to us by those who have most of the resources to do so; so of course we must uplift ourselves when no one else can or will do it for us.
When my mother was a little girl, she accompanied her mother one day cleaning for a white woman’s home. The woman made a comment about my mother growing up to be a maid too. My mom told the woman “no, I’m going to be a nurse” and that’s just what my mother did. She didn’t listen to the negativity that was around her, the assumptions that she wasn’t capable of making great accomplishments; she pursued her goals and accomplished them! She serves as a great example to me, that no matter what road blocks are in your way, don’t let it stop you.
The article that prompted this entry: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/olivia-cole/why-im-not-here-for-white_b_4214132.html?utm_hp_ref=tw
Miss Informed 