Tavis Smiley, Drs. Julianne Malveaux and Cornel West
Princeton professor and Bennett College president debate the Democratic Party acceptance speech of Sen. Barack Obama.
Watch the full interview.
Archive for Media
Danny Glover: Troubling the Water
Today’s launch of the film Trouble the Water directed and produced by Tia Lessin and Carl Deal and executive produced by the company I co-founded, Louverture Films, opens up a meaningful space to examine critical and pressing issues that have remained unaddressed and unresolved since the Katrina disaster three years ago to this Sunday.
Van Jones Knows How to Build a Green Economy
Altering the perception of the environmental movement among African Americans.
The closing keynote speaker of the Netroots Nation convention in Austin last month was environmental and social justice activist Van Jones. Following his Sunday morning speech TPMtv caught up with Mr. Jones and asked him about the perception of the environmental movement in the black community and how to alter that perception for the better in creating a full-blown eco-populism movement.
Black Agenda Report: New York Times Attempts to Define and Dictate Black Politics
The Sunday magazine of the nation’s most influential newspaper predicts that Black politics as we know it is headed for extinction, that Barack Obama’s “brand of ‘race-neutrality’ shows Black politics is obsolete, and should be abandoned.”
Read Glen Ford’s analysis at Black Agenda Report.
The National Black Programming Consortium’s New Media Institute
The New Media Institute is a virtual workshop series, new media production, and conference teaching new advances in new media production and distribution.
This year’s NMI will focus on the role of social networking and active citizenship in the creation of a digital Open Letter to the New Administration.
Click on the following link to download a PDF with bios for NMI 2008 project producers:
If you have questions about the New Media Institute, please contact Denise Greene, Director, New Media Institute, at denise@nbpc.tv, or Thabi Moyo at thabi@nbpc.tv.
Uhuru Movement Heckles Obama For Not Addressing Black Issues
QUESTION: “In the face of the numerous attacks that are made against the African community or the black community, by the same U.S. government that you aspire to lead, and we are talking about attacks like the sub-prime mortgage…and it wasn’t just a general ambiguous kind of phenomenon but a phenomenon that targeted the African community and Latino community, attacks like the killing of Sean Bell… and the Jena Six and Hurricane Katrina and the list goes on, in the face of all these attacks that are clearly being made on the African community, why is it that you have not had the ability, to not one time to speak to the interest and even speak on behalf of the oppressed and exploited African community in this country?”
Thanks and praises for the Brother’s eloquent and very valid question. In the face of a void of outspoken Black leadership, and while Obama side-steps Black issues for political expediency, it was only a matter of time before the members of Black community began to speak for ourselves. We must ask ourselves what we gain in the long run by not holding Obama accountable now, before he’s elected. Should we accept less from him than any other politician? We would expect any politician to at least pay lip service to our issues. Yes, it’s a political reality that Obama must be seen as “America’s President” to win the election. But it’s also a political reality, that if we allow our issues to be forgotten, they will be. While he may be one example of the fulfillment of Dr. King’s dream, and we do support that, we still feel the void of Black leadership that uncompromisingly addresses and acts on our issues and struggles.
Props to these Brothers for bringing to light the reality that we still have a Black agenda and it should still be addressed in a direct, uncompromising and eloquent manner.
Visit Uhuru News.
Color of Change: Vote Today! Help get Van Jones on the Tom Joyner Show
After 12 years, Tavis Smiley is turning over the mic on the Tom Joyner Morning Show and they’ve put the choice for his replacement in your hands. What’s more, our own Van Jones, co-founder of ColorOfChange, is one of the seven finalists for the prestigious spot.
Van just finished delivering a great live commentary, followed by a rave review by Joyner’s celebrity judge. We’re encouraging everyone we know to check it out and then rank his performance online. It takes only a moment; just click here:
http://tomjoyner.com/commentator/contenders/commentator_van.html
This week they’ll cut the seven finalists to four, so your vote really counts. If he makes it through, we know Van will elevate the issues we care about–improving our schools, fighting for healthcare, creating good, green jobs and fixing our broken justice system–on one of the most listened-to shows in America.
If you want to vote for Van, it’s easy, but you have to do it before voting closes tonight. Follow this link, then click on “Listen Now” to hear the commentary and “Vote Now” to cast your ballot:
http://tomjoyner.com/commentator/contenders/commentator_van.html
Once you’re there, you can also find out more about Van’s work and life through the series of links to his articles and appearances.
Thank You and Peace,
– James, Gabriel, Clarissa, Andre, Kai and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
July 22nd, 2008
In Defense of Sherri Shepherd, yes Sherri Shepherd
Letter to Huffington Post.
Your running line of commentary on Sherri Shepherd (Sherri Shepherd Moment Of The Day) suggesting she is ignorant and unintelligent is racist and you should stop. You have no appreciation for Black humor or a Black world view so you are not in a position to judge her intelligence. I assure you that Black women do not achieve their positions by accident or some fortunate twist of fate. It takes a certain amount of intelligence for any Black woman to navigate her way to success in white corporate America (which our media is a product of), and to endure racist and sexists stereotyping that you have stooped to. So I assure you she is not stupid. She’s a comedian, she’s a real person (and funny as hell, when you getting your sitcom girl?). This running joke about Sherri is insulting and should stop.
Wild Roots
Any Sista who has worked long enough in corporate America knows what I’m talkin bout too. Wish politicians, or anyone in the corporate media for that matter, had the guts to be themselves on TV everyday the way Sherri does. Maybe we’d start to see some real changes. (Not calling no names).
They haven’t responded to their email yet, but in my experience, calling the Huffingtonpost, so-called “progressive media” out on their bullshit gets no more response than mainstream corporate media.
Feel free to copy and paste and edit into your own email. info@huffingtonpost.com (There’s no email on their site to contact the editors. Get it together HuffPo.)
Black in America, the Revolution will NOT be on CNN
I’ve seen it all now. Black folks talking about the state of the Black nation in the Corporate media. If I hear “personal responsibility” one more time I’m liable to go postal on that ass. So when predatory lenders go after Black first time homeowners trying to grab their little piece of the American pie, who will call out mortgage bankers on their personal responsibility, i.e. stop being so damn greedy. Every facet of American life is still stained with racism, from inconsistent health care, disproportionate incarceration rates, failing public schools, etc. Oh but “Black folks, look within and stop whining and walk in the light of the American Dream,” is all we seem to be hearing these days. I’m all for self reflection, but CNN is not forum for that. If CNN can call us out on our lack of personal responsibility, then they should equally call white folks out on their white priviledge and ingrained racism. Couple of ideas for CNN’s next forum:
1. Hold a forum for the financial community and ask them how they, in their professional opinions, contributed to the economy to going down the drain because of subprime loans that unfairly targeted Black home buyers and home owners.
2. Hold a forum for healthcare professionals to explain the article that came out recently that reveals the disparity in deaths from cancer between Black and whites in the same urban centers.
3. Hold a forum for the education and law enforcement communities discussing an end to the Cradle to Prision pipeline. How about that?
But that would be too much like right. Didn’t Dr. King say racism is a disease that afflicts us all? Black folks for a false sense of inferiority and white folks for a false sense of superiority. There always comes a time when white folks in the media think they know us and racism seems like a distant memory (usually after a creative breakthrough on our part, like jazz, Motown or this time, hip hop). They think they get us now and it’s all good. The last time I remember it was just before the Rodney King verdict and the Rebellion that followed. Didn’t hear a peep about racism in the media until Chuck D and KRS and NWA strong armed the mic. (Note to self: Re-read James Baldwin “The Fire Next Time”) And I just love the promos, “after watching this America will know what it’s like to be Black in America.” We will explain 400 years of Black suffering and struggling and overcoming in two hours.
And what happened to Umoja? Essence, if you are going to bring advertising dollars to a network so that white America can try and fill in the blanks that hip-hop left, at least do it on BET. Essence and the Black thinkers that contributed their time to the program, I ain’t mad at you. You tried to bring light to our issues, and add a nice little entry to your personal bios and resumes, and clock dollars at the same time. But we are in a precarious time right now y’all. We’re being told that racism is all in the past and if we talk about it we’re living in the past. Eight years of Bush did shift the boogyman focus from us to the “terrorists.” But all that shit can shift right back on a dime.
Trust.
Color of Change: Fox’s “baby mama” drama: just the tip of the iceberg
Right now, Fox News is trying to paint Barack Obama as foreign, un-American, suspicious, and scary. They’re trying to send Americans the message that our country’s first viable Black candidate for President is not “one of us.”
We’ve seen this before from Fox. They won’t stop until it becomes too painful to continue–until the public calls them out and advertisers start getting worried.
Now is the time to draw a line in the sand by putting Fox on notice that their behavior won’t be tolerated. In less than a minute, you can help us do that. Then invite your friends and family to do the same. Just click here:
Conflict-resolution teams at Locke High
Police patrol the halls and specialists counsel students on the first school day following Friday’s campus melee.
About half of the students said the brawling was prompted by their peers — bored with school and ready to ignite, said intervention specialist Holly Priebe-Diaz.
Other students, she said, blamed ongoing racial tensions and gang problems. Historically black Watts has changed rapidly to a Latino-majority community, with gangs of both ethnicities claiming overlapping turf in the economically depressed streets. Locke’s student body is about 65% Latino and 35% African American.
“This is a microcosm of something bigger happening in the community,” Priebe-Diaz said.
10 Questions for Toni Morrison
She’s won the Pulitzer and Nobel prizes and recently received the PEN/Borders Literary Service Award. A new collection of her nonfiction, What Moves at the Margin, is out now. Toni Morrison takes questions. Source Time.com
Do you think that young black females are dealing with the same self-acceptance issues today as your character was in The Bluest Eye? —Francesca Siad, Calgary, Alta.
No, not at all. When I wrote the book, the young women who read it liked it [but] were unhappy because I had sort of exposed an area of shame. Nowadays I find young African-American women much more complete. They seem to have a confidence that they take for granted.
“Different, not deficient”
This is an edited transcript of a speech given by Rev Jeremiah Wright at an event for the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People in Detroit from Guardian Unlimited UK.
I come from a religious tradition that did not hold slaves, but preached against slavery and worked to end slavery. I come from a religious tradition that fought against Lansing like the NAACP, fought against discrimination like the NAACP and fought against skin privilege, fought against apartheid, fought again unfair labour practices, fought against segregation, fought against Plessy versus Ferguson.
I come from a religious tradition that fought for desegregation like NAACP. Fought for equality, fought for human dignity, fought for civil rights, fought for equal protection into the law and fought for the right of every citizen to have quality education regardless of the colour of their skin. I also come from a religious tradition that says if you feel excited about something, be excited about it. Don’t stand there - he has hate speech. Listen to how bombastic he is. Isn’t he bombastic? He’s stirring up hate.
The Rev. breaks some stuff down about everything from (mis)education to music to language to a legacy of resistance. Whatever the political consequences, the brother is speaking Truth to power and getting mainstream attention in a way that we haven’t seen recently. He’s saying things that others have been afraid to say in a manner that does not equivocate. And I say, “Amen!” The original message was a sermon delivered in sacred space, and not meant to be chewed up and spit out in a white corporate context (the mainstream media, y’all). But now that is has been, he has no choice but to respond. What did Bob say? “2000 years of history, could not be wiped away so easily.”
Always insightful Glen Ford has his say here.
The world views of Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Sen. Barack Obama were incompatible from the start, just as the mythical American Manifest Destiny world view is directly at odds with the facts as perceived by Blacks in the United States. Wright finally forced Obama to choose sides in the conflict of racial/historical visions, and in doing so, performed a service on behalf of clarity. Obama lashed out in a startlingly personal manner, calling Wright a “caricature” of himself and linking the minister to forces that give “comfort to those who prey on hate.” Rev. Wright exposed the flimsy tissues of so-called “race neutrality” in a nation founded on racial oppression.
…and then I’m about done with this topic. But the reality is, this whole issue is about an attempt to redefine and re-frame issues of race from a Eurocentric viewpoint of history. We can understand Obama’s political need to “distance himself” but we can’t afford to lose sight of our historical struggles as a people in the meantime. How can we overcome American Imperialism in Iraq and forget American colonialism? And if we pretend that racism is a relic of a by-gone era in the hope of electing a Black president, we’re setting ourselves up for not having our issues addressed at all. And in light of the Sean Bell verdict, disproportionate incarceration rates, racist lending practices, etc, etc., we can’t afford that.
That’s what’s up.
Jeremiah Wright At National Press Club: Watch Video
Watch the video here.
