Entries from November 2008 ↓

We know what the problems are. What About Solutions? WAOD is  starting a series to focus on people or groups who are doing their part to fight the War on Black women. Our first What About Solutions Contributor is Njeri Santana, the founder and owner of Urban Playdates. Urban Playdats is a FREE social-networking site connecting parents & caregivers that are raising or involved in raising children of color www.urbanplaydates.com

By Njeri Santana:

Have you checked out the avatars on some of these black gossip sites? Is it me or doesn’t it seem like some of these women are posting pics from their soft porn portfolio? Sad part is that these soft porn pics are more prevalent on teen myspace pages. Why?

Looks like Dionne P. Stephens has the answer. I came across Dr. Stephens’ paper Freaks, Gold Diggers, Divas and Dykes: The Socio-historical Development of Adolescent African American Women’s Sexual Scripts. After reading her paper I had what Oprah likes to say was my “aha” moment.

Dr. Stephens’ “examines socio- historical factors shaping minority populations’ sexual health processes, with emphasis on gender and ethnic/ racial identity development. Her most recent research examines the constructions of sexual scripts and their influence on sexual risk outcomes across ethnic groups.”

What is a sexual script?  Sexual scripts are culturally defined as a set of guidelines prescribing appropriate forms of sexual behavior and ways of managing sexual encounters. Think of it as the blueprint or roadmap that outlines visual descriptions or actions of characters and their dialogue.

Dr. Stephens not only breaks down the history of the sexual scripts that African American teens are bombarded with.  She provides extensive examples of these scripts as well as how men view women within each script.

Let’s take a look at one…. the Gold Digger.

According to Stephens the Gold Digger trades social status for sex describes the Diva, it is the Gold Digger who trades sex for a harder currency. A Gold Digger is a woman who explicitly seeks material and economic rewards above all else, and is willing to trade sex for it. Sex is her commodity because it is the only valuable thing she has in society. …Gold Diggers seem to have the most obvious awareness that sex is their most powerful commodity. Sex may be used to barter for basic needs such as a bag of groceries, getting rent paid, or making sure their lights do not get turned off. However, manicures and pedicures, new clothing, vacations, or having a car note paid are also possible wants that Gold Diggers may be willing to trade sex to get…..the sexual links to poverty and its relevance to survival are clear. Their lives have been called “ghetto fabulous,” where they are socially embedded in a culture of poverty, yet have the economic means to procure middle-class goods. The song “Project Chick” (2001) by male rappers Big Tymers discusses how their financial means can entice a Gold Digger to give up and put out”

How often have you seen a teen looking like a video vixen on the street and said to yourself “what is going on in that child’s mind”? After reading Dr. Stephens paper you will have a clear idea and that’s what makes this paper sooo powerful.

Dr. Stephens’ is truly a warrior in the fight against the media’s distorted perceptions of African American women. She’s fighting the war by “identifying developmental factors promoting resilience and buffering negative health outcomes” Yes negative outcomes like rape, HIV, domestic abuse and teen pregnancy. Can’t be made at that can we?

Want to play a game. Here’s a list of the sexual scripts listed in Dr. Stephens’ paper. Write the first image that comes to your mind. Once you’ve completed this exercise read her paper and compare your images to her definition.

Jezebel

Mammy

Welfare Mother

Matriarch

The Diva

Gold Digger

Freak- aka slut ho chicken head hood rat floozy women

Dykes

Gangster Bitch

The Sister Savior

The Earth Mother

Baby Mama

Dr. Stephens’ goal is to identify developmental factors promoting resilience and buffering negative health outcomes. I interviewed Dr. Dionne P. Stephens on The Urban Playdates podcast where she spoke about her work.

If you’ve found a solution or know of a group or individual taking action to fight the War on Black Women, feel free to contribute a What About Solutions? guest post so that we can highlight them. Contact us for more information. Note, WE aren’t writing the post, YOU ARE!

Typically, comments related to the administration and editorial direction are frowned upon, however,  we make an exception today because we are considering a change that will have a far greater impact on you as a reader than me as a blogger and I don’t have an opinion one way or the other.

So we’re doing some upgrades in December while everyone is off work and off of the blogs and we are debating which comments plug-in to use. If you have experience as a blog reader or blogger with CoComment, Disqus, Haloscan ( or its new owner) or SezWho, let me know if you have had any good/bad experiences with any of them -especially any issues with your computer “locking up” or slowing down

If you have experience with another commenting system, feel free to throw that one in the mix. I think ultimately it is a personal preference that varies with each blog reader.

Thanks,

What About Our Daughters Reader Relations Department

I read over at Acts of Faith that the Congressional Black Caucus has selected California Representative Barbara Lee to be the next chair.

I saw Congresswoman Lee speak this summer at the Democratic National Convention. The White House Project along with Mills College sponsored a reception in honor of Shirley Chisholm. Barbara Lee worked on Chisholm’s 72 campaign and told the story about how Shirley Chisholm convinced her to register to vote. Lee was one of the people interviewed for Unbought & Unbossed, the documentary chronicling Chisholm’s run for the White House…. the one everybody forgot. ( Nah Jesse wasn’t first). It was interesting seeing Congresswoman Lee respond to some of the scenes from way back when. The CBC did Shirley wrong. Intentionally undermined her and of course her male peers threw out the “C” word.. no not THAT one… the other one CRAZY. Because you know that any Black woman fighting passionately about anything is goign to have that one thrown out a time or two. Wear it as a badge of honor.

I can so relate to Barbara Lee, she’s a Black woman who is not afraid to stand alone with nothing but the courage of her convictions. WHEW. I know what that’s like. Barbara Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against the authorization of the use of force after 9-11. Remember those days? Whether you agreed with her or not, that took guts.

At the reception for Shirley Chisholm, who she refers to as “Mrs C,” Congresswoman Lee gave a loving recount of her time working on Shirley Chisholm’s presidential campaign. She also gave a running nonverbal/vebral commentary as we viewed the documentary during the tribute.

One of the sad things about this election is that while many people have made the comparison between Martin Luther King and Barack Obama, they’ve left out an important part, Shirley Chisholm’s run. In fact, I think for all of the comparisons with Jesse Jackson’s run, I think this year had a lot more in common with Chisholm’s run. You should check out the documentary and some amazing Chisholm campaign literature for those of us who weren’t around back then.

Will this mean a Congressional Black Caucus with a legislative agenda that is more responsive to their under served constituents as opposed to their corporate benefactors? Who knows, but Barbara Lee is not boring or afraid to challenge the status quo. Afterall, that book she is signing in the first photo is called RENEGADE FOR PEANCE AND JUSTICE ( That’s actually my copy she’s signing!). We’ll see.

Here is a picture of Barbara Lee with the filmmaker, Shola Lynch.

One day when I get time, I am going to put up all of my DNCC photos. I got some great ones at this tribute.

Mr. Juanita Bynum also known as Bishop Tommy “The Hit Man” Weeks got evicted from his church for failure to pay $400,000 in rent.

Apparently he didn’t get the prophesy that the Sheriff was coming to kick his congregation out in the middle of a meeting. I saw this YouTube clip over at Character Corner. His YouTube solicitation is entertaining in and of itself, but the captions and subtitles actually make the video:

They are showing no mercy over there in the Character Corner comments section.

I KNOW Tavis Smiley did not send one of his employees to roll up on my blog and start talking noise all because I think that the terms and conditions of his Web Super Star Blogging contest are idiotic, demeaning, and stupid. Because lil’ ole me decided to defend the honor and dignity of Black bloggers against this patronizing power play by the Black Elite Establishment, my blogging honor has been besmirched and I DEMAND SATISFACTION! ( Tavis Smiley must really be hard up for some attention so heck, we’ll give him one more post for the heck of it mmmkay)

So Mo’ Kelly the mastermind of The Tavis Smiley Web Star debacle is catching heat from his boss, Tavis Smiley and Mo’ decided to get all swole, put some bass in his voice and tried to step to me in my own comments section.

So y’all its been like a week since I personally commented on this blog contest fiasco, but in the interim apparently my original observations have caught steam. Jack and Jill Politics and Black Web 2.0 picked up on my earlier post where I merely pointed out the terms and conditions of the Tavis Smiley Web Star Blog Contest for the tenth anniversary of Tavis’ Annual Negro Super Bowl aka the State of the Black Union. ( I cannot take credit for the “Annual Negro Super Bowl” that was the brainchild of Leutisha over at JJP).

So I get home from a relaxing workout and see this comment waiting for me from Morris O’Kelly, employee of Tavis Smiley:

Gina said: Or you could have credentialed bloggers like any other type of media. I am sure the Washington Post didn’t have to do a frigging essay. Every post we write is an essay. I know your intentions were good Mo’, but this contest is very patronizing. Sorry [See y'all I even included a smiley face. I was TRYING to be NICE.]
_______________ Then Mo’ Kelly Said

Bloggers are credentialed…if you look at the registration portion of the site, you would’ve seen this. The Washington Post isn’t even invited…just FYI. [UM so tell me why I have to look at the registration page of a conference I have no desire to attend.]

Did anyone check the registration portion of the SOBU site? If so, you would’ve seen that when “press” registered, it also asked if you were a blogger…to be included, not excluded. [Again my deluded creature, why would we check the conference registration page when we aren't interested in registering? We were interested in the blogging contest. That is what the post was about. ]

There’s nothing wrong with raising these issues, I just implore you to be accurate in the process of doing so.[In what way have we been inaccurate? We posted the contest rules. I encouraged my readers to review said rules to make sure that they saw what I saw. It is not our fault, you concocted stupid rules and we happened to point it out. You have nerve to call me inaccurate when IIIII was the one who pointed out you had the wrong rules posted on your site. If it wasn't for me, you would still have inaccurate sweepstakes rules on your site.]

Or better yet, if you would’ve asked me…you would’ve been clear on this so there would’ve been no further misunderstanding. You already have my cell phone and email Gina. In fact, since you posted this letter, we’ve emailed each other.[ Yes we did email each other. I sought clarification regarding the contest language and you revealed that someone within the Tavis Smiley organization had screwed up and posted the wrong contest rules template. Do you give me permission to publish our email interactions in their entirety- I would be more than happy to... you and your boss however may not be. Let me know Mo!]

I’m immensely disappointed that given our personal rapport and constant communication PRIOR to today you did not see fit to communicate with me in this regard…your other concerns. [Dear, Mo' I have one Daddy, who reads this blog by the way, and the last time I checked, you weren't him. Second, how exactly do you define constantly? I got one cryptic email on October 23rd and then email on the day the post was published over a week ago. Is once every two weeks constantly? Or did you tell your boss that you had consulted with me when in fact you had not??]The truth is you’ve known of this contest since October 23rd, I gave you the heads up well in advance. [Mo this is what you said "See link for details. Gina, post this and run with it...I think you have the support behind you to win." At which point, out of courtesy (because lord knows I get constant emails promoting nonsense) I replied that I don't do contests and that was the end of our interaction until Tavis announced the contest on Twitter at which point I reviewed the rules and found them ridiculous. ]To suggest the blogging community was skirted around is simply untrue. You were the FIRST in the blogging community to know this was coming down the pike. [Um No, I did not know that you were going to have a contest where bloggers would have to submit posts, write an essay, have their readers vote just to be on a webcast only to be selected randomly ( according to your own rules) and I certainly didn't know that you viewed that one line email as some type of consultation with me. Generally if people want my opinion, they ask for it. I indicated that I would promote the contest, but that was before I knew the patronizing and ridiculous terms you concocted]

To suggest that somehow bloggers are being INTENTIONALLY slighted is simply untrue. [Um no, I am going to stand by the position that the terms and conditions and hoops you are making bloggers jump through are disrespectful, patronizing and exhibit a general ignorance about new media, what motivates us, and how we relate to each other]

Not only that, to have a direct line to Tavis through me and not acknowledge that to your readers in terms of this discussion is disingenuous.[UM Mo' you came into my comments section and announced that you worked for Tavis Smiley. My readers are highly educated people.They figured that out AND commented on it, which is why I think you have come back with this ridiculous comment. Second I don't need to go through you to get to Tavis you nitwit. Have I ever had problems communicating with whomever I choose? You ain't THAT important.] If this is broken, we can work together to fix it. [Haven't I provided you enough help already Mo' Tavis is not paying me, he is paying YOU. I have already cleaned up that glaring regulatory FIASCO of the erroneous contest rules and rewritten your blog copy, what more does Tavis Smiley want from me?]

And since we don’t pay ANY of the panelists, from Dr. Cornel West on down…it’s more than “odd” to suggest that we pay bloggers “a fair wage.” [ Paying people to LIVEBLOG your event actually isn't odd at all. The NAACP and TV One have paid bloggers for their work covering live events so its actually ODD that you would think that paying people for thier work is odd. Are you working for Tavis for free Mo???]Nobody is getting pimped here.

We’re treating bloggers the same (and in many respects BETTER) than everyone else involved.

If you had questions in that regard, I surely could’ve clarified them for you.

I get the sense this isn’t about communication or discussion as evidence by how this conversation has proceeded…

But if I’m wrong, you still have my email and cell phone number Gina.

Still love you Gina, [Well I am loveable ]

Morris

Did y’all get all that? He posts a PUBLIC comment chiding ME for not sending HIM a PRIVATE email.

First of all Mo’ you ought to be thanking me not attacking me. I reviewed your contest rules and pointed out that your contest rules were inconsistent. NO CHARGE! You admitted that a Tavis Smiley staffer had incompetently pasted the wrong rules for the contest. You remember that Mo’?

Second, after reviewing your contest page again, I noticed that you have made several editorial changes that are responsive to several of the deficiencies I pointed out on this blog. For example you have removed that hideous language about Tavis making some blogger the next “Web Star.” For all of these suggested revisions, I have not charged you a single penny. You are very welcome Mo’ no need to thank me for saving your arse by catching your mistakes in your contest rules.

So Mo’ I guess this will be a test of your testicular fortitude. Ask yourself a question- Do you REALLY want moi to give this dreadful little blogging contest anymore attention than it has already received? Do you really want the little Gina laser beam aimed in your boss’ direction? Do you really want me to give this contest more than a passing glance? Do you want me to expend some creativity on this little misadventure?

Mo’ sometimes we all have to swallow our pride and concede that discretion is the better part of valor. Take one for the team and let this go. Its your boss’ 10th anniversary celebration. I am sure many of your coworkers are working very hard on this event. I can empathize with planning something this large so while I think the SOBU is a big ole irrelevant waste of Black time, talent and treasure, I don’t doubt that there is some lowly admin assistant or PA that is working their little heart out right now to make Tavis Smiley look good.

Now the last idiot out of LA to have a run in with me ended up having an entire fall television schedule of his network overshadowed by this tiny little blog. Last I heard, that little run in with me cost his employer well over a million dollars and counting. Now I know Exxon Mobile, Wal-mart, and Willie Rays Rib Shack are dropping mad cheddar on your boss, but does Tavis have THAT kind of money to burn? Is THIS the kind of attention you want overshadowing the event that your poor coworkers are slaving away to pull off? Are you a team player Mo’ or a glory hog out to capture a bit of the WAOD spotlight for himself? Is this about the SOBU or you Mo’? There is no “Mo’” in “T-E-A-M.”

Its almost Thanksgiving and I ain’t trying to start nothing and mess up my Christmas gifts this year. Santa said that if I was a very good little blogger, there might be a new PowerBook under the tree .

Mo’, I know you live in La La land where illusion and delusion are the name of the game, but you step to me with some foolishness behind this contest again, and you are going to be in for a heaping dose of reality WAOD-style. Walk away man I am really not sweating Tavis Smiley’s Annual American Negro Superbowl. You should be thanking me for promoting this contest because as a result of my VALID criticism, the blogosphere is abuzz about this debacle. You live in LA so there is no such thing as bad press. You’re welcome Mo’ now go away.

UPDATED TO ADD: There is no “feud”. There is no boycott. There is no planned or contemplated boycott. Of whom? For what purpose? If I was going to boycott something, it would be over more than a $300 plane ticket and a night at the Sofitel? I clearly stated that I don’t care about the Annual Negro Superbowl and the best demonstration of my fervent belief in its irrelevance is to not write another post about it.

It takes a very “special” Black woman to sell herself on the auction block for a two piece and a biscuit, but only a true multimedia crack head can take another Black woman and throw them up on the auction block for a side of fries.

We’ve covered these types of dimwitted Black women on this blog before. Those idiots that cheered the acquittal of R. Kelly on ESSENCE.com. Those brain damaged miscreants who blamed a 12 year old girl for being raped by 21 men and boys. Sadists like Lauryn London who praise Black men who shoot other Black men in the head. Or the countless mothers who auction up their children to their boyfriends so they can “keep a man” while he is “messing” with their daughters or worse.

Its not as if we haven’t witnessed Black women who would sell another Black woman or girl down river. So I present to you our latest slave auctioneer, one Erin Aubrey Kaplan who decided to throw Michelle Obama up on the auction block so she could be one of the “cool Black kids” this week over at Salon.com

So apparently Erin Aubrey Kaplan , handmaiden of misogyny ,decided to sell MIchelle Obama’s behind. LITERALLY! Fresh off of her dazzling interview on 60 Minutes- demonstrating intellect, dignity, and class, Salon.com decided it was necessary to bring Michelle Obama down to size by comparing her to the women in Sir Mic-A-lot video “Baby Got Back.”

To carry out their dirty work to make sure that Black women are bereft of many images of themselves NOT viewed through the lens of the Regime of Bullets Booty and Bling, Salon acquired the services of Erin Aubry Kaplan to write this hack job called First lady got back:An Appreciation for Michelle Obama’s Beauty and Booty.

[W]hat really thrills me, what really feels liberating in a very personal way, is the official new prominence of Michelle Obama. Barack’s better half not only has stature but is statuesque. She has corruscating intelligence, beauty, style and — drumroll, please — a butt. (Yes, you read that right: I’m going to talk about the first lady’s butt.) Erin Aubry Kaplan

Oh really? Is your self esteem so damaged. Your intellect so limited. Your creativity so lacking that the most exciting thing about Michelle Obama, a Princeton and Harvard graduate, mother of two and corporate executive is her “booty?” Did all your buddies over at Salon.com tell you how clever you were? Did you feel like the very special clever Black person Erin? Did you get a gold star? I hope they paid you more than $1.25 per word, because surely selling Michelle Obama down river by chopping her up into pieces, marginalizing and dehumanizing her was worth more than a two piece and a biscuit. It gets worse.

As I gradually relaxed, as Michelle strode onto more stages and people started focusing on her clothes and presence instead of her patriotism, it dawned on me — good God, she has a butt! “Obama’s baby (mama) got back,” wrote one feminist blogger. “OMG, her butt is humongous!” went a typical comment on one African-American online forum, and while it isn’t humongous, per se, it is a solid, round, black, class-A boo-tay. Try as Michelle might to cover it with those Mamie Eisenhower skirts and sheath dresses meant to reassure mainstream voters, the butt would not be denied. Salon.com

So in other words, you sat idly by while Michelle Obama was objectified and marginalized and did nothing, in fact you celebrated it, then you trotted it out for Salon.com so everyone else could join in on your dysfunction? I feel like Ms. Sophia is The Color Purple “Allll my liiiiife I’ve had to fight….”

Now we’ll all be able to wear leggings to board meetings; we’ll sport pencil skirts sans the long jackets meant to cover the offending rear at big conferences where we have to make a good impression. It turns out that Sir Mix-A-Lot, he of “Baby Got Back” fame, was not a novelty but a prophet. Who knew? Give that guy a Cabinet post. Erin Aubry Kaplan

Take me now Lord! Take. Me. Now! She wants to give Sir Mix-A-Lot a cabinet post for bringing us this:

Erin Aubry Kaplan is what my friends and I like to call “Simple.” You know like the Mama who leaves her daughter down stairs with two teenage boys and doesn’t come running when here baby is screaming . We all know women like Erin Aubry Kaplan. Maybe their fathers didn’t love them enough or they were teased as children. Like the stripper who recruited a 12 year old girl to come dance in the club.They may be “simple,” but they are indeed dangerous. Simple Black women always manage to survive unscathed, but everything around them ends up scorched. Which is why they are to be avoided like the plague.

Erin Aubry Kaplan is one of those Black people. The ones that give others permission do dehumanize us. Like DL Hughley who went on the Tonight Show to assure America that is was okay to consider Black women ugly. Or Nas who runs around assuring others its okay to refer to Black people as N*ggers. Or this girl who assures her white friends that it is okay to dress up as Klansmen for Halloween.

Yes Erin Aubry Kaplan in another time would have been the sister who ran to tell Miss Pitty Pat that Lil’ Harriet Tubman was planning to run away that evening in hopes that Miss Pitty Pat would let Lil’ Erin sleep in the big house that night. Simple! This means Erin is going to get a LOT of work over the next four years, because there is always room in the Big House for women like Erin Aubry Kaplan… until Erin gets sold down river. Simple!

You can read my more sedate response to this foolishness over at Michelle Obama Watch.

For those of you who missed the 60 minutes interview last night with Michelle Obama, here are the segments she appeared in. For all of those people who are lamenting Michelle’s loss of identity, it didn’t look like she didn’t know who she was last night!

Watch CBS Videos Online

Part II where Steve asks them about Mrs Robinson moving into the White House.

Watch CBS Videos Online

I was over at Wonkette and stumbled across this and I don’t know why this had me dying laughing. People have been going crazy about the weeMichelles’ new puppy, but this is a different take from President Elect Obama’s Election night speech.

Ironically on the day that we announce the second gathering of Black new media content creators in Chicago next June, Tavis Smiley made an announcement of his own. Y’all Tavis is getting with this century and in his own “special” way acknowledging the growing influence of Black bloggers.

Tavis is holding a “contest” to RANDOMLY select the next “Web Star”- His words not mine.

Bloggers, here is your chance to become a Web Star! For the 10th annual State of the Black Union 2009 symposium, hosted and moderated annually by broadcaster Tavis Smiley, we’re offering the opportunity for ONE special blogger [gag] to sit on stage and ask the important questions of panelists in our first and exclusive live Webcast!(We’re very impressed by Web journalists with a vast, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable readership. So let all of your readers know! It can only help your cause.[and Tavis Smiley]) Tavis Smiley

I am confused. Read the contest rules.

Drawing: Sponsor will randomly select the potential Contest winners from all eligible entries received during the Promotion Period, on or around December 5, 2008. The potential winner will be notified by mail, email or phone. The potential winner (parent/legal guardian if winner is a minor in his/her state of residence) will be required to sign and return to Sponsor, within three (3) days of the date notice or attempted notice is sent, an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability & Publicity Release in order to claim his/her prize. If a potential winner cannot be contacted, or fails to sign and return the Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability & Publicity Release within the required time period, potential winner forfeits prize. Potential winner must continue to comply with all terms and conditions of these Official Rules. Winning is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements. In the event that a potential winner is disqualified for any reason, Sponsor will award the applicable prize to an alternate winner by random drawing from among all remaining eligible entries. Tavis Smiley Blog Competition

You enter, write a frigging essay and then have your readers vote and then they select the winner by random drawing??? SO you promote Tavis’ event. Engage your readers and then roll the dice to see if your name gets pulled out of a hat. Um, y’all read the contest rules again and break it down for me.

Imagine yourself hanging out for the weekend and engaging in dialogue with figures such as Dr. Cornel West or Danny Glover or maybe even Nikki Giovanni and Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Imagine what that means for your Web site, your blog… your career! Tavis Smiley Blog Contest

Whoever wrote this doesn’t understand bloggers.You see Tavis believes that he has the power to make you a web star by giving you the privilege of asking Dick Gregory, Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and the usual list of suspects from the Civil Rights Industrial Complex and the Black Elite Establishment for Tavis Smiley’s annual State of the Black Union.

Tavis thinks that what makes us “special” as bloggers is being singled out when what makes us special are our relationships to other people.

Dear Tavis Smiley,

I am heartened by your attempt to include Black bloggers as part of you State of the Black Union gathering. You are to be commended for recognizing the growing influence of Black new media content creators and their loyal and passionate audiences.  However, as a blogger, new media evangelist, and organizer of the Blogging While Brown conference, I am deeply disturbed by the nonsensical manner in which you are going about Black blogger inclusion.  I have reviewed the terms and conditions of your “Blog Contest”. I will assume that the terms and conditions for participation are based on ignorance and not malice. [Was that too harsh y'all?] I was going to say “ignorance and lack of intellectual curiosity”]

We are already web stars! What you don’t get about social media is that it’s not about page clicks and ratings, its about relationships and unique voices. You don’t have to be THE star, but one of many. I find it insulting that after forcing contestants to submit their blog posts and jump through hoops, you are going to “select” your winner randomly. I am offended that you think that it is some kind of privilege for a Black blogger to get to ask the Black Elite Establishment questions.

First, Black bloggers question the Black Elite Establishment and the Civil Rights Industrial Complex DAILY. In fact occasionally we show up in person to counter protest the CRIC. Other times we call the CRIC to the carpet and wage open war against them when they do idiotic things against the interests of Black people everywhere. That’s nothing new. Second, maybe you wouldn’t be asking about the the “STATE” of the Black Union every day if you listened to different people.  Perhaps the panel needs to be made up of bloggers and the members of the BEE and the CRIC need to enter a drawing for the privilege of asking Black bloggers questions. Because, the BEE and the CRIC’s answers are typically well past poor.

I, addition, the random drawing implies that bloggers are fungible, widgets, interchangeable and it is an insult to the unique vision and intensive labor these new media content creators pour into their blogs to select a “winner” out of a hat like some low rent lottery. Not to mention your random selection risks selecting Boo Boo The Fool or Cousin Pookie to represent us all.

I realize that you understand absolutely nothing about new media and even less about social media. Social media is just what it says, SOCIAL. The power of social media is not competition, but collaboration.  The power to reach millions by our connections to others through linking.  Therefore I suggest that you and your staff be the the first folks to register for the Blogging While Brown Conference in Chicago next year.  You need to meet these people whose name you want to pull out of a hat and turn into a “Web Star.”

The power of new media is that I don’t have to be a “star” to have a voice and build a world-wide multimedia platform.  I can be ordinary and make my mark on the world.  I don’t have to go through you.

Bemused and Annoyed,

The What About Our Daughters Outreach Director

How was that folks? Feel free to edit at will. Maybe y’all should read this again, because the contest rules and the entry requirements don’t make any dad gum sense. You jump through hoops, have your readers vote and then they make a random selection?? What in the hot holy heck??

University Center, Chicago, IL

It is my pleasure to announce that Blogging While Brown 2009 will take place June 19-20, 2009 at University Center in Chicago, IL.We’re using Eventbrite again this year to handle registration. REGISTER FOR THE CONFERENCE. We’re excited to announce that we’ve added a pre-conference intensive workshop called the Beginning Blogger Boot Camp. This pre-conference session is aimed at attendees who do not currently blog, but would like to learn how.

Housing

As you can imagine, housing in downtown Chicago during the summer can be somewhat pricey. Blogging While Brown remains committed to attempting to make attendance as affordable as possible. Although many hotels are available in downtown Chicago, we’ve also reserved rooms at the University Center for those attendees seeking a more affordable option.

During the school year, University Center serves as a state-of-the-art student residence, that opened its doors in the fall of 2004. Located in the heart of Chicago’s Educational Corridor, University Center is just steps from Columbia College Chicago, DePaul University and Roosevelt University, the triad that formed this unique facility. Designed as a multi-institutional community specifically for college students from local neighborhoods and around the world.