Are Black Girls Unimportant?: PBS, Kellogg Foundation and Tavis Smiley's "Too Important to Fail"

Well this was a hot button issue over on the WAOD Facebook Fan Page, so much so that someone ( a Black woman) got banned on a Saturday of all days ( when I'm most mellow). Then she followed up by sending me some multi-page hate mail ( my favoritist kind! because who wants a lazy half-hearted  hate-mail?).

So in the spirit of attempting to increase the likelihood that anti-Black woman bigots go apoplectic, why not expand on my original point with a full-blown blog post! Cause that's how we roll 'round hey-a!

The title of the post is rhetorical. I'm sure PBS and the Kellogg Foundation care.

PBS is broadcasting a Tavis Smiley report called Too Important to Fail that was sponsored by the Kellogg Foundation and the report makes the same mistake that almost all of these campaigns to save Black boys make: They exclude Black girls.  

Are there special programs highlighting the crises of young Black girls? Yes, but not with the frequency, visibility, and institutionalization of the laser-like focus on Black boys. The drop out rate for Black girls is only about 10% behind Black boys, how is 40% NOT a crisis?

I  viewed the video over at PBS which follows Tavis Smiley interviewing students, teachers, and experts and what screamed out to me in almost every interview was SAVE THE GIRLS = SAVE THE BOYS. 

Watch the full episode. See more Tavis Smiley.

That's important to remember because if you listen to the experts Smiley interviews almost everything they say has to do with boys being taught to read by the 2nd grade...and who is going to be teaching them to read in the 70 percent of the households headed by single Black women? 

A Troubling Pattern

Last week, we highlighted the deluded rantings of Congresswoman Fredrica Wilson, who in response to a question about the most pressing policy issues facing Black women, basically responded: "Saving Black men."  

Then a few months ago, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched a $127 MILIION dollar program to target Black and Latino males.

This was after the New York Times published  columnist Bob Herbert's opinion piece called "Too Long Ignored" imploring the Black community to direct all of their resources to helping young Black males who drop out of high school.

A tragic crisis of enormous magnitude is facing black boys and men in America.Parental neglect, racial discrimination and an orgy of self-destructive behavior have left an extraordinary portion of the black male population in an ever-deepening pit of social and economic degradation.

Bob Herbert

NO mention of Black girls at all. NONE. Herbert went on to say:

That the black community has not been mobilized en masse to turn this crisis around is a screaming shame. Black men, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, have nearly a one-third chance of being incarcerated at some point in their lives. By the time they hit their mid-30s, a solid majority of black men without a high school diploma have spent time in prison.

Homicide is the leading cause of death for young black men, with the murderous wounds in most cases inflicted by other young black men.

This is a cancer that has been allowed to metastasize for decades. Not only is it not being treated, most people don’t even want to talk about it. Bob Herbert

HOGWASH! I say HOGWASH!

Are you seriously going to say with a straight face that the infrastructure and institutions of the Black community have NOT been myopically focussed on "saving the young Black male?" Really?

Every facet of the infrastructure of the Black community is aimed as saving young Black males. Every Black organization, even some of the ones who are supposed to have missions targeting young Black women, have programs for young Black males. 

HOW IS THAT WORKING FOR US? 

I don't have a problem targeting specific populations for specific reasons, but when you repeatedly push and agenda that says one gender is more valuable or precious than the other, you're just wrong.

I've never said Black girls were MORE important than boys, but merely that they are AS important as boys. And that enrages some of you, likely because you value the lives of Black boys more that Black girls. --a pattern repeated around the world unfortunately.

People like to argue that this blog is anti-Black men. No it's not. Its the most pro-Black man site on the internet. Why? because you will NEVER "rescue" Black men until you stabilize the lives of the  girls who will eventually become the women who raise them. Its like focussing on building a new roof when you've got a massive crack in the foundation of a house. 

On an airplane one of the first things they tell you is that in the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will descend from the ceiling... if traveling with children, place the oxygen mask ON YOURSELF FIRST. 

You will never rescue young Black men if you don't also rescue the girls who will become the women who raise them. Period. It's time to declare this strategy of a myopic focus on young Black men to the exclusion of young Black women a FAILURE! 

Having 50% of Black boys and 40% of Black girls drop out of high school is the very definition of CRISIS- therefore shouldn't we be open to abandoning the same tired paradigm? Folks act like a 40% dropout rate among Black girls is no biggie. 

In conclusion, what about our daughters? 

P.S. To be fair, if you type in W.K. Kellogg Foundation and +girls and +"Black Girls" into Google, they sponsor a number of organizations that do work targeting girls.

LINKS:

A Call to Improve High School Graduation Rates for Girls

Tavis Smiley Employee Sics Himself on WAOD After We Criticize His Blog Pageant

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.

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Tavis Smiley: Black Bloggers Second Class Citizens

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??

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Julianne Malveaux and Cornell West NOT Impressed With Obama's INVESCO Field Speech - "Obama perpetuated a 'white washed' of History" ( Their Words NOT Mine)

OOOOh No. Somebody is going to get in trouble! A loyal WAOD reader sent this clip to me from the Tavis Smiley show featuring Julianne Malveaux and Cornell West speaking about Barack Obama's speech at Invesco field at the Democratic National Convention. I have some selected quotes below the YouTube clip. Cornell West -- "Obama ran from history". "You can't think that you are being American by holding Black history subordinate." "Why do we have to engage in a disappearing act when you talk about America" Malveaux "To reduce Dr. King to some praecher from Georgia?", "He could have said Fannie Lou Hamer", "I think the brother dropped the historical baton." If Joe Biden can mention Martin Luther King. how come he couldn't" "He perpetrated a White wash of our history. its a strong statement, but I stand by it." Whoa did she say that? Uh huh yes she did! Tavis " was expecting Black folks to be in tears. They weren't" They gave Hillary a hat tip for mentioning Harriet Tubman. UPDATE: Just for the record, Michelle Obama mentioned MLK and women's suffrage in almost all of her appearances. I was at the Black caucus and she spoke about both anniversaries.

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Did you miss the State of the Black Union? - Nicole Lee From Trans Africa's comments

I hung out out at Professor Kim's participating in the live blog.
Professor Kim has prepared a chart of where the Presidential candidates fall on all of the issues brought up in the covenant. Pretty interesting.
UPDATE
Jack and Jill Politics has up some clips of the State of the Black Union. Nicole Lee was probably the only substantive speaker that I was glad that I watched the afternoon session to hear, Nicole is the Executive Director of Trans Africa I'd love to have her on the podcast.

Here is Stephanie Tubbs response to John Lewis switching his super delegate vote.

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