A Lost Icon: Whitney Houston

Ladies and Gents. I am still reeling from the news. When Le Chele texted me asking me if I had heard about Whitney...I just never imagined. I had just seen pictures yesterday of her leaving a party. She looked so full of life. Folks, you just never know the day or time.

Many youngins who don't know Whitney Houston and what she brought to not only black culture, but also music culture in general, may only remember the drug-addled part of her life. Unfortunately this is what has taken center stage in her characterization, even more so than her amazing vocal talent. And it's a damn shame.

I remember growing up just in love with "I Want to Dance with Somebody" and "I Will Always Love You". She had this ridiculous voice that I would try (and still do) to mimic and her music was the epitome of the best.  Her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner has yet to be topped, her movie "The Bodyguard" remains one of the best showcasing of her vocal (and acting) talent- creating some of the most passionate and beautiful ballads ever, and barely anyone in the current music sphere has come close to her delivery and talent.  She is one of the best. We are all sadden at such a surprising departure and I can only shake my head and send my prayers out to her family and hope that she has found peace.

"Star Spangled Banner"

"I Have Nothing"

"I Love the Lord"

"I'm Every Woman"

Why I Am Grateful for Obama's Health Care Plan

I've gotten into many online arguments with people, have seen posts and comments that have made me want to flip over tables, and have learned a great deal about the good and the bad about our current American society. I feel that President Obama's election to one of the most powerful seats of power in America and the passing of his Health Care Plan has brought out the best, worst, and downright evil in many people.

I have not always agreed with Obama's policies, and I am often annoyed and disappointed by our current government, however this is one policy I have supported since the beginning. This, admittedly, is primarily because I am one of those in-betweeners who found herself with healthcare after graduating college. I had been under my father's insurance as a minor and as a student, and I knew that as my graduation loomed, that if I didn't find a job with benefits, that I would be shit out of luck.

After graduating from college and being unable to find a job, I was tossed off of my father's insurance. On the one hand it motivated me to take extra care of myself so that I wouldn't break a bone (as my accident prone self tends to do at the worst times) or end up in the emergency room for whatever reason. On the other hand, I also couldn't visit my doctor when I got sick and I had to stop taking certain medications because my prescription ran out. I was only able to find a seasonal part time retail job for the Thanksgiving/Christmas holidays, which does not offer benefits. And even when they did offer me a permanent part time position, the cost of paying for medical insurance in comparison to what my biweekly net pay was, was nonsensical. And it was sobering talking to coworkers who (along with their families) didn't have healthcare because they just couldn't afford the expense. I had had an elitist view coming from college, and it was nice having my rose-tinted glasses knocked off.  

Examiner

However, under President Obama's Health Care Plan, specifically the Affordable Care Act, I am covered until I am 26 if I choose to remain on my father's plan. Luckily beginning in January of 2011, I was added back onto my father's insurance. This was especially auspicious since just the end of that month I found myself in the emergency room with a broken foot. Talk about good timing.

Of course the hospital made a mistake and never billed my insurance, instead billing me (and twice) for my treatment. Because of that I was able to see just how much I would have had to pay if I didn't have insurance. It was about $4000+ just for a broken foot. And for someone making only $7.25/hr at around 20 hrs a week (you do the math), paying that myself would have left me so far in the whole it's laughable.

But thankfully, because of the healthcare plan I was covered under my father. Sure he has to pay a higher premium, but it is so worth it in the long run. And I do my part to pay other expenses for my family, so it's not as if I'm a complete moocher- which is something many people seem to see us inbetweeners as. I've gotten into many debates with people over the internet who just don't understand why they have to pay for other's children to remain on healthcare. Often they blame us for higher premiums when they need to be blaming big business, the insurance companies. And a parent is not forced to add their child back onto insurance. It's optional, and those that do more than likely have no problem paying that premium.

I'm saying all this as the White House released the latest data regarding coverage of young adults like me. 2.5 million once uninsured young adults were able to hop back onto their family's plan, many of whom (like me) would love to be able to afford our own benefits, but can't for one reason or another. Even with my current part time job where I make a significant more amount of money than the minimum wage, I can barely afford the insurance costs per month (over $100) and my job is thinking of increasing the costs. I'm extremely grateful, especially with my up and down health, that I am covered. I think of it this way. I have being paying for social security since I turned 16. I will never see any of that money. Maybe they'll have another government program for me when I reach retirement age. Probably won't. With nearly 50% of Amers living in poverty or considered poor, I don't think it's unreasonable to offer some form of safety net for those of us transitioning into a tepid economic climate. It's not like many, if not most of us, don't want full time paying jobs with fantastic benefits. For many of us, it's just taken a much longer time than the baby boomers had to, to get such jobs. So I for one appreciate President Obama and am extremely grateful for the Affordable Care Act.I may not agree with all he does, but this one policy gets my vote.


AN: Please read this fantastic op-ed regarding one person's own experience with the new healthcare plan and having a pre-existing condition.

Sister Escape... Now Live in Living Color

Or at least, now on Facebook.

That's right. You heard us. We have given in to the man and have expanded to Facebook. We are 105 members strong in only 3 days and constantly growing. We wanted to open up our escape concept to a place where dialogue with others can be open about anything.  The idea of our Facebook group is for members to feel free to use this space to post inspiring or funny stories, the latest gossip, political fodder, general thoughts, questions, or ideas, music, or anything that comes to mind!

So I hope you will join us. We've already had some fun, creative, informative, and interesting posts. And don't plan to stop!

Troy Davis: The Death of My Brother

We have all witnessed a great injustice tonight.

Did you know that on his death certificate, Troy Davis' cause of death will be listed as a homicide? A HOMICIDE. They are killing a man, whether innocent or not, to justify the death of another. How can anyone just ignore such an egregious situation? And yet as I continued to read all the tweets regarding Davis, I also noted that #youknowyoughetto was also trending (in the Philadelphia region at least) and X-Factor was also popular. Once again human life is carelessly thrown away. Troy Davis, the 52nd person to be executed in the prisons of Georgia. But we know that he is only one of the many strange fruit whose life has been taken needlessly.

As I look at this photo and listen to the @democracynow live stream the tears leak down my face. I am weeping. I have never been so hurt over a stranger. No he is no stranger. He is my brother. Troy Davis is my brother.

He is being executed right now, sitting on a gurney waiting as the cocktails of drugs take his very breath away. 7 of the 9 witnesses recanted their statements. There was no other evidence that put Davis as the murderer other than the 2 last witnesses. If that isn't reasonable doubt, I just don't know what is. If this isn't a misuse of justice. Just sickening.

I never supported the death penalty and I never will. An eye for an eye does indeed make the whole world blind. And right now too many of us have turned a blind eye to a system of justice that continues to instill injustice. 

I'm sorry if I'm not making much sense everyone. I am just so distraught that I just don't know how I can look at the government and continue to take it seriously.

Troy Davis said: They may take my body, but they can never take my spirit. Because my spirit belongs to God. 

God be with you Troy Davis. God be with his family. God be with the family of Officer MacPhail. God be with all of us. Because strange fruit continue to hang from the Poplar trees. 

When an Earthquake Hits the East Coast

Today there was an earthquake that hit Virginia, and after the big stink us east coasters made, you would have thought it was the start of World War 3. Talk about a slow news day.

I did feel the tremors of an aftershock around 2 while I was at work, though I admit that I thought it was an earthquake at the time, and did join in the office commotion. 10 minutes after the tremors our college's alarm system finally sounded, sending us outside, and 45 minutes later we got emergency text messages. Talk about a school prepared....That was sarcasm btw.

I did bask in all the facebook and twitter updates, having a particularly enjoyable one from a friend in DC who asked us Philly friends "when all the looting would start". I chuckled at that one. And I will honestly say that I didn't even think of the seriousness that could have been the situation, though I did hear regular updates from my coworkers who reported on different buildings that had had windows on their top floor shatter or other such things in Philly. I still don't know the extent of of damage in the Virginia area. I can only hope and pray for the best. Real talk, I can only thank God that my DC/Virginia family are doing okay.

That being said, this earthquake brought out the humorous side in many us or maybe it was just me finding humour in things. One particular fav moment of the earthquake was this post, that my sis lemonswithsalt sent me, which quickly became viral. http://jmckinley.posterous.com/dc-earthquake-devastation  Of course it took me hours later to realize that this post was from 2010, but it was no less enjoyable and humorous. There was also this video I happened upon thanks to Huffington Post, of Torrey Smith from the Baltimore Ravens who was doing a promo in Maryland when the earthquake hit:



Maybe it's just me and because I've been sippin' but this is hilarious and it's got me tearing up from laughter everytime I watch it. Homeboy dipped out, literally.

I also admit that when my other coworker started informing me where there where other earthquakes going on, I started to think it was the end of the world, but this too I thought was humorous. I guess if I gotta go, I'm going to go out laughing.

And of course I have to go out with this:

So readers, what was your experience with the east coast earthquake? Did you even feel it? 

The Renaissance in the Belly of Killer Whale

As New Yorkers witness the many ways by which their city evolves, we must question the impact the changes have on its inhabitants. More specifically, gentrifying neighborhoods undergo seemingly positive changes that make for a better quality of life. However with neighborhoods similar to Harlem, not everybody is, well, comfortable about the new directions their neighborhoods are going in. In her play Renaissance in the Belly of a Killer Whale, Honorary Sister, Chyann Sapp beautifully captures the varying perspectives held by residents as the Harlem known to them becomes anew.

All participated in the writing of the script but the cast consists of the three multifaceted ladies, Jaylene Clark, Hollis Heath and Janelle Heatley. The opening scene begins with their characters, childhood friends Shayla, Toni and Bridget, reuniting on the stoop of a brownstone one of them grew up in. They all begin to reminiscence about their experiences in the old neighborhood ranging from what candies they used to enjoy and games they used to play. The three characters then begin to worry that their memories of more complex aspects of growing up in Harlem, particularly its cultural vibrancy will become a thing of the past. In Renaissance, the three infuse their background with spoken word, song and dance into traditional theater and create a visionary play that allows us to travel through the rich history of Harlem while exploring the socio-economic issues that make it vulnerable to the gentrification occurring today.

I saw this play about a month ago and vowed to Chyann that I would do my best to support her new project because it is really good play, simply speaking. Renaissance is thoughtful, intelligent, funny and polished. But I was more impressed by how fairly the ladies presented the issues at hand. All grew up in Harlem and with the exception of Janelle who lives in The Bronx, all still reside in there. They witness the larger number of fairly moneyed people now living amongst them, and the restaurants and boutiques that follow them. I get frustrated with debates about gentrification because there is a tendency to oversimplify the issues at hand. It is important for people to have access to fresh fruits and vegetables so the new supermarket down the street is a good thing. But if the prices are out of reach for working class people within the community, then it is no added benefit. Gentrification is more complex than poor people getting pushed out and trendy establishments and Renaissance perfectly displays that.

"We don't want to write an anti-gentrification play," Chyann said to me in an earlier phone conversation."From a personal standpoint, we all know we are benefiting from many of the changes taking place."

In each scene, a typical viewpoint is presented with an alternative one leaving the audience to sometimes challenge their own opinions about how neighborhoods similar to Harlem are changing. Jaylene, Hollis and Janelle's characters articulate their desires to preserve the culture that made Harlem one of the most famous neighborhoods in the world. This includes its history in fine arts, jazz, hip hop, cuisine and especially spoken word. All of the ladies have a background in spoken word and yearn for a modern day renaissance where the cultural beauty will be revitalized amidst an evolving Harlem. A Harlem where white and typically more affluent residents are emerging within a traditionally black and Latino Harlem, much like a belly of a killer whale, the metaphor that ignited the creation of the play itself.

It is refreshing to be moved in the theater. When you go see Renaissance in the Belly Whale, you will be moved, inspired and challenged. You will leave asking yourself questions. Is a gentrifying neighborhood's increased wealth shared amongst the original residents? Isn't more improved public health and security a good thing? Why did it have to take new people in to bring what are largely considered basic rights? Well, those were my personal questions. Go see the play and have your own.

To buy tickets or find out more information click here.

The Gays are Marrying! The Gays are Marrying!

Well, it has finally happened. Yesterday, New York recognized the separation of church and state while acknowledging equal rights being owed to all. With a 33-29 vote in the State Senate, New York has now legalized same-sex marriage with Governor Andrew Cuomo signing the bill into law. It has been a long time coming. Considering the constant disappointment that is New York politics, I could not be more merrier.

I've been arguing with bigots about this issue since I was an annoying know-it-all in high school. There is simply no justification for disallowing gay men and women to marry, well, the opposite holds true for bigots. It is good to know that the good people of New York are finally getting it. In 2004, only 37 percent of New Yorkers polled approved of the legalization of gay marriage, now 58% reportedly do. Ironically, the bill passed with the new Republican majority in the Senate. I'll go into the politics of what motivated elected officials, namely Democrats, to change their votes at a later time.

As a woman of color, I empathize with discrimination albeit in different forms. The legalization of gay marriage recognizes the separation of church and state and respects the right to privacy for all citizens. We compromise our humanity by placing injustices upon others. This bill is about not allowing for people's prejudices to determine the rights of others. And with the Gay Pride parade tomorrow, this historic piece of legislation could not have come at a better time.

So congratulations gay brothers and sisters for now being a step closer to equality. However, I can't help but worry for the terrorist attacks and natural disaster that will ensue.

Color me Sweet

Hola Folk-

I started my morning off pretty well- I read one of my favorite blogs, www.verysmartbrothas.com, ate oatmeal and had the most delicious iced coffee. To really top things off the topic of today's VSB post really resonated with me. Long story short, Champ suggests that we find new ways to praise Black women and not just recycle the word 'strong.'

C'mon we've all heard it: Black women are strong or she's a strong Black woman or even, damn she strong!

VSB's point is that by using strong we are subtley referencing qualities that are perceived as non-feminine. And you know what? I agree. I am tired of hearing a Black woman called strong for things like, always having to defend herself + her people, always being the one to pick up the broken pieces when everyone else has given up, or always having to be the one to make sure everyone else is OK.

In addition to strong, how about sweet! Just think, when is the last time a Black woman in the popular media was called 'sweet'.

New Words to Associate w. Black Women:
sweet, warm, kind, endearing, calm, humble... what are some other 'new' adjectives you would assign to Black women?

Dove: The New Conspiracy Against Blacks?

I've been a user of Dove products since as long as I can remember. My mother and sister have very sensitive skin and Dove products have always been a cheap and satisfactory remedy. I've become pretty partial to Dove since it's what I know and I have to admit it works better than all the other bath products I've tried.

So when I began to see reports and posts about Dove's new add campaign (pictured below), I was interested in what all the hooplah was. Especially when titles like "Dove body wash turns Black Women into Latino Women into White Women" and "From Dark to Light: Is Dove's 'Visible Care' Ad Racist?" started popping up all over my blog feed. When I read the second article and saw this photo I immediately shrugged it off as some Black people once again looking for racism in things that just weren't there. 

Ok, the progression from dark to light with the model placement in front of two contrasting skin types of cracked and smooth is a bit cringe worthy. But I chose to look at it more as just poor model placement rather than racism. Most of the commenters agreed with me in that it really wasn't a big deal and people where looking for racism in something that wasn't there. However one particular comment from that article struck me:

 I got sense! (commenter)

MAY 24, 2011 AT 11:25 AM

“The advertisement comes quite out of character for the brand, which is widely seen as an industry leader for its “Real Women, Real Beauty” campaign.”

This is it isn’t out of character. Unilever (the parent brand) uses racism all the time in other countries. This company promotes and advertises skin lightening. This is why you have to know who you are giving your money to. And their “Real women, real beauty” campaign is B.S. too. They lightening and photoshop women all the time. I haven’t purchased any Unilever brands in months. There a whole series on YOUTUBE about it.                   

After reading this, I decided I needed to do a bit of my own research just to see what "I got sense" was talking about. Now in the past Dove has done really well of advertising "real women" who don't fit into one particular size and are usually diverse. 

But after scanning some of the many brands that Unilever, the company which owns Dove, also promotes, I can see where some would say that this new add has an undertone of racism. Two products which immediately attracted my focus where Lux and Fair & Lovely. Both these brands are skin care products promoted in various international markets, but seem to target Asian, Middle Eastern, and Indian demographics. And in these brands, key marketing targets skin whitening/lightening. Unilever even describes Fair & Lovely thusly:

Fair & Lovely’s brand-essence of ‘Rescripting Destiny’ has played a decisive role in its noteworthy presence in over 30 countries. Today, 250 million consumers across the globe strongly connect with Fair & Lovely as a brand that stands for “beauty that empowers a woman to change her destiny”. The brand’s commitment towards empowering women has inspired the initiation of Fair & Lovely Foundation. Time after time the foundation initiates various education & employment-related programs that give underprivileged women the power to overcome all barriers & change their lives. 

Now if that doesn't sound even the tiniest bit racist- well I don't even know what to tell you. Here you have a brand basically saying that your darker skin is keeping you from that destiny you deserve. That by lightening your skin you can become empowered and change your life for the better. Therein lies the racism. The very fact that someone must change their skin tone to improve themselves and their life. Sure this is bigger than just skin care manufacturers making money off of communities affected by racial inequality and persons who see the fairer skin as the ideal form. But it sure isn't helping the problem.

Take a look at this video.

And tell me that there isn't a bigger issue going on and that these skin-care manufacturers are feeding into a problem and making it bigger.

After finding that Dove is connected to these brands through Unilever, I can see where undercurrents of racism shine through in this add. That may have not even been the marketing strategy. The cameraman might have just seen the models and decided he liked that placement the best. I don't know and that leads me to the bigger issue I have with all of this.

Should I still continue to buy Dove, and by doing so, support a company that markets such racially tinged products like Lux and Fair & Lovely? I really don't know. One the one hand Dove has been a staple in my house and has been the best bathing product I've found for my family. However, on the other hand, it really goes against my sensibilities to keep supporting something that promotes racist mindsets and skin bleaching. After all taking my families support away from Unilever is only a drop in the ocean for them, but it's doing something.

What do you think? Do you find the Dove campaign racist? Would you still support Dove and other Unilever products even though it promotes skin bleaching?