What I find more fascinating, though, is the reactions I’m reading from all corners of the black community–from self professed cultural critics to around the way girls–to Perry’s film and how, in most instances, people have found it astonishingly easy to separate Shange’s work from what Perry ultimately presented in movie theaters. So is the power of rabid love and selective memory.
Read MoreThe Death of Aiyana Stanley Jones
Time and time again, people of color living in the US have to endure the dismantling of our civil rights and our humanity because police officers, having got away with murder time and time again, are emboldened to do as they please and fix up the documents later. The continuing lack of accountability will haunt our streets and our justice system for generations to come.
Read MoreFig Leaves & Face Paint Do Not a Homage Make
There is a clear line between homage and misappropriation. Homage is underscored by serious research, consideration, and respect for the thing or person being honored. That respect can easily be seen in the reverence with which the homage is rendered. The finer points are adhered to; shown upfront to take away any doubt that the portrayal is less than an appreciation.
When Racism Flag Waving Becomes A Petty Sport
I am an advocate of calling racism out, both in its overt and nuanced forms, but I will not clog up the discussion with petty claims that do little to advance the broader issues and challenges, one of which is to get all of us–black, white, yellow, brown–away from these constant attempts to pigeonhole each other with the very scaffolding that we are trying to dismantle.
Read More