I don't live in a different world from any other American. But I experience that world as an individual, through the prism of my identity which consists of many elements including "race" as the concept has manifested in this country. As a black woman, I don't see the world as a white male or white woman does. Another example, as an able bodied woman, my experiences are different from a disabled person's. It would be uninformed for me to presume that although I am a supporter of the Disabled Rights movement, that our news and information priorities are always the same.
This is perhaps a long wind up to get to the question I'd like to address here. Frequently, visitors to this site ask this:
Why no "WhiteVoices?" This continues to segregate no matter how you sell it. Maybe just "Voices‚" or "REGIONAL VOICES?" Just sets things back further. Not much of an INDEPENDENCE DAY positive movement. Really look beyond colors would ya???My first reaction is always to wonder if these same people write Time, Newsweek, Huffington Post, AOL's Fanhouse or any other online forum host about the preponderance of white opinion on those pages.
It seems somehow that many white people do not see "white" as its own race and influencer on personal experience. They see black, brown, gold and America. Or they see black, brown, gold and "the rest of us." They don't think in terms that no matter what you call majority white opinion and news organizations, they are predominately and in essence "white voices."
Those "mainstream," i.e. white majority, forums generate topics and focus attention on issues editors decide are important to their primary readership – as does "Black Voices." Like "Black Voices," those staffs are racially integrated and articles are open to anyone to read and comment on.
One of the ideas I most oppose is the notion that recognizing differences in American experience is "setting things back further" or "divisive." I really do not understand that. In my ideal America, we respect and honor the vibrant diversity of the United States.
Abre los ojos. That means open your eyes.
We have to SEE each other's experiences and listen to what each other has to say and from that exchange we forge a fuller understanding of the world. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. talked about being judged on the content of one's character.
Dr. King never, ever, suggested that a person's skin color would have to be rendered unspeakable or invisible in order for them to be considered equal.
10 Ways Black People Have Progressed
The new generation of African Americans going in to ownership and entrepreneurial routes are well equipped and more knowledgeable than ever before. Despite many obstacles unparalleled to other races many African American have perceived to receive equality and the right to ownership since the ending of slavery. Now in the 21st century we are able to see how their successes and potential to become business moguls and CEOs of major companies.
History was made At the 74th Academy Awards® in 2002 when Halle Berry became the first African-American woman to win Best Actress. She also gave one of the most memorable acceptance speeches of her life that gave thanks to all those powerful black females that had came before her. This was not a moment in her life to be remembered but a witness that women of color are be. Denzel Washington continuing the path of Greatness when he was awarded Best Actor for Training Day after Sidney Poitier, the first African-American male to win Best Actor 39 years ago, was awarded an honorary award. These two men are examples of how much we have came along in history and in entertainment. And now that they have opened the door for a new generation to enter and blow even more borders for the future.
2. In recent years there has been a glimpse that black education rates are on the rise. School teachers have been becoming the main influence for students to excel in test scores for reading, writing skills, math, and social sciences. Now that teachers are receiving more respect for their hard work, society is noticing that they are the gateway for their children's future.
Digital divide Narrowed
hip-Hop Culture Takes Over
6. Williams Sisters/Michael Jordan
As Barack Obama continues his path to the White House to become the first African American for the President of The United States of America history is being made every step he takes closer. It was monumental when Barack defeated Hillary Clinton as the leader of the Democratic Party for the election but as
Women Empowerment
Condoleeza Rice - Secretary of State Colin Powell being the top military person in America
As the first black female to be in such a hig position in politics, Condeleeza is a women in charge of being president Bush's right hand and has been very influential in the advancement of black women in the U.S. government.
Comments: (190)
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By: MO on 7/26/2008 10:43AM
http://www.newsreel.org/guides/race/whiteadv.htm
THIS IS A LINK TO AN ARTICLE ON RACE RELATIONS
IF I MAY SAY, THAT I NEVER LIVED DURING THE TIMES WHEN THERE WHERE SIGNS ON THE WALLS FOR DESIGNATION BY RACE, SO WHEN I SEE A SIGN OR LETS SAY "BLACK" VOICES I FEEL IT MEANS MEAN BECAUSE PUBLICLY I WAS TAUGHT TO EVEN THOUGH I KNOW WE DO NOT TOLERATE SEGREGATION WE ARE STILL ACCEPTING OF IT..ITS AOLS IDEA
THIS IS A VOICE FOR ME ..MAYBE WE HAVENT GOTTEN OVER IT ENOUGH. THE PAST CAN ENABLE THE FUTURE IF WE CHOOSE TO EMPOWER OURSELVES WITH IT INSTEAD OF LEAVING IT BEHIND AND NOT LAERNING FROM IT
ITS CALLED AN ADVANTAGE
LATINS,ASIANS, WE ALL HAVE OUR OWN THANG
WHY IS A PROBLEM WHEN "BLACKS" AFRO-AMERICANS WANT TO ESTABLISH THEMSELVES..I DONT WONDER..
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By: MO on 7/26/2008 10:48AM
I CAN SPELL...WANT, LEARNING
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By: MO on 7/26/2008 10:56AM
HERES SOME MORE CLUES
http://racerelations.about.com/od/thehierarchyofrace/a/viewfromclouds.htm
WWW.WHITEPRIVILEGE.COM
http://monkeyfist.com/articles/764
DUH
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By: Brother Mustafaa on 7/26/2008 1:06PM
I think that some whites must be playing dumb if they claim to not understand why we have our own voices(websites, Ebony, Essence, black organizations). No one complains when there are boys scouts and girls scouts, AARP for older people, magazines for different religions, democrat and republican sites/blogs/papers. I agree mainstream is really a code word for white interpretation/values.
People and groups have the right to view and interpret the world through their eyes. We, as black people, due to our history in this country have a different outlook than most. While others look to July 4th 1776 as a day of independence, we were still in slavery(dependent) and not independant.
Http://brothermustafaa.com
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By: Tiffany Smith on 4/26/2009 11:40PM
All I can say: If you don't like this country, GET OUT. I am so tired of black/white, we will never more foward untill this crap stops.
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By: jonas on 4/27/2009 11:34AM
You are so full of it!!!!
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By: PS on 7/26/2008 6:48PM
I agree with you, and have commented on this on my blog. Popular media currently does not provide a proper outlet for blacks, and this website works to change that. A lot of whites do not realize that the majority of the media they see is created just for them, and that a variety of groups continue to be under represented.
mediahustle.wordpress.com
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By: KDW on 4/13/2009 5:07PM
YT knows damned well why we had to go create our own organizations. They just are STILL of the mind that we shouldn't have our own; only now it's cloaked with the bulls*it "We are all Americans. There should be no separation".
No matter how they try to deny it, it gets their goat to see us gathering and being productive as a race. We come here to hash out our issues in a constructive manner, and here their troll arses come having a say about why we do.
YT needs to be fixing up their own damned race, and stop worrying about what we are doing. Nosy bast*rds.
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By: Tiffany Smith on 4/26/2009 11:39PM
All I can say: If you don't like this country then GET OUT! I am so tired of black/white.
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By: Nicole J. Butler on 7/26/2008 7:08PM
White people are able to trace their roots back to their respective countries of origin, should they wish to do so. The majority of black people are unable to do so. All that we know is that we are of African descent, and that we are considered "Black" because that is the most-common phenotype of people of African descent.
White people are able to (and do) create and join organizations based on their country of origin: Guild of Italian-American Actors, German-American National Congress, etc. Since black Americans don't generally know our country of origin, we use what we DO know: the fact that we are black. Thusly we get BET, HBCU, and BV.
Any questions?
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