Jesse Williams speech.

http://www.cnn.com/2016/06/27/entertainment/jesse-williams-speech-bet/index.html

So what is everyone thinking about our Grey's Anatomy star's speech?

Hollywood

http://thinkprogress.org/culture/2016/05/10/3776893/hollywood-pushing-diversity-will-asian-latino-actors-left/

The People vs. OJ Simpson

The series, The People vs. O.J. Simpson, became an addicting show I could not help to stop watching. It seemed as if I watched it at the best time because I am also in this race and ethnicity class. At the beginning, it seemed as if OJ was doomed; it was obvious he killed Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman. During a time of racial conflict in California, OJ Simpson was lucky. The "race card" was used in order to salvage OJ's life. Lawyers, supporters, and family irreverently put up the race card each time OJ's name was brought up.

I do not want to spoil the rest so I recommend you all watch it. Racial discrimination is real and America was blind to it at the time. The show can be seen on FX.

Possible Solutions for Racism in Pop Culture

While there will not be an overnight fix to the problem of racism in pop culture, but there are ways to combat it over time. These are some potential solutions to racism that I have come up with.

Boycott 

I think the biggest thing to remember is that the pop culture industry's main goal is to make money. The best way, in my opinion, to make change happen is by cutting the industry off from its life source: money. If there is a movie that casts a white man as a character with a Native-American background, do not go see that movie. Do not buy products from that movie. By actively boycotting that movie, and gaining traction from other people as well, it makes a statement and effects box office numbers, ratings, etc. The same concept can be applied to music. For example, if an artist releases a music video that perpetuates racial stereotypes, disassociate yourself with that artist. Do not spend any money on their merchandise. Do not listen to their music. Without fans, a celebrity is nothing. One person alone will not be able to shift the system. We need to band together in order for that to happen. Which leads me to my next idea...

Post it! 

People like to pretend that race doesn't exist. It seems like people are afraid to talk about race and address that there is a problem unless they're the ones being oppressed. Let's change that! The way to reach the largest audience is through social media. We need to use this tool to our advantage. It's easy to make content go viral and reach millions of people. If you keep posting about issues of race in pop culture, and tagging the people who are at fault (i.e. the casting agencies, specific celebrities, owners of the corporations that produce movies), eventually they will get the message. If enough people are coming together to make their voices heard, eventually changes will be made.

Find Alternatives

If you look hard enough, there are alternatives to the cookie cutter music and movies that are popular in dominant culture. By ignoring the mainstream media and finding media that represents values you hold, represents all races, and promotes equality, you are bettering the problem for yourself. You are refusing to feed into what dominant culture wants you to think and are thinking critical about the message you receive.

A common theme is that enough people need to get on board with these solutions to make them work. Theoretically, these solutions could solve the problems with enough support and a loud enough voice.

Possible Solution to Racialized Issues in Pop Culture

I believe one solution to this problem is through the diversity of various programs that create and develop careers in pop culture. For example, I think performing arts institutions or acting academies need to diversify their student population in order for minority groups to have the same opportunity to grow. Schools or programs that teach students about directing and producing should be a mix of races, not all white students. It is important that institutions change the way they are admitting students to be fair in all races. If minorities do not have the same directing education as white students, then they will not be able to get the job. By including all races in the developmental stages of a career in pop culture, then I think its best they allow a more diverse group to begin and basing talent off of their abilities not their skin color.

History of Racial Inequalities in Pop Culture

It's hard to pen point an exact time throughout history to show when pop culture began its issues on racial inequalities. In my opinion, the most appropriate and significant place to start this discussion is in the invention of television its ability to broadcast all across the country. Although other pop culture events occurred through the circus, plays and musicals, and of the sort. I believe the development of television truly catapulted the issue of racial inequality in the United States into popular culture. As entire families sat together to watch various tv programs, they became conditioned to seeing white actors and actresses. The end of African American segregation and the introduction of color tv correlate in time and viewers began seeing the lack of diversity tv programs had.

Through the development of tv, minorities especially African Americans, were devalued and not given the same opportunity as whites. Stemming from traces of segregation, powerful white tv channel owners, began integrating stereotypes, racial humor, and racial satire into their broadcasts. The white directors would stereotype almost all black actors on tv and those racial views began to spread like wildfire throughout the United States. The popularity of African Americans being depicted as characters from the age of slavery solidified these issues of stereotyping and inequality. The tv programs allowed viewers to view African Americans in that same light despite legislation to ensure they were treated equal.

Although we have come a long way from the racial messages and hurtful stereotypes in the history of pop culture, there is still an undeniable continuance of racial undertones in the industry today. Fortunately, there are some actors from minority cultures breaking down barriers and gaining slow success. However, those actors do struggle to find the same opportunities as white actors, directors, singers, and producers. Modern pop culture has made significant gains in the blatantly racist comments, remarks, and roles it once presented in history, but activists are trying to fight the racial inequalities still present in pop culture.

"Do the Right Thing"

I thought that it would be interesting to examine race portrayal in an older film, so with recommendation I chose to watch Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing (1989). The film won numerous awards, including MTV Movie Silver Bucket of Excellence Award (2006), NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (1989), NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture (1989), Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Director (1989), Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Film (1989), and Gotham Independent Film Classical Film Tribute Award (2000).

For those who have not seen the movie, I have decided to include a brief synopsis and link the trailer to the movie below:
Salvatore "Sal" Fragione (Danny Aiello) is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito), becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors. Buggin' Out believes a pizzeria in a black neighborhood should showcase black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin' Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise.

Throughout the movie, there are multiple references to racial misinterpretations and stereotypes. There are five main racial groups in the plot of the film: African-Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, Whites, Italian- Americans, and Asians. While watching the film, I started to make a list of the racist remarks made, but rather than trying to keep track, I have the found the clip that best sums them up. It is important to note that these "rants" are not said to the targeted group, but are supposed to represent the inner thoughts of each racial category. The cut to the final character, Mister Senor Love Daddy, is important because he is telling the radio listeners to "cool out" and "chill" in the context of the scolding hot temperature that day, but also to calm down with the racial tensions.  

The character's in the movie coincide with the racial stereotypes discussed in Race & Racisms by Tanya Maria Golash-Boza. Since the setting of the film is in a disproportionately African-American neighborhood, the majority of the slang is directed toward this group. The term "brothers" is used a lot and violence is a key aspect in the film, two very stereotypical characteristics of African-American men. One scene in particular shows Buggin' Out getting his brand new Air Jordan's scuffed by a white man, Clifton, and then preceding to scream at him about being in his neighborhood. Clifton says that "as I understand it is a free country, a man can live wherever he wants," a complete misrepresentation because of structural and institutional racism. The racial inequality in housing results in large groups being confined to one area, hence why they react so angrily to the man being in their "territory." Another racial stereotype is exemplified in Tina's character. She is a young Hispanic woman with a child. In the film she is the only character that is sexualized, fulfilling the role as mentioned by Golash-Boza (102). The shop vegetable shop owners are also portrayed as "corrupt business owners" in the film, another common representation (102). 

Overall, I found the film to be very good and intriguing. I do not want to spoil too much about the plot line, but I will leave you with one final quote from the film, "those that'll tell don't know, and those that know won't tell." 

Golash-Boza, T. M. (2016). Race & Racisms: A Critical Approach. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Lee, S. (Director). (1989). Do the Right Thing [Motion picture on DVD]. United States: Universal Pictures.

Promotion of Racial Tolerance Through Music

The "King of Pop," Michael Jackson (1958-2009), released the album Dangerous in 1991, which featured the hit song "Black or White." The song hit number one on the billboards top 100 on December 7, 1991 and remained on the charts for 20 weeks. The single received the "Billboard Music Award for No. 1 World Single" in 1992. This prestigious award was won by Whitney Houston for "I Will Always Love You" (1993),  Bryan Adams for "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" (1991), and Sinéad O'Connor for "Nothing Compares 2 U" (1990).

The song's lyrics speak to the issue of racism, a system of prejudice and discrimination. Through this song, Michael made the statement that regardless of someones race or ethnicity, we are all the same. Rather than discriminating against one another, we should be embracing different cultures, promoting equality, and opposing racist remarks. Do not simply acknowledge the problem, but do something about it.
Some important lines from the song include:
"It don't matter if you're black or white"
"I ain't scared of your brother, I ain't scared of no sheets"

"I'd rather hear both sides of the tale. See, it's not just about races"

"Don't tell me you agree with me, when I saw you kicking dirt in my eye"

Shake it Off, Or Not? - Taylor Swift Video Seen as Racist

Taylor Swift, one of the biggest names in pop culture was accused of being racist all because of her music video Shake it Off. There is major debate over the topic- some find offense while others think the whole thing is straight up blown out of proportion. The Washington Post published an article of Swift's mishap and weigh out both sides of the problem. The article states that there's been an "ongoing and interesting debate about white pop stars (Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry, etc.) and whether they've misappropriated black culture in their music videos" (Washington Post). Is it appropriate for white pop stars to have fun and dress up in their music videos, or is it taking it too far when they decide to French braid their hair and wear big hoops? Is it reverse racism and / or a little harsh for these white pop stars to be considered racist? Taylor Swift is definitely not the only white female to be seeing doing this in her music videos, so who is to blame? These are deep questions and sometimes can never be answered. It is hard to decide who is right or wrong, or if there is even an issue here at all.

The Washington Post article along with the video are listed below in this post. I would really like to see people's comments and opinions on this topic!

Washington Post Article
Shake it Off Video

Works Cited

"Is Taylor Swift’s ‘Shake It Off’ Music Video Offensive? That’s What People Say, Mmm Mmm." Washington Post. The Washington Post, n.d. Web. 02 May 2016.

TaylorSwiftVEVO. "Taylor Swift - Shake It Off." YouTube. YouTube, 18 Aug. 2014. Web. 02 May 2016.

In Class Presentation - Where Are All the Black Women?

On Thursday April 28th, 2016, three young Bryant University students presented an outstanding video to the Race & Ethnicity class. These three women, Charde Hunt, Desire Marshall, and Christina Watts, all three who are African American women, spoke out on the constraints that occur when being both African American and a woman. By starring in this video "Black Woman," these three young ladies spoke with passion, intellect, and strength, revealing why it can be conflicting at times to be both a lady and darker skinned. Though these women have such strength in the video, they also reveal soft emotion which reflects their hardships. The video speaks for itself and all three women did an outstanding job both in the video and in the presentation on Thursday. The video is listed below:

Click Here for Video "Black Women"

Portrayal of African Americans in the Media

As identified in Race & Racisms by Tanya Maria Golash-Boza, the "representations of people of color on television are modern versions of the stereotypical images created to justify slavery, segregation, genocide, colonialism, and exclusion" (93). Watching television is a common leisure activity, so it is no surprise that what we see influences our opinions and interpretations of the world. Overall on television, whites and blacks are overrepresented, and all other groups, including Asians, Latinos, and Native Americas, are underrepresented.
Viola Davis has become a huge success in the past few years for her powerful leading roles in The Help and How to Get Away with Murder, earning a multitude of nominations in the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Primetime Emmy Awards, BET (Black Entertainment Television network) awards, and many more. She uses the attention from the media to talk about diversity in the entertainment industry, or the lack thereof. On the lack of opportunities for people of color in the entertainment industry, she stated, “I’m not going to get the same kind of roles as Meryl Streep. I’m not going to get the same kind of roles as Julianne Moore. I’m not going to get those same roles. I’m just not. Now, I’ve been out there for 30 years. I’ve gotten two Tony Awards. I’ve done Broadway, Off-Broadway. I’ve come out of Julliard. I’ve done television, film, all of it. But there is not the same opportunity for me. Even though I would say that, if given the chance, I could show people that I could do just as well as any one of my Caucasian counterparts” (Hilmantel).
In The Help, Viola Davis played the role of "Aibileen Clark" a stereotypical mammy that took care of her employer's home and children for minimal payment. A study by Melissa Harris-Perry (2011), referenced by Golash-Boza, revealed the three prominent stereotypes of black women-Mammies, Sapphires, and Jezebels. A "Mammy" is a stereotypical image of a black maid. A "Sapphire" is a caricature of an angry black woman. A "Jezebel" signifies an oversexed or hypersexual black woman. Rather than settling for these roles, Viola Davis and many others are beginning to take a stand to act outside of their "designated roles." Although representations of African Americans have improved, the stereotypical images are still prominent and will remain this way until attention is brought to the issue.

Golash-Boza, T. M. (2016). Race & Racisms: A Critical Approach. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Hilmantel, R. (2016, February 28). Viola Davis: 'People of Color Are Part of the Human Experience, Too' Retrieved April 26, 2016, from http://motto.time.com/4239239/viola-davis-diversity-in-hollywood-oscars/ 

Misty

 As Misty Copeland notes, prima ballerinas are not supposed to be black. Cannot wrap my head around the reality that she is the first female African American dancer to have the role of Principal Dancer at the American Ballet Theatre - 2016. Are you kidding?
https://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2016/04/26/misty-copeland-and-the-newness-of-the-ballerina-body/

The most disrespected woman in America is the black woman.

On Saturday, Beyonce debuted her HBO Special Lemonade. It turned out to be a stunning visual album of 12 songs played over the course of an hour. While the songs touched upon a lot of different issues in Beyonce's life and society today, it was clear that this was an ode to black women everywhere. I was so happy that Beyonce finally took a stand and aligned herself with the #BlackLivesMatter movement when she released Formation, but this took it to a whole new level. This article discusses the different meanings behind the songs and exactly how Beyonce honored black women. I think it is pretty obvious- she celebrated them by showcasing their beauty, representing them in a wonderful light and by being a proud, black woman herself. There is a serious problem with equal representation in American pop culture. Typically, the most successful artists are white men and white women. Beyonce has been a staple in the entertainment industry for some time now. However, this is really the first time she's taken a stance on racial equality. She has long been known for being a feminist, but now she is aligning herself with these great movements. I strongly hope that these messages will carry out throughout society. #BLACKLIVESMATTER

Workneh, Lily. (2016, April 24). Beyonce's 'Lemonade' is a Powerful Ode to Black Women Everywhere. Huffpost Back Voices. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/beyonce-lemonade-black-women_us_571ccccde4b0d912d5fee4d2.

Chris Rock: "You're damn right Hollywood is racist"

After six weeks of silence, Chris Rock addressed the #OscarsSoWhite controversy during his monologue at the Oscars. He explained how there is a lack of ethnic and gender diversity in Hollywood. Not a single minority was nominated in any of the four categories for a second consecutive year. Despite the few jokes made by Chris Rock, there was great seriousness to the rest of his monologue, displaying his outrage from the issue. He speaks for many minorities in the industry when he expresses how the movie industry should be more inclusive in hiring and casting of minorities. Although we have actors and actresses from minority groups playing roles in movies and television, why are they seemingly not worthy enough of being nominated for the Oscars?

Griggs, Brandon. (29 February 2016). "Chris Rock: "You're damn right Hollywood is racist." CNN. Retrieved from: http://www.cnn.com/2016/02/28/entertainment/chris-rock-oscars-so-white-feat/

The Intersection of I

In the interesting article, “What white people have to say about being white,” filmmaker Whitney Dow highlights a project he is working on about interviewing 15 to 27 year olds about being white while identifying their social interactions, racism, race, and privilege. Dow is a filmmaker who focuses on the betterment of the society through catching the attention of his viewers. Dow is working on a video project called The Intersection of I, where he believes that “white people have to recognize that they are a part of this conversation whether they like it or not” when speaking about white privilege.

Dow high points the issue that the US was built and founded on white supremacy. Some whites know this and they rather ignore the fact because they are scared to address the issue. Some white people are just exhausted about the race topic and choose to let it brush by with annoyance. Additionally, the article speaks about how the film will show that whites tend to hang out with other whites and are afraid to diversify. Finally, privilege is something that is seen by whites as an advantage to break the law and basically do whatever they think they can get away with. In all, Dow’s film can hopefully change the views of the white Americans and open the eyes of one-track minded of many races. 

Vega, T. (2016, April 13). What white people have to say about being white. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/13/media/whiteness-project/index.html

Hollywood's Problem: Itself.

The article, “How to fix Hollywood’s race problem,” highlights the inefficient way that the film industry recognizes people of color and harshly stereotypes certain groups of people. The article shines light on the Oscars, and how nomination were strictly and visibly favoring the whites. But, it is more than just the Oscars, it is a problem we face in the world today. See, the way people are portrayed in film is how people begin to judge and discriminate. Film is the center stage for racial and ethnical discrimination because it reaches so many viewers. The article refers to “the film industry’s failure to represent people of color runs far deeper than #OscarsSoWhite.”

The article gives a list of 10 stereotypes for people of color on screen. The magical Negro who has some connections to magical forces. The thug who is an aggressive black man or woman with no future as well as the superhuman athlete whose talent is seen by white folks. Also, there is the super-rich evil Arab sheikh who’s too rich and uncertain of the real value of money. Then, there’s the awkward desexualized Asian who can never get a girlfriend. A mammy, or an overweight black women, who serves for the white families. Next, there is a jaded older police officer who “acts as a counterpoint to a younger, more energetic white police officer.” Additionally, there is the eternal sidekick and the sassy confidante. But, finally, there is the terrorist who dangerous and speaking in Arab dialogue.

The list is spot-on and it is something that has helped stereotypes fit into their desired category. It starts with film and we must know the power of the media.

Latif, N. (2016, January 18). How to fix Hollywood's race problem. Retrieved April 25, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/jan/18/hollywoods-race-problem-film-industry-actors-of-colour

Family in Pop Culture

On my mom's side of the family (Japanese side), my grandparents, mom, and uncle were all in the entertainment industry. My mom is born and raised in Manhattan, just down the street from Columbia University, and did a lot of child acting and singing when she was younger. My grandparents got into acting and modeling to earn more money to send their two kids to a private school in the city. 

My late grandparents would often be casted as the token old and innocent Asian couple, such as their roles in Crocodile Dundee. They always experienced racial inequality because there were not the same amount of roles for Asians, let alone minorities, in comparison to white actor roles. Most of the roles they auditioned for were for small, minor characters with little to no dialogue. To the directors or auditioning managers, it was a matter of filling the minor character or background people with the right type of people. I remember my grandparents doing a magazine ad for an insurance company. They posed in front a nice suburban house pretending to be watering the garden. It wasn't until I got older to realize they were strategically chosen for that shoot. The company wanted to give off the impression that the insurance company is a safe choice through their protection of an old, innocent Asian couple. 

The greatest role my grandfather played was the Prime Minister of Malaysia in Zoolander. He had quality time in the movie and his role required him to have a decent amount of dialogue. My grandfather was thrilled at the opportunity even though he is not Malaysian, he is Japanese, but that did not matter to the casting directors, as they were only looking for someone to “look the part” or “look Asian”. They had to endure this inequality and continue to take the minor roles because that was one of their main sources of income. 

My uncle is used to his agent calling him for specific auditions needing a middle aged, Asian male, such as the time he was a powerful Asian business man on an SNL skit, or one of the technology assistants in a Verizon Wireless commercial. My uncle even did a photo shoot for a company and had to pretend to be Alaskan, so he was dressed in fur coats and posed with a very large dog. 

From hearing their personal stories of acting and auditioning, it is easy for me to fully support the claims of issues in pop culture and the major racial inequalities in the entertainment industry.  

White Audiences and Movies with Slavery

            Despite the unequal amount of blockbuster movies with African Americans as the leading character, the few that are popular are usually based off a brutal historical depiction of racism, slavery, and inequality. Since the release of various films starring African Americans such as 12 Years a Slave, The Help, and The Butler, sociologists have questioned why those movies are so popular in comparison to other movie genres with African American actors. It seems as though movies about the struggles of African Americans overcoming slavery and cruelty are seen to be the most successful. White audiences flood to see those films and feel a sense of relief knowing they have progressed past the slavery era. These mainstream films have a significant effect on white audiences because their ideas of racism are of the past and have a sense of comfort knowing they have moved passed slavery. However, there is a cognitive disconnect between what white audiences see and how society acts towards African Americans and even other minority races. The historic acts of racism presented in the mainstream films have transformed into different forms of modern racism that are still just as cruel as the past.



 Cole, O. (2013, December 26). Hollywood and the Shaping of Perceptions of Racism. Retrieved        from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/olivia-cole/hollywood-and-the-shaping_b_4499060.html

Racism Through Makeup

I came across a very interesting article for today's post. As someone who is very interested in makeup and beauty, I was curious to see if there were major problems for dark skinned ladies out there looking for makeup. It did not take long before I came across an article. South Sundanese model, Nykhor Paul, was heated when she went to a photo shoot and the makeup artist did not have makeup for her skin tone. Aware that this was most likely going to happen, Nykhor brought some of her own makeup in her purse. She states, "Why do I have to bring my own makeup to a professional show when all of the other white girls don't have to do anything but show up?" (People.com). Not only is it slightly embarrassing and most likely awkward for her to have to hand her own makeup to a makeup artist, but it is degrading. Nykhor also kindly pointed out that many makeup brands (Bobbi Brown, Clinique, Makeup Forever, etc.) sell makeup in her skin tone, so why can't the makeup artists come prepared? 

Hopefully this incident does not happen anymore for the stunning Sudanese model. No one should have to feel singled out, especially while they are working on the job. For a young woman who is getting paid to be a part of a fashion show, she should have the luxury of having her makeup done professionally and ethically.

Click Here for Article

Citation: 

"Model Nykhor Paul Slams Makeup Artists for Being Unprepared to Work With Her Skin Tone." Style News StyleWatch Peoplecom RSS. People, 07 July 2015. Web. 24 Apr. 2016.

RIP Prince. Prince and his music brought together generations, genders, races, ethnicities, sexualities, muscial perfectionist and casual listeners. And he understood.  He just understood. He reminded us at the 2015 Grammy Awards  "that it is art, our ability to sit with art and all the possibilities it helps us to imagine, that is so important to our ability to value all lives, and Black lives in particular." From Brittney Cooper (one of my favorite contemporary voices) writing for Salon:http://www.salon.com/2016/04/21/americas_prince_problem_how_black_people_and_art_became_devalued/