From Homsexuality to Black Women on Welfare: Lee Daniels degradation of black women!

I was never going to see the Butler movie by Lee Daniels. I get tired of seeing us depicted in movies as stereotypical characters who are wholesome and good, but help white people discover themselves and become better, while we serve them in servitude. However, I am very appalled to the recent words of the film’s director Lee Daniels.

In an interview with Larry King, Daniels was expressing his experience growing up as an African-American gay man. The conversation went South. View his interview here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrr7izsQa-Q

He then started describing how he walked into a gay mens’ health crisis center in New York City. He states “I expected to see a room full of gay men, but there are nothing but women that are there – black women with kids, I thought I had walked into the welfare office, but they service black women with AIDS, why?”

“Because black men can’t come out. Why? Because you simply can’t do it. Your family says it, your church says it, your teachers say it, your parents say it, your friends say it, your work says it. And so you’re living on this DL thing and you’re infecting black women.”

Although I understand Daniels’ sentiment with black men infecting black women with HIV/AIDS, why compare black women in a clinic, treating themselves and their children to black women being in a welfare office. There is no comparison.

One thing that pisses me off with welfare is that it is believed that we African-Americans, especially black women, are on welfare. Yes, I know statistics will tell you one thing. But, what are statistics? Statistics are numbers generated by people in power to gear the greater population into believing stereotypes, ideas, and garner certain beliefs about different groups of people, medicine, trends etc. That is the real definition of statistics. I mean who are participating in these surveys and tests? Have you ever been called up? Think about it.

Also, the people who use up welfare the most are Latinos, Jews and Europeans. Yes, I said it. It is so much easier for these groups of people to get welfare than it is for us. Jews get their welfare and other aids in the synagogue. Who else has this privilege. Not African Americans! Latinos and Europeans come here aided by their people in offices, and higher positions who pull down the curtains of difficulty and make it easier for them to get welfare. I do not say this to be bitter. These groups of people are organized and unify to help each other gain resources and opportunities. That is a beautiful thing. That is something that is definitely lacking in the black community. However, I say this because the hype should not be believed that we African Americans, specifically black women possess more welfare than anyone else. I know black women who have had five kids, and no job, but due to the difficulty of obtaining welfare have not been able to gain it. Thankfully she is working now. Family, statistics are not all true. They are made up to control your thinking and beliefs. V for Vendetta anyone. That was a great movie. If you have not seen it, see it. It discusses how a lot of corruption and beliefs are created.

Back to it…

I am tired of black men stomping on black. Yes, Daniels made a point about how homosexuality is different in African-American culture. He also sheds light on the struggle, homosexual black men experience. However, why try to highlight your struggle as a minority-oppressed person by bringing down another group of minority oppressed people, black women? It makes no sense and diffuses the positivity he was trying to highlight in his interview. We black women have NOTHING! Let me repeat NOTHING to do with a black mans struggle growing up gay.

We black women are not a stomping ground. We should not be used so easily as a punching bag to make a point, no matter how positive the point may be. I will not, and do not support anyone black or otherwise that seeks to benefit from the degradation of black women. None of us should. Lee Daniels is another African-American man, who unfortunately instead of trying to uplift ALL of his people, steps on those who have supported on him. We black women need to demand more, and hit them where it hurts. Deny them from flourishing with our economic power. Support those who support you and this man does not support us. –M. Millie

Model, business woman, advocate = Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell!

Today we celebrate the life of Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell. Mitchell is a former model and a businesswoman. She was one of the first black models in the world. She took her experience as a model and created her own business to afford black models and entertainers with more opportunities. EVERYDAY is black history.

Mitchell was born in the small town of Edgefield, South Carolina. She attended segregated schools as a child but eventually went to live with an aunt in New York City, where she graduated from Hunter College High School before going on to major in mathematics at New York University. During this time, DeVore-Mitchell began doing occasional modeling jobs and became one of the first non-white fashion models in the United States. She modeled for many magazines and publications including Ebony Magazine.

In 1946 she enrolled in the Vogue School of Modeling, which until that time had excluded women of color. Later that year, she, and her colleagues created and founded the Grace Del Marco Modeling Agency as a way to help create opportunities for models of color. In 1948 she created The Ophelia DeVore School of Self-Development and Modeling. This school taught young black women to learn etiquette, self-presentation and confidence. Students also learned ballet, etiquette, poise etc.

Students at Charm School.

Through the school she helped support the social and professional goals of more than 20,000 students. Some of her notable graduates include Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson, Gail Fisher, Susan Taylor, Gil Noble, Ellen Holly and Faith Evans.

Diahann Carroll (middle) with friends at the charm school.

Mitchell then started marketing to non-white audiences to gain employment opportunities and the mainstream marketing of young black women models and entertainers. As part of this project, she produced a massive promotional campaign for Johnson & Johnson that launched the career of supermodel Helen Williams.

Ophelia DeVore (right) with clients and friends (l-r) Joan Murry, Trudy Haynes, the Philadelphia news legend, actress and writer Ellen Holly and the great model Helen Williams

In 1955, DeVore-Mitchell and her models made history as hosts of ABC’s weekly television show, “Spotlight on Harlem.” It was the first television program in New York produced by and for African Americans. She made history again in 1959 and 1960 when two of her clients, Cecilia Cooper and LaJeune Hundley were the first Americans, black or white, to win titles at the Cannes Film Festival. In the 1960’s Mitchell created two of the first nationally known ethnic beauty contests in the U.S., developed a fashion column for the Pittsburgh Courier Newspaper and created a line of cosmetics specially formulated for people of color.

Cecelia Copper Winning Queen of The Cannes Film Festival

In 1985, Mitchell was appointed by President Reagan to the John F. Kennedy Center Committee on the Arts. She is the owner and publisher of The Columbus Times, a founder of The Black Press Archives at Howard University and was elected several times as the National Secretary of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. She has produced several New York City cable television shows, including the “Ophelia DeVore Show.” In 1991, assisted by her son James Carter, the two founded DeVore Carter Communications. DeVore-Mitchell continues to oversee all her enterprises and, at present, her development programs have touched more than 90,000 lives. For her outstanding service, she has received more than 200 awards and honors and was named one of the 75 black women who changed America in the “I Dream a World” series.

Mitchell modeling.

Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell is a an amazing woman whose accomplishments have helped revolutionize the African American women in the modeling and entertainment industry. She saw the lack of black women and men in the modeling and entertainment industry, and did something about it. Her two schools the Grace Del Marco Modeling Agency and The Ophelia DeVore School of Self-Development and Modeling helped pave the way for many models and entertainers. Lets honor her today. Mitchell’s schools and work with black men and women have helped create a positive platform of success for so many. She has advocated the existence of blacks in the modeling and entertainment industry. She is a woman that knows her worth and the worth of other black men and women was not limited to a few ads, or films. This is why she created her institutions and programs. She knew we could be more. Without her sacrifices, and efforts, many of us would be unable to work in these industries. Mitchell has helped make this possible for us. Family, never forget that you too, can issue change when you see that it is needed. We do not have to wait to be recognized or included. We can create our own institutions to prepare our own, to work in fields that have a lack of us. We all have a little bit of Ophelia DeVore-Mitchell within us. Once, we can realize that we are limitless, and not bound by circumstance, we can then immerse ourselves in everything we can are and can become. ~Know Your Worth~

The Life of Anna Arnold Hedgeman!

Today we celebrate the life of Anna Arnold Hedgeman. Hedgeman is not known by many, but her accomplishments are grand and important. She was an American civil rights leader, politician, educator, and writer. EVERYDAY is Black History.

Anna Arnold was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, to an encouraging family that believed in the power of education and hard work. She was encouraged by her parents to seek educational greatness. She attended Hamline University, a Methodist College in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and was the college’s first African-American student. In 1922, Hedgeman became the first African-American graduate, having earned a B.A. degree in English. Inspired by the passion of W. E. B. Du Bois, she decided to succeed as an educator. For two years, Hedgeman taught English and History at Rust College in Holly Springs, Mississippi, where she experienced the humiliation of segregation for the first time.

Anna and A. Philip Rudolph

She then worked for the YWCA as an executive director in Ohio, New Jersey, Harlem, Philadelphia, and Brooklyn. In 1944, she became the executive secretary of the National Council for a Permanent Fair Employment Practices Commission (FEPC). In 1946, Hedgeman served as assistant dean of women at Howard University. In 1954, she became the first African American woman to hold a mayoral cabinet position in the history of New York. She served as an assistant and advisor to Mayor Robert F. Wagner from 1954 to 1958.

Anna and Mayor Robert F. Wagner

In 1958, she held a position as a public relations consultant in Fuller Products Company. She became an associate editor and columnist for New York Age in 1959. Then she held a position as a Coordinator of Special Events for the Commission of Religion and Race of the National Council of Churches in 1963. It is in 1963 that she met A. Phillip Rudolph and Bayard Rustin and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. She worked with Rudolph and Rustin in helping plan logistics for the March on Washington of 1963. In later years, she owned Hedgeman Consultant Services in New York City.

Anna and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

 

Hedgeman has served as teacher, lecturer, and consultant to numerous educational centers, boards, and colleges and universities, particularly in the area of African-American studies. She traveled to Africa and lectured throughout the United States, primarily in black schools. She has stressed to students the importance of understanding history as a basis to achieve equality. Hedgeman held honorary doctorates from both Howard University and Hamline University. She also is also the author of two books The Trumpet Sounds (1964), The Gift of Chaos (1977), as well as and articles in numerous organizational publications, newspapers, and journals.

Anna Arnold Hedgeman is another unsung black female pioneer and heroine. She is a black woman who knew her worth, and cold not be held bond by her race or gender. We can all learn from this black women. Your race and gender does not have to stop you from reaching the highest of heights. You can become great too. Hedgeman also used education and a desire to attain success to aid her in her life. She also demonstrated great skill and work ethic, for others recognized her work and she gained numerous opportunities because of it. Family, know that when you use education and hard work, success will come your way. Build a reputation of excellence, paired with your education. Achievement will follow you and you will find that life’s hurdles will never set you back far enough, for you have the power and will to overcome. Learn from the life of Anna Arnold Hedgeman. Know your history, gain your education and work hard. You will become limitless. ~Know Your Worth~