Black Improvement Media (BIM) is a multimedia resource for the Black Improvement Movement. This blog is served by Seko Varner. On this site you may find media programming that support our mission of improving the lives of people of African descent. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of Seko Varner or Positive Vibes Inc.
Black Actress by Andrea Lewis - Must Watch Webseries #ForUsByUs. Created by Andrea Lewis ("Degrassi: The Next Generation"). This series
follows the character "Kori Bailey" through her trials and tribulations
of pursuing an acting career as a black woman in showbiz. Each episode
features a testimonial from a celebrity black actress on their own
experiences in the entertainment industry. Cameo appearances by Tatyana
Ali, Naturi Naughton, Reagan Gomez, Tristan Wilds, Melanie Fiona and
many more. For more web series, visit http://issarae.com
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If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
ABC Report: http://youtu.be/TL6uVLfKRoo http://www.macklessonsradio.com/ Tariq Nasheed's response to the television programs report on Why Black Women can't find Black Men. If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://youtu.be/VgK77f2rssY or http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com/ to watch the video described in the above text. For more on the speaker visit http://www.hakimquick.com/ . This lecture is about the war zone that is alive behind the closed doors of the Muslim homes. Is their a problem with our home relationships? Is their a problem in our marriages? Is their a problem with how our educational institutions are structured today? These and other important questions are analyzed, commented on, and answered in this empowering presentation.
Shaykh Abdullah Hakim Quick, PhD, embraced Islam in 1970 and thereafter pursued his studies at the Islamic University of Madinah, where he completed a BA from the College of Da'wah and Usul al-Din. He later went for his Masters degree and completed his PhD on the History of Islam in Africa at the University of Toronto, Canada. The focus of his thesis was the life of the great mujaddid of the 18th century, Shaykh Uthman Ibn Fudi.
Shaykh Abdullah Hakim has traveled to more than 34 countries on lecture and educational tours, has served as Imam, teacher and counselor in the USA, Canada and the West Indies. For three years he contributed to the religious page of Canada's leading newspaper. He is presently a Senior Lecturer at the Dar-ul-Arqam Islamic Institute and Director of the Da'wah Department of the Muslim Judicial Council, Cape Town, South Africa. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
Sunday, December 5, 2010
The Colour of Beauty: "Renee Thompson is trying to make it as a top fashion model in New York. She's got the looks, the walk and the drive. But she’s a black model in a world where white women represent the standard of beauty. Agencies rarely hire black models. And when they do, they want them to look “like white girls dipped in chocolate.” "The Colour of Beauty is a shocking short documentary that examines racism in the fashion industry. Is a black model less attractive to designers, casting directors and consumers? What is the colour of beauty?"
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com/ to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
"My dad, Clarence Grier, was a strappingly handsome man with tremendous strength in his hands. I could literally feel youthful energy shoot through his fingers. He was kind and loving to me, and the scent of his cologne combined with the crisp, starchy smell of his clean Air Force uniform delighted me. A loving, carefree man, he was my mom’s hero. He was so light-skinned, he could pass for white, which caused him a lot more trouble than if he had clearly looked black or white. His mom was mixed, and his blue-eyed dad was mixed but looked white, so he never really fit in anywhere." - Pam Grier
Some may know her as hot, gutsy, gun-totin' Foxy Brown, Friday Foster, Coffy, and Jackie Brown. Others may know her from her role as Kit Porter on The L Word. But that only defines one part of the legend that is Pam Grier.
Foxy is Pam's testimony of her life, past and present. In it, she reveals her relationships with Richard Pryor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Freddie Prinze Sr., among others. She unveils her experiences as a backup singer and a blaxploitation star. In particularly candid and shocking chapters, she shares-for the first time-her view of those films and the persecution that blacks, especially women, needed to endure to make a name for themselves . . . including how it felt to be labeled one of the most beautiful women alive, yet not be permitted to try on clothes in a department store because of the color of her skin. And in words sure to inspire many, she tells the story of her ongoing battle with cancer.
From her disappointments to her triumphs, nothing is held back. With FOXY, Pam wishes to impart life lessons to her readers-and hopes to touch their hearts.
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the above text. The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
In her speech, Sherrod, who grew up on a farm in Georgia, said she desperately wanted to move to the North after high school, but that her father's murder spurred her to stay and commit herself to helping black people. (He was killed in 1965.) Sherrod said over time - in part because of her experience with the white farmer she realized her goal was to help poor people, not black people.
in the video are the stories Sherrod recounts about her family and growing up in the South before and during the Civil Rights movement. Her father was murdered when she was 17 "by a white man," she says, adding that in her county back then, "the murder of black people occurred periodically and in every case, the white men who murdered them were never punished." No one was ever prosecuted for her father's murder even though there were witnesses, says Sherrod. She also says after her father's murder, a group of white men burned a cross on the front yard of her home while her mother, four sisters and baby brother were inside.
Shirley Sherrod is not, by this accounting, a person out of touch with the racial history of America. Listen to her speech and it's clear this history is something she remembers vividly; her message to the NAACP audience seemed to be that if she can move past it, so can anyone else.
The theme of Sherrod's speech, which she repeats in various iterations throughout is, "It's not about race. It's about those who have and those who do not." In other words, Sherrod tries to impart to her audience that those who believe America - and the South in particular - is divided because of race miss the point. It's divided, she says, because of income.
The consumate professional, Charlotte Stallings, details steps that one can make to better handle one's money. From discussing mindsets to discussing buying stocks, Charlotte speaks the truth and provides an road map to economic excellence. Charlotte has a knack for sharing even the most complex business and investment concepts in a thoroughly understandable way. As a member of the “sandwich generation” - baby boomers charged with caring for themselves, their children and their parents - Charlotte is acutely attuned to the financial needs and challenges facing today’s families. Her goal is to help people understand money and investing, and show them how to structure their financial lives and investment portfolios to achieve their dreams. Click here to view the video: http://bureau.espeakers.com/gbsp/flavplayer_content.php
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement". Subscribe to our posts by emailing imanifoundation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com .
Motivation by our people for our people. Professional speaker, trainer and consultant, Charlotte Stallings, shows you how to get smart about success by focusing on your choices. Charlotte gained expertise in the nuts and bolts of business, sales, marketing and leadership from her years at powerhouse corporations such as US Banks, Xerox and over 20 years at American Express. By taking risks, making mistakes and gathering information, Charlotte grew into the kind of business and leadership expert that you can trust. http://www.greatblackspeakers.com/corporate_speaker/motivation.htm
I feel for Gabourey Sidbe. In what should be one of the most shiny, happy times of her life- both a film and TV project on the horizon, two laps around the talk show circuit and, oh yeah, an Oscar nod- she’s popping up in newspapers and blogs daily (even weeks AFTER the Oscars) because of her weight.
Ok. We get it. She’s big. Not average American woman big. Not “Jessica Simpson, how DARE you let yourself get to be a size 4, you cow!” big. She’s actually quite large. It’s not up for debate. So, is it to say that Sidbe should not spend any time in the public eye until she has rid herself of her hideous bigness? Instead of being so bubbly and effervescent, perhaps she should walk around with her head bowed or tell everyone how she’s planning to lose weight soon. I mean, how DARE she be big and happy at the same time? Doesn’t she know the rules?
For years, whenever a large woman has been embraced as ‘big and beautiful’, there is always the same reaction: By promoting the idea of big and beautiful, we are encouraging women to be obese. We are saying it’s okay. We are promoting an unhealthy lifestyle. This is troubling on many levels. Sidbe’s health is a topic of conversation for her and her doctor; while it’s not unreasonable to speculate that her size may lead to future health problems, the cigarette and starvation diets that keep a lot of other starlets thin will do the same thing. But because Sidbe’s health challenges haven’t lent themselves to looking like the Hollywood ideal, then it’s okay to diss her.
I lost a ton of respect for Jamie Foxx after hearing this recent clip from his radio show, in which he mocked Sidbe, Mo’Nique and the film Precious. I suppose great talent does not a class act make, but I (foolishly) would have expected more from him:
From the comments: “LMAO this was funny as hell. Now watch all these black women come out and get mad. Hurt fellings and all lol…Now is time to hear all the black women cry and whine. Ready get set GO.”
The irony here is that surely some of the writers and commenters going so hard on Sidbe are overweight or even obese themselves. Because the actress is so big, someone can be a size 20, look at her and say “I ain’t THAT big! That’s TOO big!” I’d wager that some folks that are used to being on the other side of the weight talk are relieved to have someone else to look down upon.
I’ve never read an interview in which Sidbe stated that she liked her size or preferred it to others. She simply seems to be happy in her own skin, which is a tremendous feat considering the number of people who are so quick to point to both her size and her complexion and judge it quite differently. It was her co-star Mo’Nique who made a career of “big and beautiful” and “skinny b!tches are evil“; and she laid herself open to criticism of glorifying obesity by doing so, until she adopted a healthier lifestyle and admitted that big women need to work out and eat right too*. There’s nothing wrong with “big and beautiful” and I don’t think telling women they won’t be beautiful until AFTER they have handled their weight issues promotes this healthy lifestyle critics are allegedly encouraging. Shaming people into submission rarely works.
Morbid obesity is not usually the product of “Ooh, girl, I just rather eat cake than exercise“. Most folks never consider that an obese person may have binge eating disorder, which is more common than both anorexia and bulimia. Possible causes for binge eating include depression, stress and using food as a coping mechanism (“emotional eating”)- issues that are quite common in the Black community and amongst young women of all races. As much as we need to discuss obesity in the Black community and the country at large, there is no reason to make this young woman the face of the conversation. Most of us have had large women in our lives in some capacity; did you ever reject your grandmother’s hugs because she was just TOO fat? Did you refuse to go to your larger homegirl’s parties because she was just TOO big? Were you unable to pay attention to your Sunday School teacher because she was SO big?
I never once read an article stating that Biggie, Big Pun or Fat Joe was too big, or that they were setting a bad example for their audience (Pun’s weight was only a topic of discussion after he began his public attempts to slim down and in the wake of his passing). However, all three men incorporated their sizes into their names and their lyrics AND made a point of letting you know that all the pretty little vixens were vying for their big bodies. That, to me, seems far more like glamorization than Sidbe playing a role that highlights how hard life can be for obese women and simply being a happy woman off screen.
I’m not saying that Sidbe isn’t ‘too big’ or that she shouldn’t consider some lifestyle changes. I’m saying that she doesn’t deserve to be the face of Black women and their issues with obesity. Furthermore, I resent the idea that she should not be allowed to travel the earth as happily and as peacefully as others because of her size. Should she choose to do something about it, that’s wonderful, but is she supposed to stop living in the meantime? Treating Sidbe like some sort of leper does nothing to help her get healthier; it’s just cruelty dressed up as concern. There shouldn’t be public ownership of women’s bodies just because they are in the public eye. I hope her self-image is as strong as it seems to be in interviews, because I don’t know many people who are strong enough to deal with what she’s had to face in these past few months.
*-Plenty of big women work out and eat well, but do recall Mo’Nique’s standup from about 10 years ago, okay? She wasn’t speaking to the healthy big girl side of the game.
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com/ to watch the video described in the above text or visit http://thebeautifulstruggler.com/2010/03/smile.html . The views expressed in the media presented on this site are not necessarily the views and opinions of the Imani Foundation, our members, staff, or sponsors. Find us on FACEBOOK under the name "The Black Improvement Movement".
Enjoy a Sister Souljah video - Sista Souljah - A State of War
Contact Sister Souljah: 201-357-8781 sistersouljah@sistersouljah.com Currently, Souljah is a 21st Century multidimensional woman. She is the Executive Director of Daddy's House Social Programs, the charitable wing of Bad Boy Entertainment. She is the author of 2 national best sellers, The Coldest Winter Ever, and No Disrespect. She is the writer of choice for top magazines. She was the inspiration and architect of charitable community givebacks and programs for many celebrities. She has also been happily married for over 10 years and has one child.Many people attempt to silence Sister Souljah’s powerful voice. A young influential woman who has achieved so much yet remains down to earth, can be quite intimidating. Still she has been blessed to reach and touch those who are interested in adding to the good in the world, and not to the evil.
If you are receiving this correspondence via email and are not able to view the accompanying video please visit http://www.blackimprovementmedia.blogspot.com to watch the video described in the below text.
Sister Souljah, hip-hop generation best selling author, activist, recording artist, and film producer, is the most powerful and meaningful person speaking to youth and students today. Her intelligence is unselfish. She shines as she offers cultural, spiritual, political, economical, practical analysis and constructive solutions with the precision of a surgeon. Souljah’s words, thoughts, lessons, and books are transforming the next generation. Once you have heard her speak, it’s impossible for you to remain the same. You’ll change the way you think, love and live.
