"I Do See Color" weekly newsletter: March 22, 2023
"I Do See Color" weekly newsletter: March 22, 2023
Weekly newsletter 25: Combination of race- and culture-related posts from "We Need to Talk," "I Do See Color," "BlackTechLogy" and "Window Shopping"
Welcome to the “I Do See Color” newsletter (with a bonus section of two first-person interviews called “Deuces”).
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Now let’s get into the weekly newsletter!
Each week, eight* carefully selected posts will be chosen, which focus on culture, politics, health and race from a black (wo)man’s perspective.
NEW! 1. No, slavery stories aren't meant to be entertainment tales ~ Choose your 'haunted trail' tour bus excursions wisely
Writing about Chicago travel tours and interesting landmarks around my hometown seemed like it’d be a fun idea. And considering Halloween is my third favorite holiday (Veteran’s Day is first, Christmas is second), signing up to review a haunted tour around Chicago made absolute sense for my beat. I had a vague history lesson in Al Capone and Chicago’s ties to the Mafia. I also knew about my city’s ties to the Pullman Porters and “The Chicago Defender” newspaper. But you can never know too much. I pitched the idea, got it approved and off I went.
Unfortunately, there’s something consistently disturbing about tours; some go out of their way to make fun of black women—even if we’re not even the point of the tour. I was reminded of that while listening to WBEZ’s “This American Life” episode 793: “The Problem With Ghosts.”
NEW! 2. Blueface and Chrisean Rock are the car crash I won’t look away from ~ My own volatile relationships keep making me hope Chrisean walks away
“If you’re ever stupid enough to put your hands on me, one of us is going to prison,” I said to him. “I can’t tell you which one of us it’ll be.”
He looked at me for a long time. I kept steady eye contact on him.
“You are crazy as a bat,” he said and laughed.
I didn’t laugh. I was in my twenties and wanted to let him know in no uncertain terms would he ever think it was OK to inflict any kind of physical violence on me. I have no sisters and grew up surrounded by boys on my block, including my older brother and his friends. Although I saw them playing entirely too rough with each other, what I did not see was them smacking girls around. And this boyfriend was a little too flippant with telling stories of past exes and fight nights.
3. Black trauma doesn’t have to be melodramatic … and sometimes delivery through humor can make it easier to digest
Because I’m a glutton for punishment, I often read comment sections just to see what others think of a topic I have strong opinions on. One of the first comments I saw was from Trump supporter LittlSuzi, with the statement, “I gotta say.. she doesn’t sound super traumatized.” After another user questioned her about what “super traumatized” requires looking like, she went on to say, “Crying? No. But I also don’t expect them to giggle and laugh either.”
Other users challenged her translation of the video, and she later picked a semantics debate about Anna Kendrick using the term “traumatizing” in the caption, stating, “There is a huge difference between experiencing a traumatic event and actually BEING traumatized.”
4. Why are drug dealing and jail TV shows and movies not trauma porn? ~ We heard outrage over slavery movies, but why is crime entertaining?
When I saw the Netflix reminder that “Monster” released, I smiled and wondered what lyricist Nas was up to lately. I’d half-listened to the movie preview, but there are some artists who I want to support in anything they do. Ten minutes into watching Kelvin Harrison Jr., I turned off the streaming service channel. I simply cannot watch black men behind bars, selling drugs, getting arrested or other crime-related activity anymore — for entertainment.
I don’t know when it happened. I used to be able to get some entertainment value out of TV shows and movies like this. I’ve watched every season of “The Wire” three times at least. I enjoyed Larenz Tate in the 2016 flick “Deuces,” alongside Meagan Good. I thought “Waist Deep,” starring Tyrese Gibson and Meagan Good (just realized the pattern), was a good flick. But then I just became tired.
5. Whether 22 days or two, veganism continues to make an impact ~ Celebs pique the interest of African-American aspiring vegans and vegetarians
Power couple Beyonce and Jay Z took a little flack in 2014 for admitting they were not vegans. That didn’t stop them from trying out the 22-day excursion into veganism courtesy of 22 Days Nutrition. Partnering with her nutritionist/trainer Marco Borges, the songstress and rap legend Shawn Carter offered one set of free lifetime concert tickets just for signing up on the plant-based meal site The Greenprint Project. True to their word, there was a winner — Anjunelly, a full-time mother of two teens from Virginia.
Other celebrities also joined in to bring awareness to veganism: “Sister, Sister” actress and real-life twin Tia Mowry posed in a lettuce dress and won a PETA award for promoting veganism. Although she is not a vegan anymore, and her “Quick Fix” YouTube channel is largely meat-based and beauty tips, there are plenty of other African-American vegan channels from the likes of Tabitha Brown and Koya Webb.
6. Be pro-fashion, not the fun police ~ Why do people get meaner the better they dress?
My mother is the exception to the rule of the fashion police being “mean girls.” My father, who was never much into fashion before he became a deacon, is clean as a whistle nowadays. He also has her vibe when it comes to fashion. He likes it, but he’s not judging everyone around him for not matching his fly. I respect that. I took my queues from them.
My grandfather had an old school opinion of dressing up. It was not uncommon for me to have to wait for him to find a blazer or suit coat to walk to the mailbox. I thought it was insane, but ooh wee did he look dapper — to go absolutely nowhere. I understand the Lost Generation’s opinion of attire, especially for those who may not have had the initial salary to grow up dressed to the nines. By the time they did (or do), they want to show out wherever they go.
7. Parents, teach your sons how to approach women ~ Personal space and verbal communication will get men so much further with women
When I interviewed the group of four, I sat on a leather bench in the basement. I was very aware that I was in a home studio with four grown men, plus a couple of roamers who came and left upstairs. I’d enjoyed their socially conscious live performance at a festival and saw one of the lyricists perform for “Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry Jam,” so I felt like I reasonably “knew” they were safe to be around — even if I was the only woman in this house. My boss knew who I was going to interview anyway, so if I didn’t show up within a few hours, I was sure I’d hear from him. Still though, I’m a woman before I’m a journalist. I memorized all exits upon entry.
8. Dementia or not, listen to seniors when they speak ~ Apple+ TV’s ‘The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey’ brings back bittersweet family members
In my high school and college days, I’d go to the library and get lost in a Walter Mosley (or Langston Hughes) novel, entertained by opinionated elderly men that often reminded me of my grandfather. Occasionally there’d be a woman among the characters who reminded me of other relatives, too. So I was delighted to find out Samuel L. Jackson was starring in the Apple TV+ mini-series “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey.” My only problem? I’m about three milliseconds from punching my TV screen.
“Deuces” ~ “I Do See Color” newsletter’s bonus interviews:
1. “Professor Finds Satisfaction Teaching Business To Chicago College Students,” CBS Chicago, February 2, 2015
There is growing debate about whether business students should choose traditional business degrees, executive Masters of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degrees or go straight to the workforce. But M.B.A. professionals are on an interesting playing field: they are equipped to teach what they've learned in schools and on their resume. That includes Chicago State University's Professor Stephanie Bibb.
2. “Business Management Coach In Chicago Emphasizes Soft Skills,” CBS Chicago, February 8, 2015
While some students and job applicants naturally have soft skills, others do not. And according to a Monster survey, soft skills matter just as much to get the job done.
The top soft skills to get and keep a job include communication skills, teamwork and collaboration, adaptability, problem solving, critical observation and conflict resolution.
According to Brenda Ellington Booth, Clinical Professor of Management and Organizations at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, those soft skills have a major impact in the business management and entrepreneurial world.
Did you enjoy this post? You’re also welcome to check out my Substack columns “Black Girl In a Doggone World,” “BlackTechLogy,” “Homegrown Tales,” “I Do See Color,” “One Black Woman’s Vote,” “Tickled,” “We Need To Talk” and “Window Shopping” too. Subscribe to this newsletter for the weekly posts every Wednesday.
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