Neems + Things

I Think Black History Month Is Important

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000

February is the shortest day of the year, but at least 2012 is a leap year there is one extra day. Nevertheless, I always find the celebration of Black History Month to be an humbling and controversial time of the year. Yes, many organizations and popular companies have obligatory celebrations, but it's the sentiment that counts, right?

I struggled to answer that simple question for myself. At first, I wanted to encourage everyone to read How to be Black by Baratunde Thurston. Then I thought I should be overjoyed that "black history month facts" is trending on Bing.com. But, just like Asian-American and Latino-American History celebrations, these institutionalized creations are reminders that people of color were in fact considered the 'other'. I know this is starting to sound like the beginnings of a militant rant, but it's not. I am simply trying to come to terms with my own reservations about this month of public awareness, so please bear with me.

In my opinion, the celebration of Black History Month does not the negate the overt and covert acts of racism, the deliberate omissions of Black Americans from American history and over 200 years of slavery. It is not as if we collectively forgot that we are 'other' for the other 11 months of the year. Maybe I did have few days go by where I forgot I was black and simply considered myself an American. But for the majority of the time, I am aware of by blackness and embrace it. In fact, I proud of my history, culture, language, and culinary traditions. So I personally find it ludicrous to have a celebration of Black History condensed into one month. People of the African Diaspora have a long and rich history that dates back to even before Europeans 'discovered' the New World, and especially before slavery in North and South America but only celebrating it in one month oversimplifies everything. And thus this leads me to wonder if it is time to stop celebrating Black History Month. As Maya Angelou said in a recent article,

"We want to reach a time when there won’t be Black History Month, when black history will be so integrated into American history that we study it along with every other history. That’s the hope, and we have to continue to work until that is true, until that becomes a fact."

But, then I remember that when people stop celebrating, they stop talking or remembering, and then they ultimately stop passing on information.

SOPA, Stop Online Privacy Act [Video]

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:52:00 +0000

The battle between old and new media is at all time high. When sites like Google and Wikipedia decide to protest SOPA and PIPA using their own homepages, the general public should take notice. Even the Whitehouse has released a statement criticizing the proposed legislation.

What do you think? Does the proposed legilsation really pose a threat to freedom of speech and business growth?

Video - SOPA, Stop Online Privacy Act -- Wikipedia, Other Sites Protesting Proposed Censorship Rules - WSJ.com:

'via Blog this'

Diabetes Doesn't Discriminate

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 22:00:00 +0000

Last spring, the National Enquirer reported that Paula Deen was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, however, the claims have not been confirmed by Deen's publicist. The Queen of Southern Cooking, famous for the “Lady’s Brunch Burger” – a hamburger topped with bacon and a fried egg and served on a glazed donut is now her own worse enemy.

More after the jump>>

Stereotypes About Blahwoman in America

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

The Colbert Report
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Melissa Harris-Perry discusses her latest book, Sister Citizen: Shame, Stereotypes, and Black Women on the Colbert Report. I will definitely add it my 2012 reading list. Any suggestions for other books to read this year?

Hasta Luego 2011, Hello 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 21:01:00 +0000

New Years Eve Times Square Celebration
New York City 2011

2011 was a mentally, physically and emotionally challenging year, yet I know I learned a tremendous amount about myself. Some of the experiences were through no fault of my own, while others were a result of poor decision-making. And yes, the old adage, poor decisions lead to great stories rings true for me. In a brief introspective moment I had this week, I compiled a list of the three personal lessons I learned over the past year.

Opposites do not necessarily attract. For example, having a positive outlook on life does not mean you will always be happy. Unfortunately, negative people, thoughts and events may arrive in your life, but you have a choice on how they affect you. Yes, sometimes to remove the negativity from around you it means distancing yourself from friends or family members. But that it is okay.
No one has the right to make you feel inferior. There were a few events that left me shaken because a few people made inappropiate comments toward me and I wanted to shrink back and disappear. But with all the self-control and courage I could muster up, I confronted them and spoke up for myself. Honestly, it was scary and uncomfortable, but afterwards I felt empowered and confident.
I cancelled my gym membership. I thought going to the gym on a regular would make me healthier and happier and it did for an extent. But, I also realized I couldn't afford it anymore. So, instead I began looking for ways to incorporate more exercise into my daily life. And that lead me to buy a pair of more comfortabe walking shoes and a secondhand bicycle. Now I'm walking more, taking the stairs and riding to work when the weather permits.

Originally, I thought I would have a long list of 2012 New Years resolutions, but I have not had time to make one. Ha, I am even surprised I found time to write this post. But honestly, I do not think I have ever made a New Years resolution and stuck with them for any amount of time. Maybe that means I have commitment issues or perhaps setting resolutions is a futile effort (for me). However, I do know that when I decide to make a change with a clear purpose and have the motivation to change, I'm unstoppable. I might become a bit overzealous, but nonetheless it leaves me feeling extremely accomplished. So, I a plan to continue on the same path for 2012.

What did you learn in 2011? Are you making any New Years resolutions? If so, what are they?

Facebook Can Ruin Your (Financial) Life

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 13:50:00 +0000

As if there wasn't enough stalker-like activity going on, I had to find this article in PCWorld where Dan Tynan, describes a futuristic world of financial companies mining your own social networks for potential customers or evidence of risk-taking.

…in the last year or so, financial institutions have started exploring ways to use data from Facebook, Twitter and other networks to round out an individual borrower’s risk profile—although most entrepreneurs working on the problem say the technology is three to five years away from mainstream adoption… It gets worse. Let’s say you fall a few months behind on your payments and you’ve decided to banish the bill collecting goons to voice mail. Hong Kong-based micro-lender Lenddo – which asks for your Facebook, Twitter, Gmail, Yahoo, and Windows Live logons when you sign up -- reserves the right to rat you out to all your friends.

So, yes, I am officially paranoid about being redlined.

Unsolicited Advice to Help A Poor Black Kid

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Against, my better judgement I read Gene Marks blog post, "If I Were A Poor Black Kid". And shortly thereafter, I walked away from the computer. Eventually, I began to wonder how in the world can a self-described middle class white man know what it is like to be a poor black kid? Heck, even I cannot even say I know what is it like to be a poor black kid.

I might have grown up in a poorer than average neighborhood, but my family certainly did not meet any of those poverty indicators, so I would never imagine that I am qualified to give such advice. Much less publish it in a highly public forum such as Forbes.com. Thankfully, I am not alone in my reasoning and many bloggers have decided to respond to Marks' post in a thoughtful and factful manner. Although, I wonder why the hypothetical poor black kid is male. Aren't there poor black girls in the United States, too?

The Angry Black Lady Chronicles responded:

Privilege and racism are embedded in the system, and grand statements like “Try harder! Get a computer (which a poor black kid likely can’t afford in the first instance)! Get into private school!” are offensive in their banality.

So Mr. Marks, the next time you want to opine about life as a poor black kid, just stop. You know nothing of growing up black. You know nothing of growing up poor. You know nothing of the systemic problems in education that result in many black kids, poor or otherwise, being left behind. It’s not a matter of just “trying super hard and really wanting to succeed.” Your assumptions are faulty, and frankly, you sound like a jackass. A well-meaning jackass, perhaps, but a jackass all the same.

Jeff Wang reminded us that escaping poverty is not that easy in his piece, Opinion: If I Were a Rich White Dude.

It takes the cultural openness and humility to recognize that "simple solutions" may not be as simple as you rich white dudes think.

Baratunde Thurston, responded with the satirical piece, Letter from a poor black kid: Baratunde Thurston responds to Forbes' Gene Marks.

Next, Touré weighs in on the controversial post:

I wouldn’t think about these things if I were a middle class white man because I never really think about racism because I don’t have to. Racism is something that happens to other people and I don’t really think about it that often because it’s complicated and it makes me uncomfortable to think about about.

And my favorite response, A Muscular Empathy, by Ta-Nehisi Coates best summarizes the absurdity of Marks reasoning:

That mediocrity is oft-exemplified by the claim that though we are unremarkable in this easy world, something about enslavement, degradation and poverty would make us exemplary. We can barely throw a left hook--but surely we would have beaten Mike Tyson.

Honestly, I could spend all day sifting through all the rebuttals, including Gene Marks' own rebuttal to his rebuttal. But, I have a job and career-advancing opportunities to attend to.

Is Failure A Bad Thing?

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Over the weekend I had time to watch a few videos. Free time? Yes, it still exist. While the ideas expressed are not new, they resonated with me enough to want them to share with you.

Is Pizza Really A Vegetable?

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

When I first saw the headlines claiming that Congress allowed pizza to be considered a vegetable in school lunches, I had small heart attack. Part of me hoped it was a publicity hoax. Of course, the truth is complicated.

According to Sarah Kliff of the Washington Post, the agriculture appropriations bill does not mention the word “pizza,” or even “vegetable,” for that matter. Rather, the bill (Sec. 743) has language about tomato paste. More specifically, it allows an eighth of a cup of tomato paste to be credited with as much nutritional value as a half a cup of vegetables (source). In my opinion this is weak public policy at the risk of children's future health.

Ultimately, this means that Congress is still misinformed about nutrition, prevention and healthy eating policies that have been proven to have a positive effect on school-age children.

#EpicFail

Black in America: The Curious Case of Privilege

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +0000

On Sunday night I tuned into the fourth installment of CNN's Black in America series entitled The New Promised Land: Silicon Valley. The documentary profiles eight entrepreneurs participating in the NewMe Accelerator. Co-founded by Angela Benton and Wayne Sutton, the accelerator was designed to give under-represented minorities access to investors, mentors and hopefully capital in Silicon Valley. It was my second time viewing the piece and I hoped to gain some clarity on the topic because I only saw a 'big tease' and did not know how the special concluded.

More after the jump>>

You Should Be Able to Get Rich in Charity

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 13:00:00 +0000

Dan Palotta said it in his blog, not me.

There should be no limit to the amount of money a person can earn making the world a better place, so long as the money is commensurate with the value they produce.

If a person is a value-generating machine, and produces additional commensurate value for every additional increment of money they receive — and you can measure that value — then never stop the machine. And never let anyone else stop the machine. Let it keep producing value. Keep measuring it. And keep paying, without limit.

To limit the production of value in the service of social progress is the sin. Encouraging it is not.

Flickr

Honestly, I think Palotta is verbalizing what many in the not-for-profit sector know, but are afraid to voice outside of happy hour. Maybe admitting that one would like to be paid more money while doing work for good is almost unethical. Maybe. But many in the industry are well-educated and possess specialized skills, so why are they not properly compensated? I surmise it has something to do with asymmetric wage information, a general non-profit identity crisis and possibly a gender bias.

Furthermore, it would be easy to attribute the lower wages to only the three aforementioned ideas, but the issue is deeper than that. Unfortunately, what the 'that' is eludes me at the moment. Sometimes, I think it is an image problem due to the nature of the work. And other times, I think there is a guilty conscious lurking behind everyone. And coupling that with the humble, self-depreciating history of charity and philanthropy has become a hindrance to advocating for better compensation.

Just Films

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Last week, the Ford Foundation officially launched JustFilms, a new initiative designed to expand support for social issue documentary films. Announced last winter at the Sundance Film Festival, JustFilms will provide $50 million over the next five years to fund the creation of social issue docs and help build effective audience engagement programs around them.

Recently, Philantopic interviewed Orlando Bagwell, lead producer of the award-winning documentary Eyes on the Prize series who is also the JustFilms Director. Part 1 and Part 2 of the article read like an introspective and honest conversation. What you do think of the initiative?

How to Disrupt Philanthropy

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:00:00 +0000

As per usual, I find interesting reading material right before going to bed. And, last night I happened across a thought-provoking post on the PhilanTopic blog. Entitled "Steve Jobs and Occupy Wall Street: Two Ways to Disrupt Philanthropy," I thought it would be another homage to Steve Jobs, instead, Bradford K. Smith, president of the Foundation Center connected philanthropy, the industry in which I work, to the Occupy Wall Street movement:

No matter how you slice it, philanthropy is driven by asset-based wealth; indeed, large organized philanthropy of the foundation variety is fueled by the top 1 percent of the population that holds 23.5 percent of national income -- and whose "greed and corruption" the Occupy Wall Street movement is protesting. For foundations, Wall Street is not some distant exotic land, given that their investments are often entrusted to some of the biggest financial firms; nor is it unheard of for foundation presidents and executives from some of those firms to sit on each other's boards.

More after the jump>>

Occupy Wall Street

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 12:32:00 +0000

More after the jump>>

An Optimist in Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +0000

It's refreshing to find a story about Haiti that presents more than the usual political corruption, cholera outbreaks and earthquake rumble. If you are tired of being bombarded with sad human interest pieces, this video from Frontline and Adam Davidson of NPR's "Planet Money" might make you smile.

Watch the full episode. See more FRONTLINE.

The Joy of Poverty

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:00:00 +0000

I wish I knew what was so joy inspiring about poverty. Then I could bottle it up and peddle it on Dr.Oz's show as the ultimate dietary supplement. I'll admit it, sometimes satire goes over my head. So you can only imagine my surprise when I checked out the book Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People by Amy Sedaris and encountered a chapter entitled "The Joy of Poverty."

Last time I thought about it, poverty was rather depressing and frustrating. Perhaps, Sedaris was hoping to make light of such a situation by showing the creative and resourceful qualities of poor people. But, the joke is not funny to me. Then again, I could be over-analyzing things, again. Have you read the book?

New Orleans

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:45:00 +0000

Back in August, I spent five days in New Orleans with a great friend and travel buddy. Although, we were visiting during the slow reason, we had an unforgettable time. Not only did we meet celebrities, artists, chefs, locals and tourists like ourselves, we managed to do it on a tight budget.

Here are are few of the photographs that I created while exploring the enchanting place.

Jemu, a talented artist.

Crew member supervising the docking of the Natchez Steamboat on the Mississippi River.

Mammy-like porcelain figures for sale in a local souvenir shop. I guess racist memorabilia is tourist attraction.

Poet for hire.

The Secret To Happiness

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000

According to Urban Outfitters, the secret to happiness lies within the pages of this book.

More after the jump>>

Stephen Colbert Exposes the Dangers of Government Mandated Birth Control Coverage

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:12:00 +0000

Because prevention is worthless.

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Too Many Standards

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 16:52:00 +0000

Xckd continues to deliver timely cartoons. Could you imagine a world with universal mobile phone/laptop/ipod chargers?

Food for Thought

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +0000

When I received the link to this short film I knew I wanted to share it with you. "Food for Thought" investigates efforts in Bucks County, PA to reduce childhood obesity and increase children's access to locally-produced, healthy foods. Additionally, it explores the challenge of childhood obesity and programs that address it. With all the recent press, this could not have been more timely.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT TRAILER from Andrew Ferrett on Vimeo.

You can watch the entire film at http://vimeo.com/20987069.

Based on this information, what do you think about the rising adult and child obesity rates and the national programs such as Let's Move?

Deep Thoughts: bell hooks on men and fear of abandonment

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

"Usually adult males who are unable to make emotional connections with the women they choose to be intimate with are frozen in time, unable to allow themselves to love for fear that the loved one will abandon them. If the first woman they passionately loved, the mother, was not true to her bond of love, then how can they trust that their partner will be true to love. Often in their adult relationships these men act out again and again to test their partner’s love. While the rejected adolescent boy imagines that he can no longer receive his mother’s love because he is not worthy, as a grown man he may act out in ways that are unworthy and yet demand of the woman in his life that she offer him unconditional love. This testing does not heal the wound of the past, it merely reenacts it, for ultimately the woman will become weary of being tested and end the relationship, thus reenacting the abandonment. This drama confirms for many men that they cannot put their trust in love. They decide that it is better to put their faith in being powerful, in being dominant."

-bell hooks (via @dreamhampton's tumblr)

I'm Awkward. And Black.

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:06:00 +0000

Created by Issa Rae, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl are my newest guilty pleasure. The series details the socially uncomfortable moments in J's life which many of us have encountered at some point in time. They may have included the drunk hookup, the encounter with an angry supervisor or even the honorary white person who thinks she's cool and living in a post-racial society. But honestly, what makes this web series refreshing and believable is the authenticity of the characters. Be it, J's new found sidekick and partner in awkwardness or her co-workers at the call-center, I find it easy to identify with many of them. Basically, you need to watch the series for yourself and decide.

Isn't it funny? ABG fills that much need gap in black media and even the current mainstream sitcom space. However, ABG is suffering from the same fate that many black media projects have - lack of funding. What started out as a labor of love now needs financial backing and we have the opportunity to help through the funding platform Kickstarter. Don't worry I wouldn't sugest doing something I myself would not do. I'm contributing $25.

So, hop on over to Awkward Black Girl's Kickstarter page and donate.

I Love My Boo

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 16:30:00 +0000

One of my friends brought the ingenuity of the GMHC's "I Love My Boo" campaign to my attention a few days ago. Although I have been traversing the NYC subway system I have not seen any of the posters in person, but it was rather easy to find images on Google and Facebook. The bold campaign "features real young men of color loving each other passionately. Rather than sexualizing gay relationships, this campaign models caring, and highlights the importance of [them] taking care of [one another]." Honestly, I think this is the first ad campaign that I have ever seen that specifically targets gay men of color in a non-sexual manner.

Intrigued by the use of the men of color I started to explore the GMHC website only to realize they have another campaign going on, too. This one is called "Kiss & Tell" and it "encourages black and Latino young men who have sex with men (YMSM) to have open and loving discussions with partners (the people that they are kissing) about their sexual history and HIV status." Personally, I think anyone engaged in sexual activity should discuss their sexual history and HIV status with his or her partner. Actually, the "Kiss & Tell" message could be applied to the heterosexual relationships as well.

Personally, I wish there was no stigma attached to being a gay person or even a person living with HIV/AIDS. Considering that in 2005, Black women accounted for 67% of all new AIDS cases among women, and black teens made up 69% of new AIDS cases among teens in 2005 this is a serious discussion to be had. More so, 25% of people living with HIV don't know it. I cannot imagine the pain and anguish someone would feel to find that they were infected by their partner and the partner was ignorant of their own status. These campaigns underscore the need for honest and open conversations about one's sexual past to happens in all relationship regardless of one's sexual preference.

If you live in the NYC area have you seen these posters? And what's your take on HIV/AIDS prevention or public education campaigns in general?

In Defense of a Three-Day Work Week

noreply@blogger.com (Neems) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:45:00 +0000

I do not know about you but something about Monday morning feels awkward and uncomfortable to me. Maybe it's because it signals the end of the weekend and the start of another work week. Even if I loved my job, which I'm not saying I do not appreciate, but Monday mornings just aren't my cup of tea. Yes, the lovely paycheck I receive at the end of the pay period is a nice reward but I would rather not wake up, don my work clothes or even make my short 15 minute commute to the office.

More after the jump>>