I am reading the story about the diversity controversy with Vanity Fair choosing a cover will all-white upcoming female actors.  The fact is the majority of roles in Hollywood are written for white women.  That will not change until other races start to cherish and tell their own stories.  I don’t have a problem with Vanity Fair’s choice.

What I have a problem with is “tokenism”. Where companies and other entities go out their way to find a non-white person (I am starting not to like the term a person of color…thats another blog post) to add to their project as to show diversity or satisfy a criteria.  It is a slap in the face.  It  basically says we need a Black, Asian,  Hispanic or someone non-white just to fill a spot regardless of if they really met our criteria or we have someone else in mind.

We recently saw backlash by black coaching candidates in the NFL. There is a rule called the Rooney rule which requires teams to interview at least one black candidate for a open head coaching job. Well a few former and assistant coaches who were being called in to be interviewed JUST to meet the rule declined to interview.  Why? In many of the cases everyone knew the team was going to offer to job to a white coach. They were just doing it out of formality.  They wanted to satifiy the rule or “skirt” it so they went looking for a black candidate to help them. I know there is another side to the coin where these candidates should do the interview just to gain the experience of doing a head coaching job interview. These candidates probably were more concerned about the principle of the process and the tokenism where they were being “used” because of the color of their skin. In the name of diversity people are being used due to public perception.

How far are we going to go with diversity.  Will we have to have a mixed race person,  trans gender person,  native American Indian etc…When are we going to stop this madness in the name of diversity?

Yesterday, I posted a blog about the Caribbean Media getting no respect, especially from their own. In the blog post I stated it was not my style to “call out” anyone. Well after hearing from a few well respected US-based Caribbean media colleagues in regards to that blog post,  I changed my mind.

I am going to “call out” one of these events…The Jamaica Jazz & Blues Fest.  We will no longer be giving the  Jamaica Jazz Fest free coverage on Jamaicans.com to promote the event.  When the mainstream media is given everything, plus the “kitchen sink,”  for this event in November 2009 and the Caribbean media received mainly rejection letters 3 weeks (January 2010) before the event, it is a shameful. We were not offered the common courtesy offered to the “mainstream media”.  A few of my colleagues did get to cover the event,  however it  was after “Kicking and screaming” about the rejecting letter.  Our writers, who covered your event in the past, will no longer go through the “many hoops”  to be disrespected.

We are no longer valued. We will not be taken for granted to promote your event, but not participate in the event.  After 2 years of rejection letters we have gotten the hint.  You no longer want a two-way relationship.   All the best Jamaica Jazz Fest.

I can’t help but think Kayne West comments caused Taylor Swift to win the 4 Grammy’s she did. Not that she cannot sing. She can sing.  In fact I think the lyrics of most of her songs are well written and have substance.  It is lyrics you do not find in many of the popular culture songs that wear out a rift and a simple line.  Even with that I can’t help but think Kayne West comments help propel Taylor Swift to where she is.  I have a daughter that will disagree and maybe she is right. Maybe the Grammy judges were right.

I read this story below and the “straw has finally” broke the camels back. In the last 3 years I have noticed a disturbing trend where Caribbean media gets no respect. It always existed but I think it has shown  it’s face more now than ever. They do not get access or input to items that affect their community.  Whether it be the US census, musical events in the Caribbean,  local events targeting Caribbean audience and even charitable events.   There were the excuses of economy and cutting back but it does not fly.  I know of cases were the Caribbean media outlet has offered to pay their own way in exchange for press access and they are still denied.  I would call names but it is not my style.  So what is the problem with denying Caribbean media access or input in a process that involves their community. The community gets no say in the event. No one knows the community like the Caribbean media and can tell what message works. No one will question the event with the Caribbean community in mind. No one will bring the message to the Caribbean community the way the Caribbean media does.

EVERYBODY’S “Caribbean Magazine” HEADLINE NEWS

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 29-30 2010

SPIKE LEE, PRIME MINISTER MANNING & USAIN BOLT MISSING AT NEW YORK CARIBBEAN GALA

Chief honoree Spike Lee, recipient of the Bob Marley Award, and two other honorees, Prime Minister Patrick Manning of Trinidad & Tobago and the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, did not bother to show up at Thursday’s fundraising gala organized by the American Foundation of the University of the West Indies held at the prestigious Pierre Hotel in Manhattan.

Although the other honorees showed up, many former UWI students in New York many of whom are doctors, lawyers and other professionals have been silently boycotting the dinner during the last few years.

They understand and appreciate the AFUWI campaign to raise funds to help the UWI but they prefer to send their funds directly to the UWI rather than supporting the organizers, a few of whom they consider arrogant and using the New York gala to enhance their ego and business.

“People are asked to coffer up $500 per person,” says a prominent UWI graduate in Brooklyn “and when you get to the dinner there is a division of class. A reception is held for one group of chosen few and another reception for the ordinary person who paid $1,000 for his and his wife and they are not appreciated. There is no opportunity for socializing.”  Attendance has fallen from near 700 to 350 or less and the trend will continue since so many people were frustrated this year.

The organizers employ professionals to manage the dinner but class and grace are sometimes absent. Last year they refused to have a prominent New York-Caribbean photographer included amongst the media. When he protested, they allegedly called security. This year a small media house that has covered the dinner for twelve years and recently gave the AFUWI US$2,500 toward the cause was denied entry for its journalist. After several calls and run around, the AFUWI sent this cold note, “Thanks for your interest; unfortunately we are unable to accommodate you at this time.”

The local Caribbean-American media except one newspaper is not enthusiastically welcomed at the gala. They are frequently restricted from doing their job and all the recognition is generally given to personalities from the mainstream media such as CNN, BET, WABC-TV and WOR-TV.

With tables as high as $50,000 and with top companies recruited to manage the fundraiser people are beginning to ask how much money is actually give to the UWI and how much is paid unnecessarily to event planners.

The biggest laugh and disappointment at Thursday’s dinner was: Prime Minister Thompson of Barbados was asked to brief speak on behalf of the other two prime ministers present at the gala – all three were honorees – yet Spike Lee was absent but the person who spoke on his behalf evidently was given endless time to speak and the prime ministers and other honorees were not given that opportunity.

So I am reading the story below and this don’t make no sense.  I think everyone knows that the Grammy will never do this again. I think everyone knows that Buju was not going to win while in jail. So why take out a full page ad? I think the money could have gone to something else like….Haiti.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Gay rights groups angry about a Grammy nomination for jailed Jamaican reggae singer Buju Banton took out a full page advert on Friday, protesting the honoring of an artist they said had “promoted the murder of gay people throughout his career.”

Banton, 36, is up for a best reggae album award for his “Rasta Got Soul” release at the Grammys on Sunday. He is currently in jail in Florida awaiting trial on a cocaine charge and will not be attending the awards show.

Why? I love to see the hypocrisy. Wren people clap when they don’t want to clap. When the president says something he knows that the opposition has to stand up and clap even though they don’t want to. When the president tailors his speech so that they have to clap. The hypocrisy is just amazing.

Over the past few days I have gotten numerous emails from Jamaican & Caribbean organizations who are trying to help Haiti.  I commend them on this.  I am fine with the drives to collect items etc. What  I don’t understand is why some of these organization, with no affiliation to Haiti,  are starting bank accounts  to help Haiti when there is other organizations already set up to do this.  I know people are going to say they know their audience and they are trying to reach them. Then why not ask them to send the money to one of these already established organization. You are still reaching your audience and your people to help. Setting up new bank accounts and funds is just adding another layer. In fact many of these emails  state they will give any donation they get back to these established organizations. So why not ask you people to donate directly.

I hate to say this but it seems like organizations want to be on a soapbox where they can say “XYZ organization collected x-amount and donated to Haiti”.  The people need the money and help right now and the established organization can get it to them quickly.  Let’s cut out the middle man and the soapbox.

What do you think? Am I wrong about this?

Donate to Haiti Today!!! -   See a list of organizations you can make donations to.