Committee Report CR-2
The Civic Unity Committee held a public meeting on Thursday, May 17, 2007, at five o’clock and thirty-five minutes P. M. in the Sullivan Chamber. The meeting was held for the purpose of discussing an appropriate response to the media expressions and images of women of color and how to reinforce a positive self-image, especially with regard to young women.
Present at the meeting were Councillor E. Denise Simmons, Chair of the Committee, and City Clerk D. Margaret Drury. Also present were Kimberly Sansoucy, Executive Director, Women’s Commission, Estella Johnson, Director, Economic Development, Community Development Department, (CDD), Michelle Farnum, Director, Youth Services Program, Department of Human Services, (DHSP), Ruby Pierce, Administrative Official, Rindge School of Technical Arts, (RSTA), Melissa Castillo, Youth Services, DHSP, Michele N. Scott, Youth Services, DHSP, Dr. Marilyn Monteiro, 35 Eldridge Road, Jamaica Plain, Michelle Crawford, 12 Putnam Gardens #111, Cambridge, Kathleen Jones, Cambridge.
Councillor Simmons convened the meeting and explained the purpose. She provided some history of the Civic Unity Committee.
women’s basketball team “nappy headed ho’s.” Individual blacks and women on the networks’ staff, then black and women activist groups protested. As public protest grew, advertisers responded to the increasing public disapproval by canceling their advertising, and Don Imus was forced to resign as talk show host.
Councillor Simmons said that Don Imus was the straw that broke the camel’s back. She then invited discussion of the economic impact that women of color have on the economy and how it can be used to express women’s reactions to their portrayal by the media, particularly women of color. Councillor Simmons invited Estella Johnson, Director of Economic Development for CDD, to speak about the economic impact of black women on this society. Ms. Johnson provided the following statistics:
Ms. Johnson said she believes Imus just touched a nerve in all right thinking people. Racism is on of the hardest kinds discussions to have in this country. It is very important to try to have honest discussions. Regarding where we go from here, these things keep happening over and over. She said that she agrees that when we exercise our economic power is when we get some of what we want, not all but some. There needs to be conversation, not of all black women, but rather all women and all people who care about what is right.
Ms. Johnson added that the media is very powerful and what we see are rap videos, not models of powerful women. She said that she would like to talk about what we can do to get the media to portray positive images of women.
, there are many examples of powerful women. There was a woman on the School Committee in the 1880’s but how many people know that. Yet we know about “nappy headed ho’s” because it is all over the media. She invited discussion about what actions women want to take.
runs a summer Girls Taking Action Program. Every year they have a different theme. This year the theme is going to be about media images.
Ruby Pierce, Administrative Official, RSTA, and former CRLS Head Master, said that she is concerned about what young women say about themselves and how they portray themselves. When she hears them say demeaning things about themselves, she tries to engage them in conversation about just what they are saying. Sometimes the conversations make a big difference. It takes time but it is worth it.
staff is creating the curriculum for the Girls Taking Action Program and whether Ms. Castillo has seen reaction from the teen girls themselves about the Imus issue.
Ms. Castillo said that the young people had a lot of reactions about the issue. The themes for the summer programs came out of these discussions. Part of the curriculum is set. Half is left for the girls themselves to create. The reactions ranged from calling Imus names to exhibiting hurt feelings. A lot of girls felt hurt. They related that a couple of teachers had talked about the matter.
Dr. Monteiro asked whether the girls understood the word “ho”. Ms. Castillo said yes they understood it, but whether they internalize it is a different question.
basketball team members and were so strong and dignified in their response. They were wonderful role models. Ms. Scott said that she feels that there is an acceptance coming from African American men to talk about their women as ho’s . BET (Black Entertainment TV) is very disappointing in this regard.
Ms. Johnson said that many of us have seen and heard so much of this that we have become desensitized to “ho” and the N word too. It is so pervasive on BET. In her generation it was considered an abuse for someone to talk like that to another.
Councillor Simmons said that such word usage has become so persuasive it is often seen as “bigger than me,” something that one individual cannot do anything about. Ms. Johnson said that we do not control the things on T.V. Maybe we need to control our own destinies. Michelle Crawford said that when she was a child, when an African American child got home after an incident of racial disrespect or abuse, their families were outraged.
Dr. Monteiro said that there is a certain level of consciousness that people are missing. Those expressions reflect the disdain that the entire society holds for African Americans and the status that African Americans occupy in this society, a status of racial oppression. Many men were supporting Don Imus and saying that he has the freedom of speech to make a statement and should not be fired for a statement, but that statement is what it says, a statement of the acceptable pathology that it is okay for one race to call even the most respected members of another race a name reserved for the least respected and most castigated members of society.
Michelle Scott noted that an article in the Metro newspaper reported that a music group was putting out a CD called “Nappy Headed Ho’s” and that 50 percent of the sales proceeds were going to go to Don Imus. Dr. Monteiro said that this is a good example of how well capitalism works for promoting sexism and racism. How do you end it? Ms. Johnson said that children of this culture are pretty materialistic. Teaching moral values has to start in the home. Michelle Crawford said that adults often do not communicate with youth, to reassure them and share their values. Adults need to spend time building the relationship.
Ms. Farnum stated that she is struck by how integrally this issue is tied into race. She gave the example of “Girls Gone Wild”. Hiphop has taken a huge hit, as if hiphop owns the problem. The entire culture is implicated. An entire generation of young women has been raised on a media message that your sexuality gets you things. She said she wonders why this has all been put on the hiphop issue. Is it because for women of color this is the fastest way to success and to get things? There are three black music moguls- we all know them, but how many people know of the white music media and advertising moguls who have become rich using sex to peddle their products.
Ms. Johnson asked the Youth Services staff members when there is a discussion about Imus, what do the girls say they should do. Ms. Farnum said that she does not think activism is something the younger generation is used to. Ms. Johnson said that the next question is what are you, the staff, going to do. Ms. Farnum replied that their role as teachers is to ask that and to help them get answers. She said that she sees a pervasive sense of powerlessness among youth.
Ms. Farnum said that she has a seven-year-old daughter. The Barbie dolls that shocked our parents are now out of style. Her daughter wants “My Scene Barbie” who has a pierced bellybutton and her own web page. Ms. Farnum said that perhaps as part of the Girls Taking Action program they could continue the conversation with women of the community.
Councillor Simmons suggested that it be a multigenerational, multiracial conversation. Ms. Crawford said that she would like to see all the people at the table including men. She suggested involving the Agenda for Children.
Councillor Simmons said that she would like to have four people from this meeting to sit down and talk about possible next steps. She submitted the following order:
ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to confer with the Assistant City Manager for Human Services and the Assistant City Manager for Community Development and the Executive Director of the Women’s Commission with the view of encouraging a continuation of the discussion between staff and the Civic Unity Committee of how to respond to media images and encourage positive self image, especially with regard to young women of color.
Councillor Simmons thanked all those present for their attendance. The meeting was adjourned at seven o’clock and fifteen minutes P.M.