Women of Color Uniting not Bickering

So as a women of color in an all male dominated industry (Entertainment/media) I have noticed women in high positions are scarce. Many of us that are in the industry are loners doing our own thing. Now there is nothing wrong with working on your own projects BUT then we shouldn't complain about there not being unity in the community.

In order to see that change you must create the change, ESPECIALLY if you are in the position to help those on the "come up". I see up and coming Producers and Directors all that time that ask for my help.

No I am not a martyr.

I am a business women and I am working extremely hard on my projects but when and where there is time I will help others. Just as in life, this business is funny and you never know when you will need help; possibly the help of the same person you showed no "love" to. Remember those sayings "one hand washes the other" and "there is power in numbers"?

Well there is power in those words!!! Now I don't say help only with an alterior motive, like the fear of possibly needing someone and not receiving their help, BUT if there was someone in your field who could have helped make your plight smoother wouldn't you have wanted them to PAY IT FORWARD!?

Be The Change

What good are we if we only seem to fall into the stereotype others have set in place for us?


Whether it is social, economic or political, we as individuals should aspire for more.

I’d hate to be that Black Latina society paints out as this uneducated, teen mom on welfare. It has gone on for several decades and only seems to be worsening. The culprit? We are.

This is only an example of a stereotype others have given us, maybe not realizing that “we” are not all grouped into one category.

These thoughts came into my mind as I was grocery shopping today.

An older Hispanic woman was in the frozen food section shopping with her grandson.

She asked for my help on reading the sale ads and choosing the correct product.

As we walked through the refrigerated section I couldn’t help but notice all the unhealthy choices she made. The first were French fries she asked about and I am guilty of the same as many of us are, they are easy and simple. The second were those little lunchable meals that kids seem to love. Yes frozen and convenient I attest to buying them a few times, but what real nutritional value can come from them. But the third and most shocking to me was, White Castle burgers. Speechless. I am by no means judging anyone who eats this, but White Castle as with any fast food business is meant to be just that, fast food. Why would this be a product in the super market? Yes I know, maybe people love them so much they want to eat them at home as well, but it just did not sit well with me.

Granted she was an older woman and most likely set in her ways, but through all the years should there not have been a line drawn.

Then there’s the other harsh reality in the back of all our minds, the unhealthy items that are placed in these inner city, predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods, giving us the option to eat this garbage.

I for one have been guilty of traveling to another borough just to purchase fresher healthier options, but am not proud of it. It is a shame that we have to go through such measures to maintain our health. This said supermarket where I met this woman was not the nearest to my home either. Let’s put it this way en route from my house to the supermarket I pass about four other supermarkets that I rather not go to.

But this also goes back to being the change you want to see in YOUR neighborhood.

How can we continue to complain about the problem but not offer a solution?

Women

So I don't get this whole idea of women being put into categories based off of race/ethnicity.

This false notion that all Spanish women are submissive and docile creatures, who cook and clean to please their men, and have the newspaper waiting at the dinner table and ESPN on the TV. While on the other hand you have Black women who are these teeth sucking, neck rolling, “we don’t play that” women who will cut a man for speaking out of character at any given moment. While for some Spanish and Black women this may be true, it is unfair to have such a blanket statement made about an entire group.

It’s very bias for women of the groups but also for those outside of the groups, like as if to say that White women can't be hardcore and live by a no nonsense approach or that Asian women aren't appeasing to men. It is so wrong to have these generalized ideas and that so many people believe them.

But I guess just as ideas concerning race/ethnicity can be boxed in and labeled, so can idea about gender.