Naomi Campbell attacks companies for ‘dropping’ black models in recession
Article originally from the Telegraph.co.uk (Digital Publisher of the year).
We (people of color), have the power to control spending habits in the country. We can make advertisers, television stations, and brand names respect our dollars. In other words, “If you don’t see Black, put it back!” IBNN was made aware of this article by Ms. Michelle Renee of San Francisco, California.
(Photo: Sisters “Missing in Action.”)
Reprinted with permission.
The 39-year-old supermodel, who is a close friend of Sarah Brown, the Prime Minister’s wife, claims that major companies are refusing to use non-white women to promote their products.
“This year, we have gone back all the way that we had advanced,” she says. “I don’t see any black woman, or of any other race, in big advertising campaigns.“
Campbell, who was born in London to a mother of Caribbean descent, refers to the publication last year of a special edition of Italian Vogue dedicated to non-white models.
“That made some noise, but, unfortunately, we are the same as before,” she says. “People, in the panic of the recession, don’t dare to put a girl of colour in their campaign, full stop. Nor of any other race. It’s a shame. It’s very sad.“
The model, who is a friend of Nelson Mandela, has won support from Bruce Oldfield, the designer of the wedding dress worn by Samantha Cameron, the wife of the Tory leader. Read more
“You guys have a Black President, what more do you want?” From Abe to Barack, racism continues and nothing has “Changed”
by Donald W.R. Allen, II – editor in chief of the Independent Business News Network
More than 50 years ago, Malcolm X said, “The media’s the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that’s power. Because they control the minds of the masses.”
Too many mainstream radio, television and print media outlets in the Twin Cities, actively deny residents the opportunity to see, hear and read news about the local minority-ethnic population.
News and information racism – a form of structural, systemic racism, manifests itself in the form of a virtual blackout in terms of reporting on events that take place day-to-day in the local population of color. In other words, “White News,” appears be the only “Right News.”
On Friday, August 21, 2009 a press conference was held in north Minneapolis to discuss an upcoming engagement with local activists overseeing the remodeling of foreclosed homes. The problem? Minnesota’s “trusted news source” never showed up. Nothing new!
When Blacks or other people of color call press conferences, the local media does not seem to feel moved or obligated to cover events of this nature.
This week in the Twin Cities, no minority-ethnic news item could possibly top Brett Favre becoming a Minnesota Viking. While newsrooms hurried to get crews to the Viking training camp, the minority-ethnic population of the Twin Cities became the shadow of concern, again – no news is good news?
On Friday August 21, 2009, the Barnes and Noble stores at the Mall of America and at the Galleria decided that a published black author, who was a star athlete at the University of Minnesota, and is today a highly-regarded motivational speaker, was not an appropriate candidate for a book signing at their stores because of their customer base.
When IBNN called the Mall of America branch of the company, customer relations manager Mike Sedki told us, “The author you speak of is not a good fit for the MOA. Our guests are from all over the world – they wouldn’t be interested in the author or his book. We want authors like Marie Osmond and Buzz Aldridge at this store.”
If you want to clean the bathrooms, there’s always a place for minorities at the Mall of America.
Despite the election of a black man as president, news distribution outlets continue to overlook, bypass, and hoodwink the minority-ethnic community, by failing to consider their news to be “news that’s fit to print.”
It’s like, “You guys got a Black President, what more do you want?”
In 2009, Black males are still most often portrayed as a menace to society. Black females appear routinely as hoes or sex objects, and the mainstream media has done little to show the American public that those stereotypes are incorrect.
Soledad O’Brian’s highly touted “Black in America” CNN mini-series is a patronizing, simplistic portrait of the American-American community, that appeals to the voyeuristic curiosity of the liberal White audience, but has no real substance or meaning. The show should be called “Black in America (Made for Whites).”
As an article from Science Daily (July 17, 2008) reports, “Watching the news should make you more informed, but it also may be making you more likely to stereotype. . . . In a pair of recently published studies, [one] professor found that the more people watched local or network news, the more likely they were to draw on negative stereotypes about blacks.” (*University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2008, July 17). Negative Perception of Blacks Rises with more News Watching, Studies Say.)
Of course, if a Black man shoots himself in a night club and gets two years in jail –that’s news.
If a Black man commits a heinous crime, it’s on at 5, 6 and 10.
Other than the above examples, Blacks in the media are almost non-existent.
As another article from The Ohio State Research News titled, “African Americans Still Nearly Invisible in Media,” states, “While African Americans have made inroads into some parts of American society, they are still nearly invisible in many parts of the news media and the entertainment industry. . . . Rudolph Alexander, Jr., professor of social work, argues in a newly revised book that the media often ignores African Americans in stories of both heroes and victims, even when they are an integral part of the narrative. (From the book, “Racism, African Americans, and Social Justice, (Rowman and Littlefield, 2nd edition, 2005)
Black leaders in the Twin Cities and the broader US must address this ongoing disparity in coverage of a population that in 2025 is estimated to be the “majority” in the United States. (NY Times, “In a Generation, Minorities May Be the U.S. Majority,” by Sam Roberts, published on August 13, 2008)
“Will the roles be reversed?
Will White America protest against the minority mainstream media for overlooking them?
For now, the mainstream media must be held accountable for the slice of “white cake” that they call news. Furthermore, mainstream media must broadcast and report on issues in the minority-ethnic community with “unconditional coverage.”
Now that’s love!
Prohibited Activities – We’re Watching…
Election year 2008 was very interesting. Several non-profit organizations approached candidates to ask for support of their agendas. Clearly, this was a direct violation of IRS 501(c)(3) procedures and rules. Much like the congregation at a local church (in 2008) being asked to support the Minneapolis Public Schools Referendum – “The Minneapolis Public Schools are going broke and need your assistance.” Still with the Referendum passed, children of color are no better in Minneapolis Public Schools then a year ago. Of course, the “students” and classes probably won’t see that money until the 2010-2011 school year. Lets watch the test scores or Yearly Average Progress, pass or fail?
Non-profit organizations in 2008 blatantly solicited candidates support for their issues and platforms.
In the Twin Cities forums were controlled by the League of Women Voters, and community hubs like Jordan New Life Hub would get a small grant or stipend to hold the forum with a representative from the LWV hosting and moderating the debate…I was there, and informed of the obvious set-up. KSTP-TV Channel 5 has never gotten back to us on how much they received if any for last year’s series of debates sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
All I know is that Mr. Stanley Hubbard, Jr. would not support the GOP Endorsed 5 Congressional District candidate telling me at the Minneapolis Athletic Club, “It’s not the right time.” Well, slip happens!
We had phone calls by non-profit presidents to community members asking for support of particular candidates, some that were employees of the non-profit organization. Is this really okay?
On Sunday, July 26, 2009 – we had a local politician make up his own rules. (More to come later.)
What will it take for non-profit agencies in the Twin Cities to learn a valuable lesson about non-partisanship? Will it take a loss of a tax exempt status?
A new “watchdog” is on the scene, The Nationwide Republican Opportunity Council of America (NROCA) – (ACORN spelled backwards.) The NROCA will not allow an inch in partisanship with any candidate, no matter what party him/her are associated with.
Irony…
So that we’re clean on the rules, the following information applies to 501(c)(3) organizations.
Advocacy of candidates: The IRS prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations from engaging in either the expressed or implied advocacy of particular candidates. Express advocacy exists when a statement or publication encourages the election or defeat of a clearly identified candidate. Implied advocacy exists when a communication does not clearly identify the candidate to vote for or against, but instead makes statements such as “Remember, vote Democrat.”
Non-profits concerned about specific issues are allowed to use an election to get increased exposure for their issues. They also are allowed to work to get their positions on issues included in political party platforms. While nonprofits are free to publicize their issues, they are not allowed to directly solicit candidates to support such issues.
Although the IRS says it allows 501(c)(3) organizations to deal with moral, social, or economic issues during election years, nonprofits are not allowed to engage in political intervention by using “code words” (e.g. Go Democrats, Bad Republicans, anti-gun) in communications that are timed to help or hurt the election chances of any candidate.
…So non-profit organizations, when you get that “star struck, I’ve seen a celebrity” look in your eye – look at the rules, more importantly, look at your community, especially in north Minneapolis – you’ve seen nothing….
Hitchhiking for compliance on Minnesota’s roads and highways, who will facilitate a facilitation for the facilitators at MnDOT?
“The Civil Rights Office of MnDOT (Minnesota Department of Transportation) is committed to ensure equal opportunity for all businesses and personnel on The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Public Facilities projects. To hold policies to ensure that no person be excluded from participation, or be denied benefits, based on race, religion, color, gender, age, marital status, ability, or national origin.”
The Law: 49 CFR Part 26.7 states:
a. You must never exclude any person from participation in, deny any person the benefits of, or otherwise discriminate against anyone in connection with the award and performance of any contract covered by this part on the basis of race, color, sex, or national origin.
b. In administering your DBE program, you must not, directly or through contractual or other arrangements, use criteria or methods of administration that have the effect of defeating or substantially impairing accomplishment of the objectives of the program with respect to individuals of a particular race, color, sex, or national origin.
What happened at MnDOT?
H.I. R.E. Minnesota (www.hiremn.org) based in north Minneapolis, one of the state’s largest advocate’s for jobs in the construction and green trades, has battled with the practices of MnDOT’s “lack of inclusion” on road and highway projects in the State of Minnesota.
Louis King co-chair of HIRE Minnesota says, “We’re not asking for any ‘handouts’ – just the opportunity to get trained participants jobs working on Minnesota roads and highways, hence, equal opportunity for all businesses and personnel on The Minnesota Department of Transportation and Public Facilities projects.”
The late Dr. Martin Luther King in his prophetic last speech (1968) said, “All we say to America is be true to what you said on paper.”
On paper as well as the MnDOT website, MnDOT’s inner office agency or the “minority conduit” to assure checks and balances as it pertains to minority-ethnic compliance the Civil Rights Department states the following:
1. To promote fair and equitable public service, advocating non-discriminatory treatment in providing transportation services.
2. To ensure transportation services are provided in a non-discriminatory manner.
3. To ensure equal opportunity in employment, participation, benefits, services, and contracts.
4. To eliminate discrimination.
5. To increase the number of businesses owned by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals in the highway and bridge construction industry.
These five points heinously say, “Okay, I don’t have to ride in back of the bus and someday MnDOT might have a level playing field.” Read more
Is this the position of the University of Minnesota/UROC and the Northside Partnership about North Minneapolis? Can you help us understand?
On last Thursday (7/16), a meeting of the Willard-Homewood Organization (WHO) was held at NorthPoint to hear a presentation from local Northside businessman and Ward 5 city council candidate Lennie Chism about his purchase and plans for the old Uncle Bills Food Store that has been the subject of heated controversy.
Sources sent IBNN the following email from north side resident and University of Minnesota employee Michelle Lewis that she sent former Minneapolis City Council President Jackie Cherryhomes and Bev Roberts.
It reads (unedited):
From: Michelle Lewis
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 10:13 AM
To: Beverly Roberts; Jackie Cherryhomes
Subject: tidbit about Lennie/NorthPoint
Hi, Bev and Jackie–
I just got off the phone with Tim Hammett, and he told me a kind of interesting anecdote: Tim had gone down to check out a report that the boards were off of Uncle Bill’s and someone was in the building, It turned out to be Lennie, showing the building to a man from NorthPoint. Tim had a chance to talk with the NorthPoint representative alone for a minute, and it turns out that Lennie had neglected to mention to NorthPoint that the building was slated for demolition in late July or early August, and that this was at the request of the city council.
To me, the significance of this tidbit is that if NorthPoint goes along with Lennie’s project, knowing him to have withheld a vital piece of information like this, that accepting this level of dishonesty from a partner would be a serious dereliction of NorthPoint’s public trust–not to mention financial accountability.
So far, I’ve contacted Don & MaryAnn (right behind Uncle Bill’s), Andy Doucette (right across the street, on the corner), Barb Bergeron, Carol Olson, and Kathy Godfrey, so hopefully they will e-mail Stella Whitney-West in the next few days. MaryAnn was planning on calling her.
ok, now i’m going to take Bev’s advice and *breathe*! lol
Michelle
**********************************
Michelle Lewis
Teaching and Grants Support
Genetics, Cell Biology and Development
University of Minnesota
6-160 Jackson Hall
321 Church St. SE.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
# # #
Did the University of Minnesota give official permission or approval for the course of action in this email? The email is miss-leading and unethical.
It looks like Ms. Lewis doesn’t have enough work to do at the U of M – she has made a “quantum leap” in stating that the employee did not know about the scheduled demo, which doesn’t mean NorthPoint management and board of directors didn’t know.
This email was then forwarded by Cherryhomes to her political pundits with the following statement: (Unedited)
Fr: “Jackie Cherryhomes”
To: “Velez, Jose E.” <Jose.Velez@ci.minneapolis.mn.us>, <don1samuels@net>, <Karen.Dziedzic@co.hennepin.mn.us>, <mark.stenglein@co.hennepin.mn.us>
Subject: tidbit about Lennie/NorthPoint
Hi Folks:
I just want you to be in the loop on all the exciting activities out here. I don’t understand Northpoint’s continued involvement in this.
# # #
What was the real message in Cherryhomes last sentence sent to Dziedzic, Samuels and Stenglein?
With the email and “whisper” campaign moving forward IBNN is concerned what role a U of M employee has sending out emails to Cherryhomes and Roberts in what looks like an official capacity, rather than using a Gmail, Yahoo or Comcast account.
Another point to make: The University of Minnesota is doing its best to react to community concerns and issues from backing out of the NorthPoint deal to doing damage control with the seniors at Rainbow Terrence Senior high-rise who have complained that the original agreement to get them to a grocery store has turned into a less than desirable agreement with some residents waiting weeks to shop for groceries.
It also concerns us that allegedly McCormack & Barron is planning on entering back into north Minneapolis with thoughts of developing a senior high-rise. (McCormick & Barron is one of the developers on Heritage Park when Jackie Cherryhomes was Minneapolis City Council president…put it together!).
Phone calls to McCormick and Barron and interviews with local residents, businesses and politicians about Jackie Cherryhomes involvement in Heritage Park and the deal cut will be a topic in an upcoming IBNN exclusive feature.
What is the involvement with Cherryhomes and the Harrison Neighborhood?
IBNN is concerned that Uncle Bill’s re-opening has now become a “race” issue and an attack on Black business in north Minneapolis.
Yes, there is crime. There are drugs – but if social service agencies and local government have not provided ample opportunity for youth of all color to be gainfully employed, this denotes “other options” to survive.
Rather than wasting your time condemning Uncle Bill’s call your local political and ask him, “Why does north Minneapolis still suck?”
North Minneapolis only sees economic stimuli in the form of liquor stores, barber shops, beauty salons. There is nothing in north Minneapolis to attract anyone from the outside to come here and shop, eat or live.
IBNN alleges that Lewis and Cherryhomes have a covert plan without giving full disclosure to the community of north Minneapolis.
“Black people have nothing over north, not even the Minneapolis Urban League,” says long-time north Minneapolis resident Danny Walker. “Why are the White people in north Minneapolis so down on the Blacks who want to make Uncle Bills something great? Someone must have another plan,” says Walker…”Oops, there it is!”
The Wave Project: Addressing the high cost of “Black” Address on KFAI-FM (90.3) 6 p.m. – Sunday, July 26 – “Mobilizing Impoverished Wealth”
Sunday, July 26, 2009 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. tune into KFAI-FM Radio at 90.3 for the show “Mobilizing Impoverished Wealth.”
We will discuss strategies to improve and enhance local neighborhoods through community involvement are presented by Lennie Chism and his special guest the Independent Business News Networks Editor and Chief Don Allen, who lately has a lot to say about “process” and why the same people are always at the table with little to no results. You can read his online Blog at www.ibnn.org.
Also included in this show will be live music by Soulasious along with special guest comedian and one of Twin Cities hottest up and coming comedian Kelechi Jaavaid. (KJ is the brother from the whopper freak out commercial. See more of KJ at www.myspace.com/kjay02).
Subject of Program:
The questions of the day: “Why does everyone try to escape the high cost of Black address in an impoverished community?” What’s with the “attacks” on Black people from the news media to local “stratified” politicians whom have forgotten that in most cases some of them represent the poorest neighborhoods in Minneapolis?
- Why hasn’t the foreclosure crisis (opportunity) been solved? Who are the players that have created a new industry while throwing $100 million dollars at a “crisis” and still have no measurable results – should it be tolerated?
- The Minneapolis Department of Civil Right…Should they stay or go? This brings up an interesting topic that will be discussed in detail by Mr. Allen, who in his own words says, “They have not done the job for the minority-ethnic community – heads must roll, starting with the replacement of the director of the MDCR and Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak and most of the Minneapolis City Council. The City Council should at least look like the communities they represent.”
- The mayor’s use of the “N” word. “North Minneapolis.” We see no measurable results, but a plan to uproot a community.
- We will discuss the rolls of local social service agencies that have become an institution unto themselves with money in and no “pipeline” to the community.
- We will explore the strategies to cure the stigma of having an impoverished address. The community problem solver often spends an enormous amount time addressing the symptoms without finding the cures. Example: We are so busy swatting the flies but often neglect to remove the excrement that draws them.
What kind of people will be interested in this program and what will the listeners gain?
Grassroots community organizers who strive to improve the lot of the impoverished community will find the strategies practical and put them into action.
We will take an “inside” view of local politics and “process” that have left communities of color on the outside looking in.
Our community has been denied information for over 40 years. This is an opportunity to tell what’s really going on.
Tune in Sunday, July 26, 2009 from 6 p. m. to 7 p.m. on KFAI-FM Radio – 90.3 on your FM dial.
H.I.R.E. Minnesota files “Missing Persons Report” on Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) – whose missing? …Hundreds people of color that should be hired by the agency to work on road construction projects throughout the state
Rally at MNDOT 11:45 am – 1 pm, Thursday, July 23, 2009. (Minnesota Department of Transportation is located at Transportation Building, 395 John Ireland Boulevard, Saint Paul, MN 55155. Click here for map.
Earlier this month, H.I.R.E Minnesota asked people from around the state to contact the Office of Energy Security to let them know that we expect them to be accountable to low-income communities and communities of color. Thanks to your help, we are moving negotiations forward to make that happen. We’ll keep you updated.
At the same time, there is another state agency we need to hold accountable: The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT).
Join us this Thursday as we file a missing persons report at MNDOT!
Meet on the lawn across the street from the MNDOT Headquarters (in the MNDOT cafeteria in case of rain)
Each year, MNDOT gives hundreds of millions of dollars of taxpayer money to private contractors to build and repair our roads, bridges and transit ways.
They know they are supposed to meet their modest goals for women and minority contracting, hiring and training. They know because they’ve been told by the federal government, by community groups, by workforce development programs and by HIRE Minnesota, including many of you who came to hearings this spring.
Yet year after year MNDOT fails to meet its goals. Drive by any local construction site and you’ll notice whose missing: workers of color.
But MNDOT now tells us that we are asking them to move “too fast” to meet their goals!
We’d like you to help us file a missing persons report with MNDOT. Please join us at the MNDOT headquarters this Thursday. We need to remind MNDOT that they need to be accountable by giving opportunities to people from our community.
NAACP Celebrates 100…Continue to R.I.P., there’s a lot of Crap going on out here…where you guys at?”
In Minnesota the NAACP is virtually invisible. While trying to build capacity, the local chapter has been plagued by mismanagement of people, places and things to include funds. The video below is a prime example of how the NAACP is viewed and the level of disrespect directed towards the organization and Black people as a whole. Sometimes you wonder who is responsible for the catastrophic failure of Black organizations (locally and nationally) – sometimes all you have to do is look at the brothers or sisters sitting at the table…
The following story about the NAACP was sent to IBNN. Sound familiar? We didn’t think so…
NAACP Celebrates 100 Years…
Founded on February 12, 1909 – the NAACP is the nation’s oldest, largest and most widely recognized grassroots-based civil rights organization. It’s more than half-million members and supporters throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors. Read more
…What the Hell brings MPR to West Broadway Avenue in North Minnneapolis? Minnesota Public Radio: Insight Public Journalism reaches out “back-asswards”
Recently Minnesota Public Radio’s Public Insight Journalism sent out a request to participants on their network to ask, “What brings you to West Broadway…or, what would?”
I find this very amusing due to the fact that Minnesota Public Radio’s Public Insight Journalism continues to ignore Blacks including successful measurable outcomes, especially in north Minneapolis.
If MPR was truly concerned about West Broadway, Black people or north Minneapolis in general – they would do a better job at reporting.
Maybe it would be best if they just stayed in their “glass castle” in downtown Saint Paul.
“Shame on you MPR!”
African American Leadership Meetings assume power and representation where there is none. More important: Who speaks or represents the Twin Cities Black community in 2009?
“They’d like to say, ‘Well, you know, that’s just a handful of niggers out there. Just a handful of them. And they don’t represent nobody. They ain’t doin’ nothing,’ says Staten. “Well, that’s just the most insane thing in the world.”
…Rev. Randy Staten – serves as the head of the Coalition of Black Churches and serves as an official spokesman for the African American Leadership Summit. Comments from a 2003 interview with MPR’s Brandt Williams. See it here.
With the recent “waffling” of the Council on Black Minnesotans as it pertains to addressing issues in the Black community (including Somali’s in Rochester; Stimulus dollars; Economic Development; Health Care issues; and Civil Rights) within the last 90 days and the attempt by the Minneapolis Urban League to present propaganda to accomplish relevancy in the form of articles which appear in weekly issues of Insight News, who continues to give “photo ops” to people that don’t represent the African American community in Minneapolis, but continues a grand public relations coup without being fair and balanced to sway and skew the community, one thing going unnoticed by the group is that people are catching on quickly to what is going on. What you think you have…you don’t; most African Americans in the Twin Cities now look elsewhere for news and information, including IBNN. Read more
IBNNNEW- North Minneapolis: NAACP President “Uncovers” two of the North side seven and an estimated $4 million dollars Donald Allen
- Apology to the North Minneapolis Community. We don’t have leaders, we have self-appointed spokespersons Donald Allen
- The Death of North Minneapolis… Donald Allen
- IBNN Exclusive Report: Youth with weapon attempts to enter funeral of Alisha “Lele” Neely (Captured on Film) Donald Allen
- WCCO 4 (CBS) Television fails in journalistic integrity with “edited and spliced” tape of the Minneapolis Police Beating of Ira Stafford…rating F- Donald Allen
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