#diversity
Watch “BGITR Book Club #20 : Laxmi’s Mooch” on YouTube
“A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle” ~gloria steinem
[…] ‘What is the mixed-race experience? Because I haven’t seen it out there.
‘I think we, as a generation are defining that now. I think in the next 20 or 30 years, people will grow up and they will have more models to base themselves on, more people who look like them to aspire to.’
Obioma has been playing his part in that. As an original member of the West End’s Hamilton production, he knows what it is to have young black and mixed kids look up to him, to have the experience of telling a story that has historically been closed to people like him.
If you don’t know about Hamilton, you should really get to know. It’s the smash-hit musical which retells the story of the founding fathers of America, with an entirely non-white, mostly black, cast. It has been hailed as a groundbreaking show that has made important progress in improving inclusivity in the historically exclusive world of musical theatre.
‘The interesting thing about Hamilton was that it was about asking, actually, who tells your story?’ Obioma explains.
‘The show says to me that the sins of the past are part of what makes us who we are now. So, I don’t know if I would call Hamilton a “black” show, but more a show that wants to be inclusive.
‘One of my bugbears is the term “diversity” – it sounds like you’re reaching around at the back of your spice drawer for something different to the salt and pepper that you always add.
‘In fact, those “diverse” stories have always been there, it’s just about us deciding to tell those stories. That’s what matters. So I would much rather think of Hamilton as an inclusive show, than a diverse show.’
Obioma was raised in London by his Irish mum and Nigerian dad, who came to the city as a child refugee to escape civil war.
Growing up in the multicultural melting pot of the capital, Obioma says he didn’t consider his race for the majority of his childhood. Until it literally smacked him in the face.
‘I was visiting family on the outskirts of Dublin and three or four Irish lads came up to me, told me, “this is a white man’s town” and punched me in the face,’ He tells us.
‘I was young at the time, I was still in primary school. We didn’t get into a proper scuff, and I was fine afterwards. It was more the shock factor of – oh, hi, race exists.
[…]
When it comes to identifying with a particular side of his heritage, it’s a pretty impossible choice for Obioma. Both his Irish and Nigerian heritage have had a huge impact on his personal identity.
‘In some kind of statistical anomoly, my mum was an only child in an Irish family, so I didn’t have aunts and uncles on her side. But I did go over to Ireland at least once a year – so I did feel as though I was engaged with that side of my family,’ explains Obioma.
‘My Irish grandmother was with us until I was about 18 or 19. After we lost my grandfather she moved around the corner from us, and we would see her three or four times a week.
‘My parents raised me to appreciate both sides. On Saturday nights we would have dinner with my Irish grandparents, and we would have Sunday lunch with my Nigerian grandparents. The cuisine was different, and the music was different, but the love and the connection was the same. ‘I did Irish dancing and played the tin whistle, as much as I went to Igbo family gatherings.’
[…]
Stories like Hamilton exist and resonate because there is an audience hungry for non-traditional storytelling and alternative role models. It’s vital we give more non-white people platforms to tell different stories – Obioma thinks it will help inspire the next generation. […]
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there are so many posts where ppl are like “omg so glad kids are growing up seeing healthy queer relationships and a diverse cast in cartoons!!” and like yeah but my friend teaches 5th grade and my cousins are 10 and none of them have seen amphibia or owl house LOL they just watch youtubers and tiktok. all those posts youre seeing raving about those cartoons are written by teenagers & adults ha
This month is Brown Clay’s 1 year anniversary and to celebrate, I’m hosting a Goodreads Giveaway! We’re giving away two signed first edition copies of my poetry book to two US residents! & It is officially open for entries! Enter on Goodreads here
Brown Clay is a collection of poems written from 2015 to the present day highlighting topics such as self love, identity, healing from trauma, & wlw relationships, and more. Follow words of empowerment with the intention of Black liberation and representation to enter a dreamscape of self discovery and acceptance. Brown Clay explores the idea to be unapologetically Black and embrace the intersectionality of tangled roots in identity.
Black people who read‼️
What are some of your favorite books by Black authors? It’s for a library event for Juneteenth and I want to feature what y’all love that you think others will love to! Comment or message me! And please b00st for exposure!!
“When we deny women and girls representation, we put them in ever smaller boxes,” she wrote. “And when we limit their potential, we limit the potential of our culture as a whole. When we limit the contributions of half our society, we cut our potential in two.”
THERE’S THIS PERVASIVE NOTION THAT WHITE MALE IS THE, LIKE, THE BASIC MODEL HUMAN AND ANYTHING NOT WHITE MALE IS A VARIANT EDITION
She added, “If superheroes are meant to reflect the best of us, they should reflect the best of all of us, especially as that message can become confusing, and we can internalize the idea that heterosexual white males are the best of us.”
It’s Trans Day of Visibility!
Today, please consider what sorts of trans people are visible.
Art of trans bodies is overwhelmingly white, is overwhelmingly trans men with top surgery scars and vulvas and trans women with breasts and a penis.
There are trans men/transmascs who don’t get top surgery! There’s also trans men/transmascs who get bottom surgery! I’ve never ever seen any art of phalloplasties/metoidioplasties, or even the scars on the arm/leg that come with them. There’s even trans men/transmascs who never go on HRT!
There are trans women/transfemmes who don’t have noticable breasts! There are even some transfemmes who wear binders or get top surgery to keep a flat chest. There are also transfemmes who get bottom surgery, and transfemmes who never go on HRT!
Trans people have all sorts of body/genital combinations!
Trans people have bodies as diverse as our souls.
“Trans”shouldnotbecomeanotherbinarysetofbodytypes.
Trans people do not become trans only after we medically transition!
If you’re an artist who wants to depict more types of trans bodies, I highly recommend Transbucket. It has a huge range of gender confirmation procedures with lots of pictures.
#diversity #strengthinunity let us intertwine our #genomics to erase the #homogeneity of our ancestors (at Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts)
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2018 Titles By/For/About Latinx!!
Several YA and kid lit titles here for your entire new year. Read their summaries at the source!
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The painting epitomizes the colorful and rich Filipino culture, history and heritage from the past to the present times across the country. The vivid and harmonious splash of colors in the crowning glory truly exemplifies the diversity, richness and uniqueness of our culture, history and heritage that are intricately and painstakingly carved in the body. Further, you could intensely and deeply see and feel the warm, festive and jovial mood in the painting that is truly inherent to every Filipino. Indeed there is unity and harmony amidst diversity of our culture.
Artist | Ivan Payawal
Title | Bahagsubay
Tumblr | inchok.tumblr.com
Sites | Facebook
7sobm-open : Submissions | Magazine
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Characters and Plus Sized Lovers
I’ve noticed that Sons of Anarchy tends to lack diversity in women within the club. They’re all white and thin. The only person to get with a bigger girl is Bobby and, frankly, that’s only because he’s big. And I don’t remember any of the guys getting with a black woman except Chibs.
On the plus sized thing, you might be thinking I’m only complaining as a plus sized girl myself. While I am upset that plus sized girls don’t get much representation on TV, (we are just now starting to admire bigger girls in the spotlight) that’s not entirely the case.
I am someone who likes everything to be realistic if you’re gonna base a TV show on thing that are totally realistic. As a plus sized girl in the dating world I can tell you all kinds of guys love big girls. It’s not just fat guys.
I’ve talked to muscular, chubby, short, tall, in between. I’ve even dated a guy who I outweighed by over a hundred pounds. It’s not just fat guys.
I’m not saying that every guy should love fat girls. I know that there’s difference of opinion. And because there’s difference of opinion, not every guy in the club with the exception of a couple are all gonna be obsessed with thin girls with big boobs and white skin smothered in fake bake (not saying they’re ugly. They can be gorgeous at times). That’s just not how it works. Men I know in real life have a variety of taste.
As a fan of Kozik and Chibs, I would have loved to see them with plus sized girls. Hell, I even have fanfic with Chibs dating a plus sized girl and I’m even considering one with Kozik. I am a bit happy that maybe Bobby would find me attractive, it still sucks to see a lack of diversity.
This has been a little long but that has been on my mind for a bit :)) I’m not calling any body type or race ugly. There are multiple races and body types that are just so gorgeous. It hurts to see media focus on only one.
On Wednesday, April 6, Kamehameha Schools welcomes 1990 graduate Hina Wong-Kalu back to its Honolulu campus for a very special evening of film, music, and conversation.
The public is invited and all are welcome, so please share among friends and colleagues!
The main event will be a screening of A Place in the Middle, a youth-oriented educational video that emerged from Kumu Hina, the award-winning PBS film about her life and work as a teacher.
In addition to a lively talk story with Hina and the filmmakers, attendees will be able to get free copies of the educational toolkit, and be treated to a performance of Hina’s mele – including the inspirational anthem Ku'u Ha'aheo e ku'u Hawai'i - Stand Tall My Hawai'i.
A PLACE IN THE MIDDLE tells the true story of an eleven year-old Hawaiian girl who dreams of leading her school’s all-male hula troupe. The only trouble is that the group is just for boys. She’s fortunate to have a teacher who understands what it means to be “in the middle” - the Hawaiian tradition of embracing both male and female spirit. Together they set out to prove that what matters most is what’s in your heart and mind.
This youth-focused educational film is a great way to get K-12 students thinking and talking about the values of diversity and inclusion, the power of knowing your heritage, and how to create a school climate of aloha, from their own point of view!
The film is accompanied by a Classroom Discussion Guide that includes background information about Hawaiian culture and history, discussion questions, and lesson plans aligned with the Common Core State Educational Standards and additional educational benchmarks.
The complete film, Discussion Guide, and other resources, including a displayable “Pledge of Aloha,” are available for freeatAPlaceintheMiddle.org. They are also available on the trusted educator’s website PBS LearningMedia, and in hard copy upon request.
From the Berlin and Toronto International Film Festivals to classrooms across the United States, A PLACE IN THE MIDDLE is proving to be a powerful tool to talk about the intersections between gender, identity and culture, and the positive outcomes that occur when schools welcome students with love, honor and respect.
What people are saying about A PLACE IN THE MIDDLE
“An inspiring coming-of-age story on the power of culture to shape identity, personal agency, and community cohesion, from a young person’s point of view.” –Cara Mertes, Ford Foundation
“A valuable teaching tool for students in elementary, middle and high schools, as well as for parents and teachers.” –Carol Crouch, Eleʻele Elementary School, Kauaʻi, Hawaiʻi
“An amazing tool to help educators understand the need for acceptance for each and every child regardless of gender expression.” –Tracy Flynn, Welcoming Schools
“One of the most positive films about the trans experience I’ve ever seen.” –Jennifer Finney Boylan, author and writer-in-residence at Barnard College
“Uniquely accessible for youth.” –Gender Spectrum
”A true-life ‘Whale Rider’ story.“ –The Huffington Post
