As 2012 ended, I had the pleasure of
interviewing some powerhouse Sisters for The
Final Call newspaper, Vol. 32 No. 14 for the article, “Year of strides, strains for Black
women.”
*dream hampton, author, filmmaker,
*Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever, National Council of Negro Women
*Terrie Williams, mental health advocate, author
*Perri Small, radio host at Chicago's 1690AM WVON
*Dr. Avis Jones-DeWeever, National Council of Negro Women
*Terrie Williams, mental health advocate, author
*Perri Small, radio host at Chicago's 1690AM WVON
I asked each of them to reflect on 2012
and what they felt it symbolized for the Black community as a whole and
specifically Black women.
I couldn't include everything in the article. So, over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be
posting excerpts from the additional gems and jewels these women dropped. You
don’t want to miss!! First up…….
 |
| dream hampton |
dream hampton
dream was not only the first female editor of The
Source, one of hip-hops premier magazines, but she was a friend of the late
Notorious B.I.G., having chronicled the late rappers life in documentaries plus
she co-wrote Decoded with Jay-Z. Here is more of what dream had to say:
On
the re-election of President Obama
I
think that it was wonderful that the president was re-elected. I think that the alternative was quite
frightening. But I think that it’s time that he get a clear mandate from what
is possibly his most powerful voting bloc, which are Black folks.
Imani
Perry wrote beautifully about this in the Washington
Post about things that he could focus on. He understood that by winning the
Latino vote, the so-called Latino vote, he understood that it was important to
win this vote. To win the vote of people who identify as Latino.
But,
he also understood that their vote came with the mandate to address the issue
of immigration reform and before him they placed a piece of legislation, the
Dream Act upon which he could act.
So
on one hand it’s our responsibility to get something on his desk in the next
four years that specifically addresses issues that are singular or particular
to us. We’ve been affected by low unemployment in ways that far outnumber any
other demographic.
We
expect some to be doing worse when the economy is doing bad, but that’s a low
expectation. If we can have a president elected twice in this country, a Black
man, then we can raise our expectations and we can expect to have this
particular issue addressed.
On
domestic abuse and violence
We
continue to be murdered by our partners and we need men to speak to each other
about this problem the same way that women are front and center with issues
that concern men. Whether we're talking about prostate cancer or police violence
and terrorism, we are on the front lines of those struggles. Because we
understand that they are ours and we are theirs and we’re family. But when it
comes to issues that affect us and particularly ones that I understand that it’s
a hard conversation to have because we’re not looking at an outside enemy. I’m
willing to divest my energy in other issue that effect the Black community
until Black men step on issues that are particular to Black women.
This is just a tidbit of what dream shared. Make sure you stay tuned for my next installment. Next up, the always passionate, Perri Small of 1690AM WVON in Chicago.
