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Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 255
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 02:21 pm: | 
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A Girl Like Me
7:08 min
Youth Documentary
Kiri Davis, Director, Reel Works Teen Filmmaking, Producer
Winner of the Diversity Award
Sponsored by Third Millennium Foundation
CLICK HERE TO WATCH FILM:
http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org/6/a_girl_like_me/
ABOUT THE FILM
More About A Girl Like Me from Director Kiri Davis
For my high-school literature class I was constructing an anthology with a wide range of different stories that I believed reflected the black girl’s experience. For the different chapters, I conducted interviews with a variety of black girls in my high school, and a number of issues surfaced concerning the standards of beauty imposed on today’s black girls and how this affects their self-image. I thought this topic would make an interesting film and so when I was accepted into the Reel Works Teen Filmmaking program, I set out to explore these issues. I also decided to would reconduct the “doll test” initially conducted by Dr. Kenneth Clark, which was used in the historic desegregation case, Brown vs. Board of Education. I thought that by including this experiment in my film, I would shed new light on how society affects black children today and how little has actually changed.
With help from my mentor, Shola Lynch, and thanks to the honesty and openness of the girls I interviewed, I was able to complete my first documentary in the fall of 2005. I learned that giving the girls an opportunity to talk about these issues and their experiences helped us all to look deeper and examine the many things in society that affect us and shape who we are. |
Kola_boof
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Kola_boof
Post Number: 2781
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 02:35 pm: |
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Tonya, this is wonderful!
Thanks for posting this!
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Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 258
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 02:47 pm: |
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Kola, I knew you'd appreciate it 
I posted it because I think everyone should see it.
It's kind of deep though. I should have posted a warning. |
Moonsigns
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Moonsigns
Post Number: 1310
Registered: 07-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, August 08, 2006 - 02:53 pm: |
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Very powerful!!!!
Wahida (young lady with locs) reminds me of my oldest daughter. |
Lil_ze
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Lil_ze
Post Number: 315
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 01:43 am: |
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why is it a must see? |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 5786
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 05:25 am: |
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Tonya,
Thanks for posting the link.
It was great to see this actually ACKNOWLEDGED on film in the voices of intelligent, articulate and beautiful young BLACK females. We ALL should already KNOW that's what's going on. Hell. ANY who has actually spent any MEANINGFUL time observing Black girls KNOW that is what they are experiencing. But perhaps widespread dissemination of "A Girl Like Me" will compell Black foks to think more deeply about the lies we tell ourselves and our children.
Perhaps... |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 5787
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 05:53 am: |
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I saw the creator of documentary being interviewed by Soledad O'Brien on CNN. She appeared herself to be a very young woman. I'm thinking somewhere between 17 - 21. She was accompanied by an older woman who mentored the project.
It was interesting observing the 'color' of the 3 women during the interview. The creator of the documentary appear light-brown in color. Soledad's your garden-variety multi-racial (White mother, Afro-cubano father) type. And the mentor either is Black Creo or should be arrested for impersonating such.
None of the 3 of them looked remotely close to the beautiful young chocolate-skinned girl who was wearing the peach blouse. |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 259
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 11:10 am: |
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Hey Abm!
I watched that interview too and noticed much of the same. The creator of the film reminded me of Tatyana Ali--mixed but still obviously black (kudos to her for an extraordinary job well done!). Soledad surprised me with how much she knows about colorism and how willing she was to talk candidly about the subject. I had know idea she is married to a black man; however, I was aware of some kind of connection to black folks, after she aired a project which included some of her closest friends, several of whom were black. The part that didn’t surprise me was when the Creo Black mentor (you could not have put that any better) tried to deny that the behavior exhibited by the children is a problem involving African Americans. She was quick to counter Soledad's comment that blacks--the ones Soledad had talked to--were not shocked to learn the outcome of the study, by implying that colorism is not an African American phenomenon but a crisis chiefly affecting immigrant blacks. But, of course, she had no problem castigating “The Man” (via Toys R Us) for his part. I just shook my head because it was all to familiar, lol. It was interesting tho. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 5804
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 11:21 am: |
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Tonya,
I wonder did any of the 3 of them note how DIFFERENT that they, these 3 very educated, eloquent and smart 'women of color', look from the of young girls in the video. I wonder they see the connection between THAT and what those dear young ladies described.
But, to her credit, I'm sure it was Soledad empathy for and connection with Blackness that resulted in A Girl Like Me getting the attention CNN gave it.
I must have misheard the Creo-looking sista. Because I THOUGHT she said that immigrantsare MORE likely to prefer the Black doll.
I've taken my daugthers doll shopping MANY times at several Toy 'R Us'. And, to be fair, I don't recall having much of a problem finding Black dolls. Of course the SELECTON is much less than that of White ones. |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 260
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: 
Votes: 2 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 12:18 pm: |
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Exactly Abm. My only complaint is that it makes colorism seem trivial when the focus is placed on the beauty aspect of it rather than the real issues: education, opportunities, wages, ect. I'm happy that the film was made at all. I only wish they had gone a little further to show the CONNECTION between a damaged self-image/esteem--as depicted in the film--and one’s chances of making it. But I’m not complaining....The fact that the film and this subject got as much air time on CNN as it did is a huge accomplishment.
And you know what Abm, you could be right. I thought the Creole woman said that it was the immigrant children who were more likely to choose the white doll, but maybe I was the one that heard her wrong.
As for the Toys R Us thing, I didn’t get that one either. Every toy store that I've been in had black dolls. Maybe it's the part of town that they are from. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 5806
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 12:37 pm: |
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Tonya,
I agree there was so MUCH left out. Yes. A girl who thinks she's ugly is MORE likely to have sex with some stupid boy and get pregnant, effectively dooming her chances at graduating college, living comfortable life, etc.
Maybe this young lady or other like her will do a follow up with the young girls in the film 5 or so years from now.
THAT would likely prove to be QUITE telling. |
Savant
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Savant
Post Number: 95
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 02:18 pm: |
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ABM and Tonya, the "Creole woman" is filmmaker Shola Lynch, director/producer of the Peabody Award winning documentary about Shirley Chisholm entitled Chishom 72: Unbought and Unbossed.
Shola Lynch is the daughter of a black academic (historian?) who used to teach at Columbia University and a white woman. I can't recall his name. |
Savant
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Savant
Post Number: 96
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 02:27 pm: |
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Shola's father is Hollis Lynch, professor emeritus of African History at Columbia University. |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 5812
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 02:30 pm: |
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Savant,
Thanks. I'll abstain from referring to Lynch as 'Creole'.
Is any of Lynch's Chishom documentary available via the web? |
Savant
AALBC .com Platinum Poster
Username: Savant
Post Number: 97
Registered: 09-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 03:17 pm: |
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I'm not sure.
Shola was also an associate producer of Ken Burn's acclaimed Jazz series. |
Renata
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Renata
Post Number: 1131
Registered: 08-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 05:19 pm: |
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Soledad has an IRISH father and a hispanic mother, hence that odd Spanish/Irish name. That name had always caught my attention until I found out who her parents were (I always assumed she was married to an Irishman). |
Mzuri
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Mzuri
Post Number: 1305
Registered: 01-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, August 09, 2006 - 06:06 pm: |
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http://www.mixedfolks.com/others.htm |
Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 5907
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 10:04 am: |
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Mzuri,
Boy. I NEVER would have guessed that Tyson Beckford would have a non-Black parent. Dude's pops must be BLUE Black.
Can we just label Ward Connerly as being WHITE and just fully boot his a$$ OUT of the Brother/Sisterhood? |
Kola_boof
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Kola_boof
Post Number: 2876
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 02:12 pm: |
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ABM,
Tyson Beckford DOES NOT have a non-black parent.
He has disputed that internet listing several times. The creator of it is lying, and "SEVERAL" people on his list have stated that they are not biracial.
Beckford has 1 Chinese grandfather.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 5926
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 03:36 pm: |
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Kola,
Okay. If you say so.
I mean, hell. He'd have to be about the BLACKEST half-Chinese SOB on the PLANET. |
Tonya
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Tonya
Post Number: 277
Registered: 07-2006
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 07:17 pm: |
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Wow!! "Girl Like Me" seems to be creating a HUGE buzz:
The light-skinned/dark-skinned conflict, straight vs. kinky hair conflicts that many Baby Boomer black Americans thought were left behind after the ‘60s and ‘70s clearly are still at play.
BlackAmericaWeb.com
http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/bawnews/dolltest809
This evidence is sure to produce a second wave of concern, but I am not so sure it is right to be concerned because I do not believe, nor have I ever seen evidence, that white people actually believe that they have superior looks. . . .What I find most interesting and provocative about "A Girl Like Me" is that young black women feel that they suffer from stereotypes about being "loud, obnoxious and less than intelligent." When one steps away from the news, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and any of the true-crime documentaries (which always feature a wide array of minorities in law enforcement), it is easy to see how those stereotypes are not only held in place but continually projected. Black entertainers, like those spewed from the world of hip hop, are maintaining a strong lead when it comes to proving that minstrelsy is an equal-opportunity endeavor.
--Stanley Crouch New York Daily News
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/ideas_opinions/story/442089p-372363c.html
My opinion Stanley Crouch: http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/141561
I think this is something of a condmenation of our society. Our society teaches children as young as 5 years old to consider black skin "bad" and white skin "nice." The MLW diary's author links this to the complete abandonment of black Americans after Katrina hit, which at the time I felt showed quite starkly that the Bush Administration cared not one whit for blacks. Together, these two snapshots of blacks in America really show that our society has not escaped racism. I have always felt that until our society can face up to our slave past we will have a hard time overcoming racism in America.
Culturekitchen.com
http://www.culturekitchen.com/mole333/blog/deep_deep_racism_in_american_culture_ the_doll_t |
Kola_boof
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Kola_boof
Post Number: 2905
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, August 11, 2006 - 07:39 pm: |
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ABM, this is what SHOLA LYNCH actually said--you heard her backwards:
“The few kids that didn’t pick the white doll (as good) appeared not to be American, but children of immigrants or first-generation children from the Caribbean or Africa,” said Shola Lynch, a documentary filmmaker who was Davis’ mentor for the project.
“They have a different sense of themselves because of the country they come from,” Lynch told BlackAmericaWeb.com. “You see (black) people at the top and the bottom and everywhere in between.”
THOUGH...I still believe that this is an issue that is QUICKLY SPREADING to the rest of the world's Blacks just as deeply as in America.
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Abm
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Abm
Post Number: 5951
Registered: 04-2004
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 10:45 am: |
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Kola,
This is what I said: "I must have misheard the Creo-looking sista. Because I THOUGHT she said that immigrantsare MORE likely to prefer the Black doll."
And here's what you've posted: "'The few kids that didn’t pick the white doll (as good) appeared not to be American, but children of immigrants or first-generation children from the Caribbean or Africa,' said Shola Lynch, a documentary filmmaker who was Davis’ mentor for the project."
I struggle to see how we differ. |
Kola_boof
"Cyniquian" Level Poster
Username: Kola_boof
Post Number: 2918
Registered: 02-2005
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 11:23 am: |
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Sorry, ABM, I guess it was TONYA who suggested SHOLA was saying something with a different meaning?
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