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April 3, 2007
www.spelmanspotlight.com
2006-2007
EDITORIAL BOARD
Kristilyn Whigham
Editor-in-Chief
Shayla Ball
Editor at Large
Courtney Petty
Chief Copy Editor
Kera Street
Managing Editor
Tamika Yador
Director of Campus Involvement
Nicole Barden
News Editor
Kibkabe Araya
Features Editor
Deanna Jenkins
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Christian Mitchell
Life and Style Editor
Selah Johnson
Photographer
Writers
Lauren Harper
Joy Hightower
Gina Lawrence
Katrina Moore
Janelle Richards
Renita Mathis
Adviser
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rect errors in grammar and
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Debra Lee conversation sparks debate
Nicole Barden
News Editor
In 1810, Sarah Baartman,
was taken from her homeland
and paraded throughout
Europe as a freak show under
the moniker, “The Hottentot
Venus.’’ Her body was dis
played by white men who
made money off of her
exploitation. Europeans were
particularly fascinated with
her buttocks. From 1619-
1865, the Jezebel stereotype
was used to justify the rape of
enslaved Black women by
white men. In 2007 at
Spelman College, Debra Lee
provided evasive answers to
questions about BET airing
programming that puts Black
women's bodies on display in
a degrading sexual manner.
This promotes negative stereo
types of Black women as mere
ly sexual beings.
Media outlets spread
degrading images of Black
women that are merely repack
aged racist stereotypes. The
fact that they are casually and
carelessly disseminated
through the media works to
reinforce a one dimensional
notion that Black women are
hypersexual sex toys for men.
Debra Lee, as chairwoman
and CEO of BET has a role in
this. The fact that her visit to
Spelman was largely unpro
ductive is a missed opportuni
ty to create changes.
Too often when we engage
in conversations about hip
hop's degrading portrayal of
Black women people are con
sumed in the blame game.
Artists, consumers, and the
music industry claim that the
problem is someone else's
fault. In this same vein of
passing the blame, Debra Lee
reminded the audience that
BET does not make videos.
Of course they don't but they
do provide a forum to show
them in houses in Orange
County, California, homes
here in the West End of
Atlanta, and in any foreign
country that has BET as one
of its English channels. From
her responses it was obvious
that she did not want to be
held accountable for her
actions. True, the problem is
greater than Debra Lee and
BET, but she is not absolved
from blame because she point
ed her finger elsewhere.
In no previous generation
has the media played such an
integral role in the formation
and dissemination of culture.
BET, like other networks, is
important because it helps to
shape cultural norms. The
detrimental impact of the
popular images is exacerbated
when they are shipped to other
countries. In places where
people have little to no contact
with Black people media
images have free reign.
Without something to counter
media depictions, we have sit
uations where BET creates
images of Black people.
Debra Lee asserted that
BET is completely
autonomous from Viacom.
Not that I totally believe that
statement, but her comment
shows that she takes credit for
BET’s programming. I make
no attempts to place the blame
on any one entity, but if she
wants to take responsibility for
BET’s programming then I
will give her all the credit for
the station promoting the neg
ative portrayals of Black
women.
If Debra Lee does not want
to answer my questions about
BET’s programming that is
fine, but she cannot run from
the truth. She is participating
in the degradation of Black
women. She profits off of
exploiting the Black female
body. She gives stereotypes
that were used to maintain
white supremacy a new plat
form to continue wreaking
havoc.
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Conference
»> continued from Pg 1
who are at a leadership posi
tions at different companies.
Saturday night ended with
the Cosmopolitan Affair to
have people learn about each
other's backgrounds and
futures in a relaxed, fun envi
ronment.
Sunday morning mostly
surrounded an activity to cre
ate a collage based on what
being a woman of color and a
leader really means. The con
ference came to an end with
everyone satisfied with the
outcome and excited about
next year's conference.
Jasmine Boyd, a junior soci
ology major and the accom
modations coordinator of the
Women of Color Student
Leadership Conference SGA
committee, said, “Overall I
feel the conference was a won
derful experience, a learning
experience, but also it provid
ed a means, an outlet to
express how we feel about
leadership and to impact
something greater than the
Spelman community.”
Everyone within the
Spelman community who was
involved with the conference
in any way feel this experience
really opened the doors in
uniting women ol color and
learning from each other how
to be influential agents of
change in our surroundings.
The first ever Women ol Color
Student Leadership
Conference made Spelman
history this weekend, and
hopefully more similar events
Toni Cade conference successful yet again
Nicole Barden
News Editor
The 7th Annual Toni Cade
Bambara Scholar-Activism
Conference was hosted at
Spelman College by the
Women's Research and
Resource Center and the Toni
Cade Bambara Collective, a
collection of students who
planned the conference. This
year the theme was “The
Politics of Global Sisterhood:
360 of Power.”
The Toni Cade Bambara
Collective sponsored a speak-
out in honor of the speakers'
corner in Harlem and the
influence it had on young
people, including Toni Cade
Bambara. The speak-out fea
tured Spelman students and
members of various progres
sive organizations throughout
Atlanta. Speakers addressed
their concerns on a range of
topics, but the need to be
courageous in the struggle for
a better world was reoccur-
ring.
The event began with an
opening celebration entitled
“'And the Beat Goes On...':
Feeling the Vibrations of Toni
Cade's Life and Work.” The
ceremony featured a range of
student talent in the arts.
Spoken word performances
and poetry readings were
given by students as well as
established poets like Alice
Lovelace and Nikki Williams.
Both African dancers and
interpretive dance were incor
porated in the program.
Saturday, March 24th fea
tured panels and workshops
on a range of topics from
women's health to queer
issues. Students facilitated
discussions and sat on a num
ber of panels as presenters.
Outside organizations were
also brought in to present on
certain issues. Representatives
from The World Can't Wait,
Atlanta Palestinian Solidarity
(APS), and the US Social
Forum Coalition sat on the
panel entitled, “Another
World is Possible': Current
Struggles for Social Change.”
After a Series of workshops on
writing and health a collection
of films were shown.: ,
“This year the conference
took student participation and
responsibility to a higher level.
I was able to turn a lot ,of stuff
< v*:';, y ' -• T ■ ■ ■
over. People were really will
“mg to take on the work.
That’s how we grow as
activists,” said Dr. Bahati
Kuumba, co-founder of the
Toni Cade Bambara
Collective and the associate
director of the Women's
Research and Resource
Center. The hard work paid
off and many people attended
including President. Dr.
Beverly Daniel Tatum, Dr.
Sherry Turner, vice president
of student affairs, various fac
ulty members, students, and
community organizers. ,.,, ?
Many participants walked
away inspired and ready to
mobilize with others (who, ate
committed to improgirig-ithe
lives of all people. “In order to
make the best change we, must
come together,”: said Ian a;
Crenshaw, a member, of (the
Toni Cade .. Bambara
Collective.