Overcoming our Boundaries

Just to shed some light on how far away from equality we truly are, I thought this issue was worth discussing. 

So, my mother was helping my little sister look up words in the dictionary while playing scrabble. While flipping through the pages she came across the word "nigger". To her surprise (and mine) she found that the meaning has been slightly altered. Before, the word was defined as a derogatory word often used when referring to the African American race; or something to that effect. Now, Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "nigger" as : 

1 usually offensive; see usage paragraph below : a black person

2 usually offensive; see usage paragraph below : a member of any 
dark-skinned race

3: a member of a socially disadvantaged class of persons 


Now, maybe I am just out of the loop, but I have never seen the word "nigger" actually, openly defined as "a black person". What gets me is that I have an older dictionary (published in the 80's) that is much more generalized like definition #3. Why is it that in this day and age the meaning has been changed and primarily targeted at the African American race? A race which, by the way, has done nothing but continue to advance in all areas of life (economically, socially, POLITICALLY). It would be one thing if that had always been the definition, but it hasn't. Why would it become more specific now?

Of course we still have some stereotypes being played out, but we cannot let those overshadow the prosperity of our Black leaders, executives, doctors, lawyers and graduates. I am sorry but I am a Black woman, and I am not a nigger. How dare someone define me as such. I am not socially disadvantaged. I love how they only have one true description of the word (#3). The other two define it by a person's unchangeable, physical characteristic. So, according to that definition, no matter what you have, can, or will accomplish, according to Merriam-Webster, if you are a person of color, you will always be a nigger.

This is just one example of the current mindset that is plaguing the advancement of our races; especially our women and girls. I think that it is so beautiful, encouraging, and empowering to see our new President, Barack Obama, come into office, but it will be a minute before we see a Black woman (or a woman period) be given that type of leadership and respect.

What are we going to do about this...

With S.W.A.G.,
"FANCY"

Good Morning SwaGgers.... it's Cafe Royal checking in! 

So, as my lovely sister Kaboom! already set forth, Colored Girl Swag's purpose is to educate, motivate and inspire... there are too many things that go on without discussion and analysis, too many women out here going thru self-esteem crises, abuse, unhealthy relationships... too many women trapped in a failed American Dream, suffering from what the WORLD tells us is a double-minority, failing to understand that it is that joint identity of Woman and Colored that makes us rich beyond years... deserving of all things gilded and jeweled...

And... there are too many Colored Men - behold - BROTHAS, that are running around believing the definitions AND stereotypes AND predjudices AND oppressions that us as Colored Women are contextualized in... 

instead of support, we often get ridicule 

instead of love we often get pain and abuse

 instead of shared success and equal opportunity, we often get dirty rules and regulations; unfair laws and practices to keep us subordinate...

And while ya'll might thinkin "Woah she just got too deep on me!" ... well... it is that deep. Problem is, it wouldn't be if day to day someone thought to challenge a sly comment, or a degrading image....S.W.A.G. is committed to challenging... we will grow as a community of multi-ethnic sisters... and the support of our multi-ethnic brothas will grow as well. 

CGS is not exlusive, yet our philanthropy and outreach is specific. We walk each day to level out the battleground in our streets, in corporate America and in Domestic households... in every media outlet be it print, world wide web, or radio streams ... we S.W.A.G.

-Cafe Royal

The Seed

So one Friday night me, Fancy, Hollywood, and Mo went to see this documentary The Souls of Black Girls. The whole film was created and executed by a crowned fellow SWAGger named Daphne Valerius. The film, meant to be her graduate thesis only, just exploded onto the scene.

The film was about Black girls and how they're affected by the media and images in the media. Basically, out of the mouth of babes, they feel ugly and unwanted by our society. They feel pressure to have the long straight hair and be thin. Pressure to conform to the European standards of beauty constantly shoved in our faces. It's an epidemic, this eroding self esteem.

I know because I've been there. I grew up the fat girl, dieting/starving since the age of ten. I never understood why everything I did was so funny to the world...why laughter seemed to follow me no matter what I did. I'd hide in my room where it was safe... f**king hating myself.

One of the women Daphne interviewed apologized. She apologized because as she put it, "this happened on her watch."

And her comment brought tears to my eyes because...it was happening on my watch too and there I was, knowing intimately the turmoil these girls are going through and yet doing NOTHING about it.

So a seed was planted. In the fertile minds of myself and the other S.W.A.G. visionaries.

As we are in a position to do; we will.

Not on our watch. If we can dry the tears of one woman or inspire pride in one girl, then we have done our job as Colored Girl S.W.A.G.

~Kaboom!