25 influential black women in business

The Network Journal, an award-winning business magazine providing news and commentaries on issues that affect the growth of businesses and the advancement of professionals in the workplace for an audience of predominantly African-American professionals, corporate executives and small-business owners, announces its 2010 list of “25 Influential Black Women in Business.”. Read the list by using the link below:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Black people, let's make 2010 a year of fitness and good health

George Cook of www.letstalkhonestly.com ask African Americans to exercise and to take better care of themselves in 2010. Too many are dying from illnesses that could be avoided altogether if people were in better haelth. He also discusses why the Wi Fit may be the greatest thing ever....lol. Watch the 2 minute video by using the link below:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/LTHWEEKLY.html[url

THE KATHY WRAY COLEMAN ONLINE NEWS BLOG AND MEDIA NETWORK: Sharpton to Visit Cleveland Around Allegations Of Police Negligence Of Imperial Ave. Murders, Rep To Join Protest at 6pm Nov. 24 On Imperial Ave.

THE KATHY WRAY COLEMAN ONLINE NEWS BLOG AND MEDIA NETWORK: Sharpton to Visit Cleveland Around Allegations Of Police Negligence Of Imperial Ave. Murders, Rep To Join Protest at 6pm Nov. 24 On Imperial Ave.

Houses of Horror by Sikivu Hutchinson

Relatives searching for missing victims

Mother holding flyer of her missing daughter

Houses of Horror
by Sikivu Hutchinson

Sexualized violence permeates the reality and culture of American life. But in poor locales of Black America, those who prey on women are too often allowed to “hide in plain sight” by a police mentality that obscures the lines between victims and predators. Even as the horror of the mass murders in Cleveland began to surface, “some of the Internet stories of the missing evoked the stereotype of drug-addicted black women, alluding to their being prostitutes and transients.”

Houses of Horror
by Sikivu Hutchinson

“Sexualized violence continues to be a national unaddressed epidemic.”

House of horrors. Nightmare on X Street. Shiftless apathetic residents with criminal pasts. Throwaway victims with dead-end lives. Over the past several weeks the news cycle has churned with high profile examples of systematized violence against women and embattled communities of color. The Richmond High gang-rape incident, the Department of Justice’s egregious findings on untested DNA rape kits and the Cleveland serial killer case have all demonstrated that sexualized violence continues to be a national unaddressed epidemic. When news of convicted rapist turned serial killer Anthony Sowell’s Cleveland killing spree broke recently the media dove in feet first with its boilerplate on black urban dysfunction. In incredulous narrative after incredulous narrative, black criminal pathology, neglect, neighborhoods saturated with and inured to violence were all on lurid display.

The Cleveland story received more coverage than is normally devoted to poor black communities. Yet the coverage was noteworthy for its relentless focus on the macabre circumstances of the discoveries in Sowell’s house. Lost in the mainstream outrage over the house of horrors was the specter of decades-long neglect by the local police. Cleveland residents have long complained about the lack of police follow-through on missing person cases in the community. In language that echoed the sentiments expressed by black communities from South L.A. to North Carolina, Cleveland community members weighed in on the lack of coverage, exposure and law enforcement presence around local efforts to track their missing. Some of the Internet stories of the missing evoked the stereotype of drug-addicted black women, alluding to their being prostitutes and transients. With their spotty pasts and run-ins with the law the two Sowell victims who were positively identified were portrayed as textbook examples of black female criminality. And what bigger contrast could there be to nationally mourned white female abduction victims who are invariably depicted as apple-cheeked pictures of unblemished innocence.

This is so true when it comes to serial killings of Black women. It seems like history repeats itself. It happened in the 70s Boston. It happened in S.Central LA in the early eighties. It happened in Charlotte, N.C., with serial killings of 11 Black women by Henry Louis Wallace in the 90s. It happened in Peoria, IL, when a white man killed seven Black women in the early 2000s. It's still going on in Rocky Mount, N.C., and in Los Angeles, CA., with the Grim Sleeper Murders. The mainstream media prefer to concentrate on pretty missing white women such as Natalee Holloway, Laci Peterson, Stacy Peterson. Asian women such as Annie Le. The victims of serial killer Ted Bundy are still remembered. They received far more press than victims of Color. Not one serial murder case involving Black women victims get the People magazine coverage. Not one.

“Lost in the mainstream outrage over the house of horrors was the specter of decades-long neglect by the local police.”

In the mainstream narrative, unruly, criminal, illicit black women, the kind who “invite” rape anyway, are hardly worthy of mention must less sympathy. Thus, Sowell was able to hide in plain sight because of the presumption of guilt that the criminal justice system associates with black communities. As a parolee in a criminalized community it was easy for him to rack up multiple victims. It was easy for him to let these murdered women literally decompose in plain view on his living room floor because of the belief that black communities are cesspits and black lives are not worth protecting.

Exactly!

In a more “rarefied” sector of the East Coast another misogynist house of horrors is being buttressed in the name of “healthcare reform.” Nancy Pelosi and her lawless Blue dog Democrat posse in the House of Representatives have voted to include an amendment to the healthcare bill that would deny women the right to abortion coverage. Under the terms of a private healthcare exchange in the misnamed public option women could not purchase plans from private insurers who provide abortion coverage. This provision would essentially create a two or three tier system in which wealthier women would once again be able to fund abortions and poorer women would be left to back alley quacks and coat hangers. Black and Latino women, who are disproportionately un- and under-insured, and have the most to lose from unwanted pregnancies, would be the most deeply impacted. And with the draconian conservatives in the Senate trotting out their mangled bill in a month, the real white collar state sanctioned violence against women will be on full display.

Sikivu Hutchinson is the editor of blackfemlens.org and a commentator for KPFK 90.7FM Los Angeles.

An Open Letter To Black Women: Why You Are Beautiful

Check out this open letter from Leonard Pitts a black man and Miami Herald writer in which he not only states that black women are beautiful but explains why:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Posts by Fellow Bloggers November-2-2009

Von from Black Conscious Thought wrote about the infrequency of BF/WM relationships in America:

http://blackconsciousthought.blogspot.com/2009/10/well-i-said-it-way-back-when-black.html

From Stuff White People Do:

Americans' tendency to homogenize 50 African countries into one big country called Africa, ignoring cultures, races, religions, and governments. As if they are all alike without any individuality

http://stuffwhitepeopledo.blogspot.com/2009/10/homogenize-people-from-over-fifty.html

From Siditty:

Black face is making a comeback. It's not just from Tyra, though. Magazines and TV shows employ the use of Blackface as well.

http://siditty.blogspot.com/2009/10/blackface-has-made-comeback-thanks-tyra.html

From Brian Beach of Dayton, Ohio:

Infiltrating the Enemy: Hategroups such as Chimpout at:

http://sociallyblogwards.blogspot.com/2009/10/infiltrating-enemy-stupid-white.html

From Dovesblood:

"I Spent Three Hours At Nixzmary's Apartment" at:

http://www.nixzmarybrown.info/2009/10/i-spent-3-hours-in-nixzmarys-apartment.html

Missing Black Woman Alert: Lisa Spence is missing

Lisa Spence of Miramar Florida has been missing since October 7, 2009. Click the link below to see her picture and learn more:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/missingblackwomen.html

Eating Disorders & African Americans

Eating disorders are illnesses most frequently found in young women, although boys and young men are also victims. We often hear of high school and college girls plus fashion models being afflicted with these disorders, but we don't often hear about the problem in women of color. Click the link below to watch the stories of two black women comabting eating disorders:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Why Michelle Obama's Hair Matters

Check out this great article by Time Magazine writer, Jenee Desmond Harris. The article is titled "Why Michelle Obama's Hair Matters"It discusses the debate going on in the African American Community between "natural" styles and processed or relaxed styles and which is more "black"

Read the article here:http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Domestic Violence in the Black Community, real talk

I am sure by now that many if not of you have heard of the Chris Brown Rihhana incident by now. Chris Brown was dead wrong and as bad as this whole thing was it has opened up the door for us to talk about the 500 pound goriilaa in the African American Community, Domestic violence. On this weeks show host George Cook discusses:

* The lack of male role models contributing to this problem.

*Black men have to step up and start protecting our women.

*The conflicting messgaes some boys get from some black women about hitting girls.

* Yes, girls hit too and do start fights with men.

*From a male perspective he wonders like many men do why more women don't just leave the situation and pleads for women to do so.

Listen to the show here: http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/LTHWEEKLY.html

Recession? Black women's hair a priority

Recession? What Recession?

It seems that while many black women are cutting back and saving more money the one place where they are drawing the line is when it comes to their hair.

One quote from the story seems to sum things up.

"Every woman wants to be beautiful no matter what color, but Black women have a special pride that includes taking care of their hair,"

Read the entire store here: http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Black women struggle in the criminal justice system

..."Black women are caught in the net," Taifa said. "Black women disproportionately are caught up in the criminal justice system because of these bad crack cocaine laws. They are caught up with what I call the 'girlfriend problem'." Many of these women date or have relationships with these men and they get charged along with them to harsh sentences. Basically, they are the wrong person at the wrong time."

Read the entire article by clicking the link below:
http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Black women struggle in the criminal justice system

..."Black women are caught in the net," Taifa said. "Black women disproportionately are caught up in the criminal justice system because of these bad crack cocaine laws. They are caught up with what I call the 'girlfriend problem'." Many of these women date or have relationships with these men and they get charged along with them to harsh sentences. Basically, they are the wrong person at the wrong time."


Read the entire article by clicking the link below:
http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Black women face higher rates of domestic violence

Here is a very a sad stat that should shock and upset good black men as well as black women. African-American women experience intimate partner violence at rates 35-percent higher than white women and about 22 times the rate of women of other races.That is sickening and has to stop. Beating women does not make you a man, not even close... Watch Yvette Cade, herself a survivor of a horrific domestic violence attack discuss this by clicking the link below:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html

Michele Obama , Super Woman

Check out this video by George Cook of www.letstalkhonestly.com

African women risking health by bleaching skin

In a sad story that shows that black women all over the world are dealing with self esteem and beauty issues women in Uganda are putting their health at risk by bleaching their skin in an attempt to be more "beautiful". This has become such a problem that the government has now banned some bleaching creams and lotions. This story features a very sad a telling quote.

Consumers of bleaching cosmetics claim that they want to enhance their beauty. One woman who declined to be named, explains, “One has to look good, by having fair, lighter skin.” Read the entire story by clicking the link below:

http://www.letstalkhonestly.com/blacknewsblackviews.html