off script: from g's to gents

The Los Angeles Times reports that, "despite decades of public pressure on the major networks to diversify, the lead characters in all but a handful of prime-time scripted shows this season are still white —- and usually young and affluent. In contrast, reality programs consistently feature a broader range of people when it comes to race, age, class and sexual orientation." It supports this statement by bringing up examples from such contestant in shows like The Amazing Race, Survivor and the Biggest Loser. Nevertheless, this does always shed the most positive light on these minorities. Generally speaking, such unresolved issues surrounding race, class and sexual orientation can generate further tension and emotions, and in doing so, provides material to the show. These reality shows don't provide the most enlightening experience. Their producers aren't necessarily adding diversity in order to appear pro-social but rather to obtain better ratings and merit entertainment. Specifically, I'm reminded of reality shows such like From G's To Gents. I've included a clip for your viewing pleasure. http://www.mtv.com/videos/from-gs-to-gents-season-2-ep-1-down-n-dirty/1604291/playlist.jhtml

Frida's Stamp

For designers, stamp design is by far one of the most prestigious and memorable projects to be granted. Generally speaking, most US stamps depict America or American-related subjects. American flags, the liberty bell, native birds and flowers, the statue of liberty..these are generally the images we see on stamps. On June 21, 2001, Frida Kahlo became the first Hispanic woman to be honored on an American postage stamp. The President of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, Cecilia Alvear, responded, "as Latinos we are pleased by the U.S. Postal Service's recognition of the artistic genius of Frida Kahlo..This stamp, honoring a Mexican artist who has transcended 'la frontera' and has become an icon to Hispanics, feminists and art lovers, will be a further reminder of the continuous cultural contributions of Latinos to the United States."

color blind children

So much of what children learn is through imitation. Repeating things that are said and done on television, in movies, through books and simply from observing society. I've always felt that as long as we have thrived on earth it has been ingrained in our genetics to classify, separate and construct groups. Children, at a young age, learn to recognize difference and categorize accordingly. Keeping all of this in mind, do children develop a solid understanding of race and diversity through a combination of the media, education and their parents? I would think that children would learn how to positively or even negatively interact with different races according to their daily observations. So, I ask myself, are children really oblivious to racial difference?

"think outside the bun"

Moving forward with my previous post on Chicano Civil Rights Movements, I came across a stand-up preformance by the Mexican American comedian George Lopez. I feel this clip in particular directly correlates back to the braceros. It certainly sheds some mildly vulgar humor on a particularly tragic subject.

El Movimiento

Our new text, Shot in America: Television, the State and the Rise of Chicano Cinema, has spawned my growing interest in Chicano culture. Searching through endless pages of Chicano art, I came across this Graphic Design poster created for The Grape Boycotts of the United Farm Workers Association (UFWA) in the 1960s. In the early 1940s Mexican workers entered the United States in hopes of obtaining work and a better life--they entered the excruciating world of the labor-intensive industry. Known as "braceros", these workers endured terrible working conditions, low wages and abysmal living corridors in farms across America... we are taking a mere TWENTY cents for over three hours of work. Over 1,000 farmer workers joined the UFWA and rallied for better wages and conditions. Civil rights activists, Cesar Chavez successfully lead strikes and boycotts against grape growers which ultimately resulted in national recognition and the signing of union contracts, better wages and working conditions.

"It's ironic that those who till the soil, cultivate and harvest the fruits, vegetables, and other foods that fill your tables with abundance have nothing left for themselves." -C. Chavez

Aussies vs. Kiwis

I remember first seeing Flight of the Conchords on an HBO special years ago. Their comedy was fresh. Their integration of music was creative. And their accents were too darn cute. Flash forward two years--Bret and Jermain have made it big in America, with an HBO television series and an intense following. I thought I would share a bit of their work--it illustrates their style of comedic performance & puts a funny twist on diversity.
"Each person deserves to be treated like a person."

walt disney pictures, part deux

In light of the overwhelming responses from my last post, I figure I'd do some research on this new movie, featuring an African American princess, set to release on December 11th. Princess Tiana will star in The Princess and the Frog, which follows the basic premise of any classical Disney fairy tale--she kisses a frog, he is transformed into a magical prince who sweeps her off her feet and they live happily ever after. Mulan, Pocahontas and Jasmine are certainly odes to racial diversity across the board--generally speaking, before their appearance the lead characters were overwhelmingly white. I suppose the question we must ask ourselves is, will Disney be able to break away from their humiliating racial controversies of the past? Will Princess Tiana fill the void of a black heroine, imitated by thousands of young girls across the country?