Friday, September 27, 2013

the ugliness of beauty pagents



It is surprising to me how ugly and political beauty pageants seem to be getting lately. First Nina Davuluri becomes the first Miss America of Indian descent (prompting a confused and ignorant racist backlash). And then Jakiyah McKoy wins Little Miss Hispanic Delaware, only to have her crown stripped from her because 1) some racist Hispanics don't believe a black little girl can represent "latin beauty" and 2) she apparently wasn't able to produce proof of her Dominican grandmother. For me, Jakiyah's situation cuts a little closer to home since I could totally imagine crap like that happening to some of my younger relatives. I also find it especially ironic that the issue should ostensibly turn on the identity of the grandmother (see y tu abuela donde esta? and y tu abuela, a’onde esta?


Tuesday, September 17, 2013

black star, crescent moon

New book to add to the reading list:
Open Veins: Black Star, Crescent Moon

 

Thursday, September 12, 2013

bobby mcferrin & aziza mustafa zadeh

For some reason I thought I had posted this a long time ago but apparently not... it is a thoroughly "Grenada-esque" clip of Bobby McFerrin, Aziza Mustafa Zadeh singing Carmen.

 

latin cypher

Latin Cypher: 20 Spanish-Language MCs Everyone Should Hear Words By Isabela Raygoza

captain american in a turban

Captain America in a turban
Salon: Captain America in a Turban

qahera

I just found this tumblr with the comic adventures of Qahera, a sword-wielding, hijab-wearing, salty-mouthed, Egyptian super-heroine. There are only a few pages posted (with versions in English and Arabic) but I look forward to seeing what develops. Check it out.