Diluted- Shana Elmsford

I am a child of the 80's. As such I grew up watching some pretty cool cartoons...Josie and the Pussycats, Scooby Doo, Tom and Jerry, Smurfs. One of my all time favorites was Jem and the Holograms. I LOVED me some Jem with her hair and bright colors, and cool group of friends, her bandmates...Jem was a rockstar, an alter-ego of Jerrica Benton.

I even owned a



(I was never able to find all of them...especially Shana)

When I heard talks of a live version being made I was all smiles.

On Friday, the 25th the cast was announced. I quickly posted the link to an article on my FB feed and went about my day. It was a busy day. On Saturday I woke up to further investigate...i.e. I click on my own link and I read the article.

I couldn't wait to see who was chosen.



Everything is...looking...ok...wait!!!!

HOLD UP!!!

Why is the actress cast as Shana (the dark skin, purple afro wearing Hologram on the far right) about four shades  lighter than my cartoon version?

I know there are talented brown skin (cocoa, chocolate, hazelnut) actress that can sing.

Why wasn't one of them chosen? If not for talent for keeping honest to the damn cartoon.

Growing up Shana was one of the few ( I think of 3) characters that looked like me :-)

I have nothing against Aurora Perrineau. I can't I know nothing about her. Apparently she had a role on Pretty Little Liars ( I love and watch) but I don't remember her.

Her father is Harold Perrineau. Now him I know...him I love...He played Augustus Hill in Oz and Damon Pope in Sons of Anarchy.

Good acting runs in the family but my beef isn't about acting.

I'm pissed and so are some other people that here was a perfect opportunity to show true diversity while staying true to the original character.

My first thought when I saw her was "Is she mixed?" then I said "REALLY? You gonna do Shana like that!!!"

Integrity Toys got the memo that Shana is of the darker complexion.



The director, Jon M. Chu held an open casting call (social media at it's best)

[youtube=http://youtu.be/yzVnNVrunAE]

Not one of entries had a hopeful wonder that looked like Shana?

The director was wants to "reinvent" Jem for a current audience?

Current audience devoid of color? When the past audience did just fine with it?

I don't buy that Aurora Perineau was the BEST choice.

I do buy that Aurora Perineau is the Hollywood standard of the easiest and safest way to say "we have a diverse cast".

While she may be half white (her mother) and half black most of the world sees her as Black.

That's all we need.

But it isn't because that isn't all there is.

Our First Daughters of the White House



are beautiful shades of brown.

Lupita Nyong'o



named People magazines Most Beautiful Person of 2014 (days before the cast was revealed) is gorgeous shade of chocolate.

Hollywood needs to let go of it's "safety net" and take the rose tinted glasses off.

What I see in that cast line up is NOT diversity. I see a group of young, beautiful women who kinda look the same, save for eye and hair colors...

I don't even think their hair textures are different!

Brown and dark skin women deserve to be represented in films and TV shows because we exist. Not enough is being done to show that.

We don't deserve a diluted version of us.

This casting choice is a diluted version.

People are going to say "It isn't that serious. It's just a movie...The girl is BLACK."

To quote a friend that posted a comment on my FB page regarding the link to the cast article, she said "Where is the Black girl?"

Sometimes what is seen on the surface is what matters.

~Until Next Time~

xo

 

 

My side chick...

My side chick can be a bitch sometimes.

She can be unruly, tight, hard to work with...a hot mess if she isn't given attention.

She can also be soft, playful, rewarding...a trooper...My side chick will have my back no matter what I put her through.

That surprises me. Especially since before the middle of 2013 we hadn't been spending much time together...for a looooooog time.

The one day I woke up, looked at myself in the mirror and said...

I miss her

Technically I am premature in talking about this...it hasn't been a full year yet...but it will be in June...

It has been a year that I have been with my side chick.

YIKES!!!!!

 

In May my side chick is going away for a bit.  But she will still be around. She's kinda going be replaced by my fling chick.

You know, the kind you see a few times a year. You got mad love for her...but by 1, 2, maybe 3 months you're done and want something new.

You miss that side chick cause you know one day she will replace the former main chick.

You gonna wake up one day and BAM...she will literally be all over the place...taking up space in your bed, in your bathroom, demanding WAY more time than she did when she was a side chick.

For a hot minute you might even think about going back to NO chicks...It's crossed my mind.

But I made a commitment to my side chick when I left my main chick.

I was going to do right by her, treat her right...and she was going to do me right.

She...MY HAIR...wasn't going to allow me any regret on this hair growth journey that I am on.

We are on the slow and steady road with much progress.

*Below are pics of me with my



"main chick"- my shaved head. Been with her for 13 years. Saying goodbye wasn't as hard as I thought it would be.

"side chick"- my hair slowly growing out. I like this one...I better because I know she is going to be around for a long time (my goal is chin length)

"fling chick"- the braids (protective styles) that I had for a month or two. She holds my attention for a while but I always miss my side chick.

This last pic is from last week

 



This is how my hair will remain till I get my new fling chick.

In order to maintain healthy hair not just growing hair I think of the process as a relationship.

I have to give my hair attention and patience. Listen to its needs while being mindful of my own.  Styling is time consuming and the results are worth it.

Think I'm crazy?

Embarking on your own hair care journey and let me know how you feel about "the other chick" spouting from your head.

~Until next time~

xo

Outlets

My 9-5 job is pretty draining...mentally, emotionally, and physically.  Even on days when I don't react to the office BS I find myself needing to vent...needing a outlet to release the stress giving half a shit can create.

Yeah I could stop caring. I've taken great pains to work on that...slowly...

Anywho...I was thinking yesterday that I don't have a viable outlet. Everyone needs a viable, tangible outlet that will help them relieve stress. Something that I can look forward to and plan.

Some people go to the gym after a stressful day.

I told my co worker I wanted to go to a gun range...totally viable way to blow off steam.

Going on vacation (after not having been on one in hmmmm 8 years) is another way.

Escaping in the great city of my birth NYC and exploring the museums and checking out galleries is another way that I can disconnect and be transported away from whatever reminders of my 9-5 follow me after 5p.

So take a class on their favorite hobbies.

In the past I thought of my writing as my hobby. Not only have I not made time to write...the whole drained when I get home thing is a big blow to my passion...I can't consider my would be career a hobby. There isn't much focus in that, at least for me.

What are some of your outlets? Ways that you vent when life is mean mugging you?

PSA, I don't hate my job...I heavily dislike my job...because it is my job NOT my career. I am aware that some of my need for a outlet comes from having a job vs. a fulfilling career...

I'm working on that...slowly...

~Until next time~

xo