Hello Readers,
This morning, we had an discussion about the things we like and dislike about ourselves.First, we had to write fifteen dislikes and one of the girls noticed that there was no second thoughts about things they wanted to change. Secondly,we had to write fifteen likes and I observed the majority of everyone pens slowing down,eyes were roaming around room. Once the list was completed it was told to us to not dwell on the negative things and to be happy with what you have. Also,to think about other girls features and to reflect on rather or not we could handle what the other girl have. For example, bigger breast or long hair is something a girl might desire but on the other hand they may not know the problems that could follow. It was a great excerise to do because it opened my as well as the other girls to embrace the positive and appreciate ourselves.
Dueces!!!!
Jewel
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Opression: GirlSpeak's Outlook
Hola, Readers!
So lately, the GirlSpeak staff and I have been working on a visual art piece that incorporates each of the ways that we as young women have been opressed. One of our mentors decided that it would be interesting and unique for us to take long pieces of fabric and write text that expresses these forms of oppression onto these fabric strips.
Many of the GirlSpeak members wrote poems or journal entries that dealt with this concept. The process of creating these "fabric film strips" surprisingly involved a lot of time and, to our disappointment, usage of simple mathematics to calculate how the text would fit onto the strips. This involved counting each character that our text composed of and by dividing that number by the lengths of the strips that we were using.
Some of us will be wrapping this fabric around certain parts of our bodies that are related to our writing pieces. Kush, for instance, created a mask that was molded out of her own faces with paper mache. She also created a frame for this mask and, inside of it, she pasted random letters that she cut out to form her writing piece.
Sure, this project was very timely but in the end, we had the chance to powerfully address our emotions through text. We also planned how we each want to incorporate this text-covered fabric into pictures that a professional photographer will be taking of us (which is exciting 'cause few of us had the privelege to ever be photographed by a pro!).
These pics will be up on our blog most likely by Thursday or Friday of this week, since they will be taken on Thursday afternoon. So keep checking up on us to see those soon!
Peace,
Anita
So lately, the GirlSpeak staff and I have been working on a visual art piece that incorporates each of the ways that we as young women have been opressed. One of our mentors decided that it would be interesting and unique for us to take long pieces of fabric and write text that expresses these forms of oppression onto these fabric strips.
Many of the GirlSpeak members wrote poems or journal entries that dealt with this concept. The process of creating these "fabric film strips" surprisingly involved a lot of time and, to our disappointment, usage of simple mathematics to calculate how the text would fit onto the strips. This involved counting each character that our text composed of and by dividing that number by the lengths of the strips that we were using.
Some of us will be wrapping this fabric around certain parts of our bodies that are related to our writing pieces. Kush, for instance, created a mask that was molded out of her own faces with paper mache. She also created a frame for this mask and, inside of it, she pasted random letters that she cut out to form her writing piece.
Sure, this project was very timely but in the end, we had the chance to powerfully address our emotions through text. We also planned how we each want to incorporate this text-covered fabric into pictures that a professional photographer will be taking of us (which is exciting 'cause few of us had the privelege to ever be photographed by a pro!).
These pics will be up on our blog most likely by Thursday or Friday of this week, since they will be taken on Thursday afternoon. So keep checking up on us to see those soon!
Peace,
Anita
Thursday, July 22, 2010
PRIVILEGE
HELLO READERS ! =)
Yesterday in our time at YCA the girlspeak editiors, mentors, and boythink had a conversation on privilege of white people, abled body people and heterosexual people.
we were all baffled at the realization of what we have that other people don't. we have become so accustomed to dwelling on what we don't have and on what we think we need and what we want, we lack to see other peoples predicaments. Toni told us we need to have compassion. i agree to the fullest. we need to hold compassion for all and including yourself sometimes. if you lack compassion than you are holding onto negativity and you are stuck inside your own box and never really get to see the world for what it is and people for who thy are.
i had a funny experience with my best friend the other day. we were on the rain , when this drunk, crazy old man came and sat next to us. he made no type of sense but he said one thing that did. "don't be afraid of the person sitting next to you." this is true in so many ways. going back to privilege, people are so compelled to forget about the rest of the world and stay in their own lives. the world is bigger than just what you allow yourself to see. if you have fear of the world around you how will you evolve as a person, easy, you wont. don't be afraid of your environment cause as privileged people you are lucky enough to be able to walk out your door and have the world at your feet. some of us aren't that lucky.
REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE, AND HELP OTHERS DO THE SAME ! =)
*_OMAIRA_* <3>
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Social Networking
Hello Readers!
Yesterday the ladies at GirlSpeak had the privilege of speaking with journalist Lolly Bowean from the Chicago Tribune about her life as a journalist. The talk was very inspiring for all of us, and afterwards she stayed to interview a few of us GirlSpeak ladies (along with one of our young men from BoyThink) about social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter.
While talking to her, we came to the conclusion that for the most part boys were less likely than girls to spend their time on social networking sites. One of the major reasons we cited for this aversion was that boys preferred to stay away from the gossip and drama that occurs on such sites. With cyber-bullying becoming more and more problematic in schools today, perhaps it would be better if all of us stayed away from it. This led us to discussing the potential benefits of social networking. Our major point for this argument was that it allows teens to keep in touch with old, distant friends, or with people they would feel awkward calling or texting. We also thought it could be used to help with homework or to get in touch with classmates quickly.
Overall, our talk left us with one major thought; social networking sites are a privilege, and like all privileges should be used correctly. Cyber-bullying and posting pictures of you and your friends can seem harmless now, but can have serious repercussion in the long run. Its important that we remember that what we post now can come back to haunt us later, and act accordingly.
~Gabibi~
PS: Don't forget to submit to the GirlSpeak. The deadline is fast approaching =)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Men: The Endangered Species.
Waaaaaaaasup, Readers?
This morning, GirlSpeak discussed a topic that rested heavier on my heart (if I can't speak for anyone else) than any of the previous.
After an audio presentation of highly acclaimed writer, Patricia Smith's "Undertaker", we picked at the subject of young men becoming the endangered species of America.
It has been 6 weeks & 3 days since my next-door-neighbor, Jeremy Baggett, lost his life to gang violence. I can still feel tears well up in my eyes when I pass his house on my way to work, so - like I said, the topic rested heavily.
On more levels than one, could I relate to being attracted to young men with a thug mentality & reckless lifestyle. With one of my exes cooped up in a cell in the Cook County Correctional Facility & another's speech reduced to a whisper as a result of a bullet to the throat, I couldn't help but feel like Krista Franklin was speaking to me.
Sometimes, there really is nothing sexier than a boy with a rough neck & dangerous eyes. However, there isn't anything more devastating than having them taken away. Lust and heartbreak tend to go hand-in-hand, don't they?
To make a long story short, the moral of the story (so to speak) was what part should we, as young women, play in protecting the lives of this endangered species.
My take?
After watching close friends fall to the streets like soldiers on a battlefield & watching others pull on the same uniform, I'm at the point now where I feel completely powerless.
What are we supposed to do? Jump in front of the bullets?
Or do we try to stop the soldier from fighting the war?
I had hoped that I'd have an answer by the time I neared the end of this post, but it hasn't come to me just yet.
Maybe that's why there are so many graves with patriotic flags planted beside them these days.
Maybe there's just an entire nation of women that haven't found the perfect solution to rescuing them.
-O.G. Kush
This morning, GirlSpeak discussed a topic that rested heavier on my heart (if I can't speak for anyone else) than any of the previous.
After an audio presentation of highly acclaimed writer, Patricia Smith's "Undertaker", we picked at the subject of young men becoming the endangered species of America.
It has been 6 weeks & 3 days since my next-door-neighbor, Jeremy Baggett, lost his life to gang violence. I can still feel tears well up in my eyes when I pass his house on my way to work, so - like I said, the topic rested heavily.
On more levels than one, could I relate to being attracted to young men with a thug mentality & reckless lifestyle. With one of my exes cooped up in a cell in the Cook County Correctional Facility & another's speech reduced to a whisper as a result of a bullet to the throat, I couldn't help but feel like Krista Franklin was speaking to me.
Sometimes, there really is nothing sexier than a boy with a rough neck & dangerous eyes. However, there isn't anything more devastating than having them taken away. Lust and heartbreak tend to go hand-in-hand, don't they?
To make a long story short, the moral of the story (so to speak) was what part should we, as young women, play in protecting the lives of this endangered species.
My take?
After watching close friends fall to the streets like soldiers on a battlefield & watching others pull on the same uniform, I'm at the point now where I feel completely powerless.
What are we supposed to do? Jump in front of the bullets?
Or do we try to stop the soldier from fighting the war?
I had hoped that I'd have an answer by the time I neared the end of this post, but it hasn't come to me just yet.
Maybe that's why there are so many graves with patriotic flags planted beside them these days.
Maybe there's just an entire nation of women that haven't found the perfect solution to rescuing them.
-O.G. Kush
Saturday, July 17, 2010
The Deadline is Approaching Soon!!!
Calling All Young Artists/Writers!!!
Submit Your Creative Work to GirlSpeak Webzine
“Our voice is power. Our art is activism”
GirlSpeak aspires to advocate empowerment for and understanding towards young women. We celebrate all forms of diversity and gender equality.
We encourage all artists/writers ages 13-23 to email work along with a short paragraph that explains the submission(s) to girlspeak2010@gmail.com.
Submitting is free and easy; please limit submissions to five pieces or less.
Types of work we are looking for:
* Essays
* Poems
* Short stories
* Paintings*
* Sculptures*
* Audio recordings
* Short films
* Journal entries
* Photography
…And any other forms of creative expressions.
The GirlSpeak Editorial Board will respectfully review all works. Feedback will be given as soon as possible.
Deadline: July 19, 2010
www.girlspeak.org
*Please send only jpegs of all visual art.
Submit Your Creative Work to GirlSpeak Webzine
“Our voice is power. Our art is activism”
GirlSpeak aspires to advocate empowerment for and understanding towards young women. We celebrate all forms of diversity and gender equality.
We encourage all artists/writers ages 13-23 to email work along with a short paragraph that explains the submission(s) to girlspeak2010@gmail.com.
Submitting is free and easy; please limit submissions to five pieces or less.
Types of work we are looking for:
* Essays
* Poems
* Short stories
* Paintings*
* Sculptures*
* Audio recordings
* Short films
* Journal entries
* Photography
…And any other forms of creative expressions.
The GirlSpeak Editorial Board will respectfully review all works. Feedback will be given as soon as possible.
Deadline: July 19, 2010
www.girlspeak.org
*Please send only jpegs of all visual art.
Friday, July 16, 2010
The Gaze Exercise
Recently, the young ladies in GirlSpeak engaged in an exercise called the Gaze. In this excerise we were put into pairs for three mintues to examine and stare at our partner. During this process one of us can touch while the other stood still. This experience brought out some deep feelings about the way we felt about being stared at. The second part of the exercise was to tell about our experience of the Gaze. Everyone except a few, felt the gaze was uncomfortable because it gave the partner a chance to see flaws and see how that person felt about themselves by their body language. Also, it opened a door to exploring our true personal feelings about ourselves as young women. The Gaze was a good excerise to take part in and connecting with others, in silence.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
All About The Body
Well what just recently been discussed with Girlspeak was the Influence of the media about our bodies.
So we were assign to do a poem about any part of the body or the whole body. Some poems express
insecurities some portrayed confidence, many were about how beautiful our bodies looked and that the world doesn't decide
how we choose to look. We all read them aloud and then had a discussion about what we thought or felt after hearing everyones poems. The feedback was mostly positive and we felt it was a great activity and wouldn't mind doing it again and again.
So we were assign to do a poem about any part of the body or the whole body. Some poems express
insecurities some portrayed confidence, many were about how beautiful our bodies looked and that the world doesn't decide
how we choose to look. We all read them aloud and then had a discussion about what we thought or felt after hearing everyones poems. The feedback was mostly positive and we felt it was a great activity and wouldn't mind doing it again and again.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
2009's Reinvention of Sex.
Buenas Tardes, Readers.
Soooo.
Yesterday morning, the GirlSpeak editorial board and myself indulged in, yet another, one of our in-depth, round-the-table discussions.
The topic up for slaughter that morning was an article written in the Action issue #47 for Bitch Magazine, in which writer, Megan Carpentier, spoke - err - wrote out about hip hop & R&B's discretion for a female's pleasure during sex.
The article (which we all got a nice chuckle over) was nothing short of brilliant, as it tied together the pattern, intricately woven since the early 90's when gangsta rap was at it's peak, of male dominance in the bedroom & lack of compassion for a woman's satisfaction & enjoyment.
However, Carpentier also described a turnaround in the new millennium (cough - 2009 - cough) where sex was reinvented (all thanks to the beautiful Trey Songz) & a woman's part on the pleasure spectrum was recognized.
Even as the lyrics stayed raunchy, there appeared to be a hint of celebration & appreciation for the sex partners with vaginas.
Instead of making their women want to l-lick them like a lollipop, they now wanted their women to make the neighbors know their names.
The shift in focus is still oozing with cockyness (absolutely no pun intended) but at least our rappers & rhythm and blues crooners care about how they make their women feel, as opposed to the vice-versa.
Further into our discussion, we pondered how much responsibility these artists should take for the lyrics they perform. Surely, they all haven't been truly dispassionate for the women they sleep with, but does it take away from the fact that they promote music that suggests they are?
My answer to that question is, yes.
Why sing a song about something you don't fully agree with?
Sure, your record will go platinum, but is the hypocrisy behind it worth the fame?
Choosing to go forth with such a silly mode of operation leaves you with no other option but to take responsibility for it.
So, yes.
These artists are at fault, but so are the folks standing behind them encouraging them to continue.
-O.G. Kush
Soooo.
Yesterday morning, the GirlSpeak editorial board and myself indulged in, yet another, one of our in-depth, round-the-table discussions.
The topic up for slaughter that morning was an article written in the Action issue #47 for Bitch Magazine, in which writer, Megan Carpentier, spoke - err - wrote out about hip hop & R&B's discretion for a female's pleasure during sex.
The article (which we all got a nice chuckle over) was nothing short of brilliant, as it tied together the pattern, intricately woven since the early 90's when gangsta rap was at it's peak, of male dominance in the bedroom & lack of compassion for a woman's satisfaction & enjoyment.
However, Carpentier also described a turnaround in the new millennium (cough - 2009 - cough) where sex was reinvented (all thanks to the beautiful Trey Songz) & a woman's part on the pleasure spectrum was recognized.
Even as the lyrics stayed raunchy, there appeared to be a hint of celebration & appreciation for the sex partners with vaginas.
Instead of making their women want to l-lick them like a lollipop, they now wanted their women to make the neighbors know their names.
The shift in focus is still oozing with cockyness (absolutely no pun intended) but at least our rappers & rhythm and blues crooners care about how they make their women feel, as opposed to the vice-versa.
Further into our discussion, we pondered how much responsibility these artists should take for the lyrics they perform. Surely, they all haven't been truly dispassionate for the women they sleep with, but does it take away from the fact that they promote music that suggests they are?
My answer to that question is, yes.
Why sing a song about something you don't fully agree with?
Sure, your record will go platinum, but is the hypocrisy behind it worth the fame?
Choosing to go forth with such a silly mode of operation leaves you with no other option but to take responsibility for it.
So, yes.
These artists are at fault, but so are the folks standing behind them encouraging them to continue.
-O.G. Kush
Progess Update
GirlSpeak is approaching the end of week 3 for the summer program, and the editorial board is working hard to deliver the best web zine possible. Currently, the board members are drafting articles that will inform and entertain our readers on topics such as hip hop, women in fiction, and social justice. In the mean time we are still seeking submissions from young women and men ages 13-23. July 19th, all submissions are due to girlspeak2010@gmail.com, this deadline is approaching quickly. Continue to check the blog daily for more information about what GirlSpeak is up to, as well as poetry and other work from the editorial board.
C.Rae-Lyn
C.Rae-Lyn
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Guest Speaker
Yesterday we had a guest speaker from the MacArthur Foundation named Brandee Butler. Brandee Butler is a very active advocate for human rights in Africa. She talked about the MacArthur Foundation and how she is very passionate about trying to change the some of the major problems in Africa. She described in great detail what a philanthropist is and how anyone can get involved in philanthropy. She showed us a video clip of one of the various projects she was involved with dealing with child soldiers in Africa. The video clip showed footage of young boys testifying in an international criminal court about their horrific experiences as a child soldier. In August, she will be moving to Africa to continue her work as a human rights advocate.
Monday, July 12, 2010
On Life Lines
Last Thursday the ladies at GirlSpeak headed to Intuit art gallery located at 756 N Milwaukee to look at an exhibit entitled Life Lines- The Drawings of Charles Steffen. The exhibit was the first of its kind to look at the works of Steffen, who spent fifteen years in Elgin State Hospital being treated for schizophrenia. Steffen's art consisted of somewhat abstract drawings of his family and things he saw in his daily life. They were also accompanied by writing that described the drawings, or sometimes were no more than random tidbits about his daily life.
After looking at the exhibit, we each were designated to write or draw something that pertained to the exhibit, and were later asked to share with each other. There were lots of great pictures and stories amongst the group, and overall it was a really great experience.
For more info on the works of Charles Steffen check out the exhibit
visit www.art.org, or check out the exhibit which will be running through August 28, 2010.
~Gabibi~
After looking at the exhibit, we each were designated to write or draw something that pertained to the exhibit, and were later asked to share with each other. There were lots of great pictures and stories amongst the group, and overall it was a really great experience.
For more info on the works of Charles Steffen check out the exhibit
visit www.art.org, or check out the exhibit which will be running through August 28, 2010.
~Gabibi~
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Nate Marshall Book Opening!
This past Thursday, Whitney Young alumni Nathaniel Marshall introduced us all with his new book, Unconditional Like, a collection of poetry reflecting his growing up in Chicago and different life experiences. The release was held at the Silver Room in the Wicker Park area on Chicago's north-west side. The book release consisted of an assortment of eclectic Chicago performers, including another Whitney Young student, Victor Mensah, who is a young, up and coming, hip hop artist.
When Nate Marshall stepped up to the mic to read selections of his book, everyone paid attention, waiting in anticipation for his exceptional writing to illuminate the room. Nate's readings were comedic, heart warming, and most importantly RELATABLE. Every time he said something we all as Chicago youth have experienced, the room burst with excitement. We were elated to be hearing something that we actually enjoyed and could personalize. The readings by Nate Marshall were exceptional, and I don't know a single person (including myself) that did not walk out with his extraordinary book.
Also, Nate Marshall has compiled a mix tape entitled "The Langston Huge Project" where he goes by his stage name, Illuminate Mics. He performed a couple of his songs at his book release and it was a perfect fit. His songs include songs such as "The Show" where he also talks about growing up in Chicago while putting comedic flair into his lyrics. You can listen to his entire mix tape by going to this link; http://illuminatemics.bandcamp.com/
-bernie levv ♪✇♫
Friday, July 9, 2010
"Just Like A Women"
In a recent discussion we had in a Girl Speak meeting, we brought up the frequently used term among the male population, "now that's just like a women" It is ironic that we were so heavily enthralled in this conversation because my coworker, Miranda, suggested we all read a book entitled "The Women of Brewster Place" by Gloria Naylor. Barely 15 pages into the bok and coincidentally, I run into the ever popular phrase, "Now, ain't that just like a women"
In this particular part of the book, Naylor is writing about a young women named Mattie Michael, who is a church going, God and father fearing individual. When she goes on a sugar cane planting trip with the neighborhood no-good, Butch, she questions herself, her father, and her sense of judgement. Mattie starts to look at Butch in a different way, and it scares her. When she expresses to Butch that she wants to go home, he of course says "Now, ain't that just like a women" he continues on saying, "Bring a man clear out of his way to cut three times as much cane as he needed for his self and then want to double-time him back home before he gets a minute's rest or them wild hers he REALLY came all this way fo' "
We as young women and young ladies can relate to how Mattie reacts to his declaration. She goes on to show him how independent she can be as a women and how she can handle just as much as she can by doing other work for him. It's funny how just by saying that sentence, women sometimes have to prove themselves to men and contradict the statement by doing the opposite of what he just said. Going against the grain, it seems like we always have to prove ourselves and I find that in many examples, including ones in books, movies, and real life.
We have become OBSESSED with proving ourselves more than the opposite sex could ever imagine.
- bernie levv ♪✇♬
In this particular part of the book, Naylor is writing about a young women named Mattie Michael, who is a church going, God and father fearing individual. When she goes on a sugar cane planting trip with the neighborhood no-good, Butch, she questions herself, her father, and her sense of judgement. Mattie starts to look at Butch in a different way, and it scares her. When she expresses to Butch that she wants to go home, he of course says "Now, ain't that just like a women" he continues on saying, "Bring a man clear out of his way to cut three times as much cane as he needed for his self and then want to double-time him back home before he gets a minute's rest or them wild hers he REALLY came all this way fo' "
We as young women and young ladies can relate to how Mattie reacts to his declaration. She goes on to show him how independent she can be as a women and how she can handle just as much as she can by doing other work for him. It's funny how just by saying that sentence, women sometimes have to prove themselves to men and contradict the statement by doing the opposite of what he just said. Going against the grain, it seems like we always have to prove ourselves and I find that in many examples, including ones in books, movies, and real life.
We have become OBSESSED with proving ourselves more than the opposite sex could ever imagine.
- bernie levv ♪✇♬
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Female Emcees in The 'Rap Game'.
Whadddup, Readers?!
Alrighty, so.
Earlier this week, the GirlSpeak editorial board (& I.. teehee) breifly discussed females in hip-hop (particularly, rap).
From what I managed to pick up through my mid-afternoon daze (a terrible experience when you're in the workplace, might I add) there was a category at this year's BET Awards honoring female emcees worthy of recognition on that night.
Among the nominees were women of the current mainstream rap, such as Young Money's Nicki Minaj, & also women that are still praised for their music although they've been somewhat missing from the mainstream charts these days, such as Lil Kim.
We editors of GirlSpeak went on to discuss our opinions on the matter & also what we personally felt towards a certain female emcee's image & role in the media - Miss Nicki Minaj.
My personal opinion of the Harajuku Barbie & also every other female rapper sitting pretty in 'the game' is that they are the in the category of the very least credited artists in this industry & hardly have an image of their own as individuals the moment they spit a verse & hit it big.
Female rappers are most of the time shrugged off as mere sex symbols & are not usually given as much recognition as their male counterparts.
Also, with the number of female emcees at a humiliating low, each rapper that emerges is compared with the last; bringing me to the controversy of Nicki Minaj & Lil Kim.
Both of these rappers have very similar images & deliveries. Both are portrayed as extremely sexual & produce catchy, pop-ish music that, in a sense, mirror eachother quite well..
Nicki Minaj has to deal with a slew of negative feedback & controversial publicity, while years back, it was Lil Kim that carried the same burden.
Listeners & fans have no choice but to call to mind either when the other is mentioned. The fact that Nicki Minaj won't be seen by so many as a legit artist of her own craft is almost painful &, at times, makes me sympathize the woman.
It's so hard to find a quality female emcee that doesn't rub off as a simple duplicate of the ones before her, but it's an even tougher struggle when you can hardly credit the newer artist for setting herself apart from all the rest.
It sort of makes you wonder who is really at fault here.
The media, for projecting each up and coming female rapper in the same light.
The listeners, for being so quick to judge her & compare her to the last.
Or, the artist herself, for not forging a path entirely her own & producing a brand-spankin-new concept that we haven't heard too many times prior.
In my eyes, though, whether or not Lil Kim truly is the protoype of Nicki Minaj, as nominees in such a confined category such as female rap, both of these artists deserve praise & recognition.
Blowing up in an industry that is predominately male, is inspiring enough as it is.
I've chosen to peer past the comparisons & petty glamours, & to look at this situation for what it is;
the population of female emcees is growing & that is something definitely worth celebrating.
-O.G. Kush
Alrighty, so.
Earlier this week, the GirlSpeak editorial board (& I.. teehee) breifly discussed females in hip-hop (particularly, rap).
From what I managed to pick up through my mid-afternoon daze (a terrible experience when you're in the workplace, might I add) there was a category at this year's BET Awards honoring female emcees worthy of recognition on that night.
Among the nominees were women of the current mainstream rap, such as Young Money's Nicki Minaj, & also women that are still praised for their music although they've been somewhat missing from the mainstream charts these days, such as Lil Kim.
We editors of GirlSpeak went on to discuss our opinions on the matter & also what we personally felt towards a certain female emcee's image & role in the media - Miss Nicki Minaj.
My personal opinion of the Harajuku Barbie & also every other female rapper sitting pretty in 'the game' is that they are the in the category of the very least credited artists in this industry & hardly have an image of their own as individuals the moment they spit a verse & hit it big.
Female rappers are most of the time shrugged off as mere sex symbols & are not usually given as much recognition as their male counterparts.
Also, with the number of female emcees at a humiliating low, each rapper that emerges is compared with the last; bringing me to the controversy of Nicki Minaj & Lil Kim.
Both of these rappers have very similar images & deliveries. Both are portrayed as extremely sexual & produce catchy, pop-ish music that, in a sense, mirror eachother quite well..
Nicki Minaj has to deal with a slew of negative feedback & controversial publicity, while years back, it was Lil Kim that carried the same burden.
Listeners & fans have no choice but to call to mind either when the other is mentioned. The fact that Nicki Minaj won't be seen by so many as a legit artist of her own craft is almost painful &, at times, makes me sympathize the woman.
It's so hard to find a quality female emcee that doesn't rub off as a simple duplicate of the ones before her, but it's an even tougher struggle when you can hardly credit the newer artist for setting herself apart from all the rest.
It sort of makes you wonder who is really at fault here.
The media, for projecting each up and coming female rapper in the same light.
The listeners, for being so quick to judge her & compare her to the last.
Or, the artist herself, for not forging a path entirely her own & producing a brand-spankin-new concept that we haven't heard too many times prior.
In my eyes, though, whether or not Lil Kim truly is the protoype of Nicki Minaj, as nominees in such a confined category such as female rap, both of these artists deserve praise & recognition.
Blowing up in an industry that is predominately male, is inspiring enough as it is.
I've chosen to peer past the comparisons & petty glamours, & to look at this situation for what it is;
the population of female emcees is growing & that is something definitely worth celebrating.
-O.G. Kush
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
GirlSpeak 2010: Already in Action!
Hey my fellow readers!
This is Anita, one of the members of the GirlSpeak Editorial Board. I'm gonna tell you guys what we as a staff have discussed and accomplished so far, just to show you guys what we're all about and what we're interested in.
The GirlSpeak crew met on June 28th for the first time and, thankfully, because we clicked so well, we all dove into conversation about several issues. We discussed how we're upset with the way women are viewed within today's society, several books (such as the Twilight series) which depict characters that play stereotypical female roles, the Chris Brown incident/domestic violence in general, and other topics.
We also were visited by a guest speaker who defined feminism for us and educated us about several historical feminists. The GirlSpeak and BoyThink (another organization within YCA, focused on masculinity issues) staffs also learned about Romantic Objectification, which is a type of poetry that focuses on the romantic genre, while at the same time, metophorically comparing a person to an object. We wrote our own poems using this writing technique, as well as many others.
The BoyThink and GirlSpeak crews had discussions concerning the definitions of feminity and masculinity, issues that women face due to prejudice from men, issues that men face with being knowledgeable about masculinity, and several other issues.
A few exciting things that we're planning to accomplish/publish for the GirlSpeak webzine are a Q&A section based on random and interesting women that we interview on the streets; rants about topics that concern us; a News Feed section where we discuss what we've talked about during meetings; book, movie, music, artist, etc. reviews; a Fashion section, where we include photographs of fashionable women on the streets; what it's like to work amongst a staff that is composed of all women, people that we don't know, and people of different cultural backgrounds; and brief synopses of influential and famous (or non-famous) women that other girls should be aware of.
The girls and I also developed a call for submissions flyer, which is posted as the GirlSpeak's blog first blog entry, and it allows people (young women, in particular) to have the opportunity to send in their literary and visual artworks. We have recieved many submissions within such a short period of time already and we thank you for the contributions and the support. We have gotten many selections of prose and poetry but not much artwork. If you are an visual artist please feel free to contribute to the girlspeak webzine.
This is Anita, one of the members of the GirlSpeak Editorial Board. I'm gonna tell you guys what we as a staff have discussed and accomplished so far, just to show you guys what we're all about and what we're interested in.
The GirlSpeak crew met on June 28th for the first time and, thankfully, because we clicked so well, we all dove into conversation about several issues. We discussed how we're upset with the way women are viewed within today's society, several books (such as the Twilight series) which depict characters that play stereotypical female roles, the Chris Brown incident/domestic violence in general, and other topics.
We also were visited by a guest speaker who defined feminism for us and educated us about several historical feminists. The GirlSpeak and BoyThink (another organization within YCA, focused on masculinity issues) staffs also learned about Romantic Objectification, which is a type of poetry that focuses on the romantic genre, while at the same time, metophorically comparing a person to an object. We wrote our own poems using this writing technique, as well as many others.
The BoyThink and GirlSpeak crews had discussions concerning the definitions of feminity and masculinity, issues that women face due to prejudice from men, issues that men face with being knowledgeable about masculinity, and several other issues.
A few exciting things that we're planning to accomplish/publish for the GirlSpeak webzine are a Q&A section based on random and interesting women that we interview on the streets; rants about topics that concern us; a News Feed section where we discuss what we've talked about during meetings; book, movie, music, artist, etc. reviews; a Fashion section, where we include photographs of fashionable women on the streets; what it's like to work amongst a staff that is composed of all women, people that we don't know, and people of different cultural backgrounds; and brief synopses of influential and famous (or non-famous) women that other girls should be aware of.
The girls and I also developed a call for submissions flyer, which is posted as the GirlSpeak's blog first blog entry, and it allows people (young women, in particular) to have the opportunity to send in their literary and visual artworks. We have recieved many submissions within such a short period of time already and we thank you for the contributions and the support. We have gotten many selections of prose and poetry but not much artwork. If you are an visual artist please feel free to contribute to the girlspeak webzine.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
GIRLSPEAK WANTS YOU!!!
Calling All Young Artists/Writers!!!
Submit Your Creative Work to GirlSpeak Webzine
“Our voice is power. Our art is activism”
GirlSpeak aspires to advocate empowerment for and understanding towards young women. We celebrate all forms of diversity and gender equality.
We encourage all artists/writers ages 13-23 to email work along with a short paragraph that explains the submission(s) to girlspeak2010@gmail.com.
Submitting is free and easy; please limit submissions to five pieces or less.
Types of work we are looking for:
o Essays
o Poems
o Short stories
o Paintings*
o Sculptures*
o Audio recordings
o Short films
o Journal entries
o Photography
…And any other forms of creative expressions.
The GirlSpeak Editorial Board will respectfully review all works. Feedback will be given as soon as possible.
For more information about GirlSpeak check out our website:
www.girlspeak.org by JULY 19th
*Please only send photographs of your paintings and sculpture.
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