Mellody Hobson, My Shero

[qwlauren35]

https://www.ted.com/talks/mellody_hobson_color_blind_or_color_brave/transcript?language=en

As is to be expected, this sank in GD. But I thought folks might appreciate it here. The video is long, but you can always read the transcript.

I like her differentiation between color-blind and color-brave. I remember when I first heard someone brag about being color-blind and how disgusted I felt. How can you pretend that you don't see race. Why are you lying? And if you don't see someone's blackness, does that mean you see them as white? Do you realize how horrible that is? Most (let's ignore Clarence Thomas) black people don't want to be white, don't want to be seen as white. We want to be EQUAL and at the same time, keep our differences.

At any rate, I'm ranting again. Please see/read what she has to say, and enjoy listening to the CEO of Ariel Investments breaking it down for the clueless in a very nice way.

[Number23]

1. Oh, I love this woman! Oh, how I love her

You should read the write up Vanity Fair did on her. http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2015/03/mellody-hobson-ariel-investments-fighting-stereotype

She was raised in a single parent household, talks about having to heat water up on hot plates to take a bath, graduated from Princeton, inspires everyone she meets and is married to billionaire George Lucas. She has had one HELL of a run. And throughout it all, is the very personification of grace and helping others.

She talks about being "color brave" in the VF piece too. You're right. I been black for a long time and have come across 2 or 3 black folks in all that time that wanted to be white. That is the extreme minority within a minority. Most black folks LOVE being black but don't like all the extra shit that people who AREN'T black put on being black.