"Si" and "Am" wreaking havoc

The following was written by Nell Fleming - Racial Justice Coordinator at the YWCA of Charleston.

As Racial Justice Coordinator at the YWCA of Charleston, people increasingly come to me with questions about what is or isn’t considered racist. I was recently asked the following question:

“I was [viewing the scene from Lady and the Tramp with the havoc-wreaking Siamese cats] on YouTube and saw in the comments that some people think this is racist. Having had Siamese cats all my life, I see it as more of a depiction of a typical Siamese personality. Does it strike you as negative towards Asians?”

I admit the question surprised me because the person asking it is someone whom I usually go to for advice. The piece seems so obviously negative to me that it gave me pause. I wondered, if a trusted friend did not recognize the racist elements of the scene, where do we stand as a society in our education about what is racist, especially outside of our binary paradigm of black and white?

I knew why it felt racist to me, but in order to analyze the piece fully, I took a look at the opposing comments referred to in conjunction with the song clip the YouTube video. The comments had very little substance, but made general claims that the piece was racist or the piece was not racist. The main claim to prove the piece was not racist was that Siamese cats “really do act like that.” And so I watched the clip again to see what exactly Siamese cats do and don’t do in real life as opposed to cartoon life.

Here is what I found. If you watch the video without the sound, indeed you see two Siamese cats ("Si" and "Am") wreaking havoc in a house, though to the extreme and in slap-stick fashion – much like two cats might do given enough time and opportunity. As a cat lover, I remember not so fondly being afraid of a friend’s Siamese Cat, who used to sneak up on me when I arrived, and grab my arm when I would walk by. I have no trouble suspending disbelief that Siamese cats would have ulterior motives when it comes to humans or dogs.

However, the two things that you can “see” that are not realistic to Siamese cats are the eye shape and the tooth shape. The exaggerated slanted eyes and the buck teeth are not drawn on the cats as a cat caricature, but as a personification of Asian persons – in this case, Siamese (Thai). It is a stereotypical representation that is extremely negative in origin. This shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows the history of Disney and racist content, which has improved moderately over the years, but in small degrees at a time. (Aladdin came under fire for the depiction of Jasmine and Aladdin as “white middle class persons” whereas the villains and the commoners otherwise were very ethnically Middle Eastern in their appearance and talked with significant Arabic accents, among other things.)

When you listen to the song without watching the clip, however, this is what you hear: Siamese cats talking not like the Lady and the Tramp are talking in white middle- or lower-class English, but with accents of Asians speaking broken English that is obviously their second language. The fact that these cats are considered the “evil element” in the story makes it clear that being foreign, or Asian, or an immigrant is being compared with the characteristics of being dishonest, conniving and most definitely not trustworthy. When you put the images and the song lyrics together with the animation, you get two things: 1) A clever, fun, rhyming song that is fun to sing (for some) with two entertaining characters who resemble the cats we love to love or love to hate, and, 2) One of the most horrible representations of racism in children’s entertainment in the twentieth century.

For further analysis of Disney and racism, visit:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1329215/disneys_most_racist_films_and_characters.html

http://www.cracked.com/article_15677_9-most-racist-disney-characters.html

http://www.nhaeyc.org/newsletters/articles/Racism_in_Childrens_Movies.pdf

Some definitions of racism:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&rlz=1C1RNNN_enUS362&defl=en&q=define:racism&sa=X&ei=xuooTIK-GMH98AaS-dCaDg&ved=0CBUQkAE&cts=1277749802556

Taking a Stand

The following is a guest blog post written by Robin Holstein, President of Robin's Desktop, LLC and the coordinator of a local Stand Against Racism event in Rand, WV last Friday.

When I was the young bride of a soldier in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Hood, Texas, I felt the stares and noticed the whispers when I went out with other soldiers’ wives. They were African-American. I am not.

Some years ago after running into a local police officer I knew, an ex-husband cursed me and “ordered” me to never hug a black man again. Recently, family members have argued and struggled with their own insecurities because a biracial child was going to be born into our family. Many still struggle, two years later.

At my age, I have seen many acts of intimidation. I’ve been shouted at, cursed, and punched. I’ve had people go behind my back and spread untrue stories. I’ve had people disclose very painful, personal events in an attempt to embarrass and upset me. Nothing has made me stop and shake my head as what I saw the morning of April 25, 2010.

Eggs, splattered against the front fender of my truck overnight. Eggs that were thrown in a childish, passive-aggressive attempt at intimidation. The act intended to send some message of disapproval, done in the cover of darkness, by someone who dared not speak to me in person.

The sun was not quite up when I left, so by the time I noticed the goo on my truck, I had already driven 25 miles. I did not need Jack Bauer to tell me, I knew what prompted the vandal. I was hosting a Stand Against Racism event. The only question was what would do more good? Do I draw attention to it or do I let it go as if nothing happened?

Less than twenty-four hours before someone lobbed eggs at my truck, I placed physical posters up in my community. Nothing happened when I posted the event on popular social networking Internet sites. Nothing happened following the article published in a local weekly paper. It was not until there was an actual, physical poster up that someone decided to “say” something to me.

After discussing the incident with the Racial Justice Coordinator at the YWCA and Deputy Attorney General Civil Rights Division, I decided to contact my local Sheriff. A Deputy was dispatched to my home. We discussed the situation, my support and sponsorship of the Stand, and the reality of trying to find the culprit.

The Deputy explained that, since there was no damage to my truck, there was nothing on which to file a formal complaint. I really could not prove the act was related to my upcoming event. His visit to my home was on record. If there were any incidents the night of my Stand, the vandalism would be included in the investigation.

Everyone handles these things differently. When people try to stop me from doing something I believe is necessary, I generally become more determined. I do not back down easily, or often.

I became involved with the Stand because of my grandniece. She is a beautiful and bright child. She has no preconceived ideas about race or sex. Before she was born people making racial comments or slurs upset me. I would tell them that I did not appreciate the comments. Now, it is different. The comments and slurs are no longer against “people” they are against family.

The Stand Against Racism event I hosted was held as planned. There were no incidents. No more eggs have been wasted on my vehicles.

I explained to the attendees at my event that we have come a long way in race relations over the many decades. Yet, there is still so much more to do. While this was just eggs, it seems someone out there felt as though they could attempt to intimidate me because I took a public stand.

Children's Book Connections

The following post was written by the YWCA's new Racial Justice Program Coordinator Nell Fleming, pictured at right with her husband and daughter.

It's not every day that an award winning children's picture book author calls a mother two days after the purchase and reading of her book. But let me start at the beginning (if there is such a place), as this tangled web of connections is hard to unravel.

It all started when a librarian at the University of Illinois Center for Children's Books responded to my request to diligently search for any fictional picture book ever published with a white woman and a black man as a couple, married, parents or otherwise – preferably on the cover of the book. I was starting my proposal for a study on the demographics of children's picture books in the current century. Only one book was referred and the librarian who found it thought that perhaps it was a non-fiction book but wasn't sure. I can understand why she thought so, because the main character, Tyler, is a real person and the source of the inspiration for this rhyming tale of how we view people based on their perceived skin color.

This was so far the only book I was able to identify that had a white woman as the spouse or partner of any person of color or in any interracial relationship in a children's fiction picture book and it isn't even completely fictional. Why does it matter if it is fiction or non-fiction you may wonder? The reason is because fiction speaks to our imagination and what is possible, desirable, and worth wishing for. Non-fiction is valuable because it speaks to what is true and real now and in times past.

My proposal was approved and I started my research last week. On the third of 2,500 pages of book covers to research, I spotted the book in question: Am I a Color Too? by Nancy Vogl. I asked myself why I had not yet purchased or checked the book out. And so, I obtained a copy and read it myself and then to my daughter, who is biracial also. Imagine my surprise when the author called me two days later to say she had found me on the Not in Our Town website. She had been following my work as the Racial Justice Coordinator at the YWCA of Charleston – specifically the Women with Biracial Children Support group we just launched last week. It took my brain a minute to figure out what was happening. As I listened to the voicemail, I wondered if she was calling about my work life, my school life, or my personal life. When I returned her call, we discussed a series of additional connections, including mutual friends in Illinois (although we both live in other states), parallel interests and odd coincidences mostly learned through Facebook.

Although I've never been one to believe in fate or purpose behind random synchronicities, it is not hard to see why people would attribute meaning to these kinds of experiences. There is a kind of otherworldly quality when the odds of meeting someone at just the right time and place to connect on so many different levels is statistically improbable at least in the world I was raised in before the internet. The issues that I hold dear used to make me the odd one…the black sheep…the eccentric one. However, now I'm connected with so many thousands of people like myself in my community, nation and the world, that I seem more average all the time. If racial equality becomes the average lifestyle, I’ll take it. I can always dye my hair blue when I turn 65.

A Year in Review: The volunteers who have furthered our work in 2009

As 2009 comes to a close, we wish to pay tribute to the countless volunteers who have furthered our mission of eliminating racism and empowering women throughout the past year. While these photos capture just a tiny fraction of our volunteer base, we thank ALL of our volunteers from the bottom of our hearts for thousands of hours contributed, hundreds of donations collected, and countless lives touched by their generosity.

Jeanne Cochran and WSAZ's Jessica Ralston pose with Soroptimist Club chairwoman Margi High at the annual Soroptimist Fashion Show to benefit YWCA Sojourner's on April 4.

Morgan Miller won WSAZ's "Hometown Hero" award for her Easter basket surprises for homeless children at the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter.

Volunteers at the YWCA's "24: The Underground" rave party on April 24.

DJ Brian Blackout and creative volunteer extraordinaire Alex Morgado.

Volunteers at the India Heritage Fair on May 16, who donated all of the proceeds from their delicious home cooked Indian dishes to the YWCA Resolve Family Abuse Program.

Members of the Vandalia Rotary Club donated a truck full of laundry supplies along with two sets of washers and dryers to the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter.

Local artists Kemp McElwee and Susan Poffenbarger again volunteered as co-chairs of our annual Vintage Art Auction.

Erin Brewster and Julie Jarrett volunteered countless hours to the planning of our 2009 Girls Night Out "Girls in Pearls" event to benefit victims of domestic violence through YWCA Resolve.

Graphic designer Amanda Easter and Girls Night Out co-chair Karen Farmer were instrumental in organizing and spreading the word about Girls Night Out.

Volunteers from the Kanawha County Association of Retired School Employees spruced up the grounds of the YWCA Alicia McCormick Homes.

Immogene Bennington volunteers more than 40 hours each week in the front office of the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter and saves our program the cost of an entire full time staff member's salary each year.

Volunteers from BB&T cleaned windows inside and out at the YWCA Shanklin Center during the United Way Day of Caring on September 16.

BrickStreet Insurance volunteers spent their Day of Caring completing landscaping projects outside the YWCA Past & Present Gently Used Clothing Store.

Volunteers from Star USA Federal Credit Union gave rooms at the YWCA Child Enrichment Center much-needed coats of paint.

Ladies volunteered their time to make our Guys Night Out event on October 1 run smoothly.

Tom and Bobbi Grant, co-owners of Wellington's of Scarlet Oaks, have donated their time, talent, and restaurant space for 23 consecutive years to host the annual Thanksgiving Benefit Dinner to Aid the Homeless.

Volunteers serving a delicious meal at the Thanksgiving Benefit Dinner.

NFL superstar Randy Moss and his entourage surprised the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter with a truck full of new bedding, games and toys for the children on November 25.

Volunteers from Read Aloud West Virginia brought Santa to the YWCA Sojourner's Shelter, along with boxes of books for the residents on December 9.

Not In Our Town

Patrice O'Neil producer and filmmaker traveled to Charleston, WV last month in a whirlwind of follow up presentations to her award-winning PBS documentary “Not in Our Town." Patrice, along with NIOT Civic Engagement Coordinator Jason Wallach, toured West Virginia and led a series of open discussions about how to build safe, strong, hate-free communities throughout the state. Their new NIOT website was created in response to an overwhelming interest nationally as a tool for more discussion on race and tolerance and anti-violence measures.

Individuals from Morgantown, Logan, Charleston, and Montgomery, among others, attended the various sessions to learn more about continuing the dialogue, putting a stop to hate crimes and creating inclusive communities. At the first meeting held at the Charleston Area Alliance, the crowd was larger than expected and quite diverse. Guest speakers from Montgomery, WV were present to tell their story about being the target of a racially motivated harassment and beating (the officers have since been sentenced and incarcerated for their crimes). Attendees were moved by their story and expressed mixed feelings on how to move past dialogue into action and what kinds of dialogue and/or actions would be practical and useful. The crowd was motivated to make use of the new NIOT web page for continued discussion and brainstorming.

The subsequent meeting held here at our YWCA headquarters was also well attended, and several young people expressed their disappointment at the failure of their local school board for not including language to protect the rights of gay and lesbian students under the anti-violence policy. It was encouraging to see young people tell their stories and continue to voice their concerns.

The YWCA of Charleston, in conjunction with its umbrella organization OneKanawha, has since decided to become a virtual NIOT organization to put Charleston, West Virginia on the NIOT map. OneKanawha is a coalition of Charleston area organizations and individuals who share a commitment to living as a part of an inclusive community. Born during the summer of 2008 out of a series of community dialogs, OneKanawha's central purpose is to foster dialogues and conversations that will increase understanding among diverse people. OneKanawha is based out of the YWCA of Charleston, whose Racial Justice Coordinator serves as a facilitator.

Any person who shares a commitment to insuring that the greater Charleston continues to develop as an inclusive community is welcome to join the OneKanawha online network and keep up on the activities and events of OneKanawha. Email nfleming@ywcacharleston.org if you'd like to join the OneKanawha network - OR put yourself on the map by telling us what you've done to take positive action against hate and stand up for inclusion!

Plus, click here for a slideshow of photos from NIOT's visit to Charleston.

YWCA Racial Justice Position a New Opportunity for West Virginia

The following post was written by Hallie Chillag Dunlap, a member of the YWCA of Charleston's Board of Directors and Chair of the YWCA Eliminating Racism Committee.

In the early weeks of the summer, Paul Sheridan came to me, and to the YWCA of Charleston with an idea of reaching out to the United States Justice Administration in the hopes of acquiring federal stimulus dollars to further the work of the Eliminating Racism Committee of the YWCA Board of Directors and our associated community group, One Kanawha. Members of these groups are consummate community activists, motivated by a strong social justice imperative. Members quickly recognized an opportunity to develop a staff position dedicated to this end through personal and community commitment and federal dollars.

As conversations evolved regarding how we could develop a social justice position to support our existing work, we realized that a grant application that reflected the YWCA's mission as well as community needs could truly empower a potential employee to do thoughtful and critically needed work in our community.

Furthermore, this would be a chance to meet both the requirements of the stimulus money (put someone to work) and to hire an individual to help to fulfill the mission of the YWCA, specifically our "eliminating racism" call to action. YWCA staff members (thank you Felicia Bush and Deb Weinstein) and community partners (thank you Paul Sheridan, Tracy Dorsey Chapman, JoEllen Zacks, Crystal Good, and Margaret Chapman among others) worked tirelessly to complete an intensive grant application in less than two weeks!

The dream of having a dedicated employee to push our equity work forward was an exciting and unprecedented opportunity. This individual would not have another job to distract him or her from our important mission! We realized that having a paid YWCA staff position could really grow what had been before exclusively volunteer work. Last month we were notified that we would have the opportunity to hire such an individual, which was an extremely exciting revelation for our community and committee members!

To this end, we are currently looking for a Racial Justice and Hate/Bias Crimes Statewide Coordinator. This position will coordinate a one-year, statewide, racial justice training project. In addition, the position requires that this individual facilitate statewide trainings in racial justice and hate/bias crime issues. This individual will also have the opportunity to develop a model community dialogue. We are looking for an enthusiastic, energetic individual with social justice priorities to come and dedicate themselves to the call to eliminate racism.

For more information, please see extended position specifications here.

To paraphrase the timeless words of Mahatma Gandhi, come and be the change you want to see in this world!

Economic Abuse - Wall Street or Main Street?

A term commonly associated with Wall Street could apply on Main Street more often than you might expect. According to a new national poll released by The Allstate Foundation, 86 percent of Americans fail to see a connection between domestic violence and "economic abuse." In fact, when given a choice of definitions, the survey revealed that nearly eight out of 10 Americans link economic abuse to Wall Street woes or irresponsible spending.

On the contrary, economic abuse is a tactic commonly used by abusers to control their victims' finances and prevent them from leaving a dangerous relationship. Many victims stay in abusive relationships due to lack of resources to stand on their own two feet. In a recent press release by The Allstate Foundation, Jennifer Kuhn - manager of the Economics Against Abuse program - stated:

"Many people associate domestic violence with physical attacks, but damage to your credit score and being cut off from access to money create lasting scars that make it hard, if not impossible, for abuse victims to recover. For victims of domestic violence, economic abuse is much more personal - and dangerous."

The poll also found that more than 70 percent of Americans know someone who is or has been a victim of domestic violence. With millions of Americans touched by domestic violence in some way, here are some of the warning signs of financial abuse the Allstate Foundation has identified:

• Taking money, credit card or property from a partner without permission
• Racking up debt without a partner's knowledge
• Purposely ruining a partner's credit score
• Preventing a partner from earning money or attending school
• Being forced by a partner to hand over paychecks
• Canceling insurance or credit cards without the partner's knowledge
• Harassing a partner at work to negatively impact a job
  

Building financial skills is an important key to overcoming economic abuse. Now more than ever, it is important that domestic violence survivors build economic skills to overcome financial instability - the leading barrier to exit and stay out of an abusive situation. Here at the YWCA of Charleston, we empower domestic violence survivors with the tools to become financially self-sufficient by providing shelter, clothing, transportation to work, money management classes, education, and job readiness assistance. Furthermore, we offer individual counseling and support groups free of charge and assist victims with obtaining free court and legal representation so they can receive the support they desperately need.

Thanks to The Allstate Foundation and the "ClickToEmpower" Campaign, the YWCA USA has been selected as one of four national organizations to partner in friendly competition to raise national awareness about economic abuse – specifically, how it can impact the personal safety and financial security of domestic violence victims and their families. The organization receiving the most votes at the end of the two-month campaign period will receive $100,000 to support economic empowerment education for domestic violence victims.

How YOU can "click to empower" domestic violence victims through the YWCA:

From July 15 through September 15, visit www.clicktoempower.org and cast your vote for the YWCA each and every day. Also, tell everyone you know to do the same - especially those who know and love the YWCA. Also, please promote this contest on your web site, blog, Facebook, Twitter, or any way you can! We can win this competition, but only with your help. Let's get out there and Click to Empower!

Representing West Virginia women and families on a national scale

On May 3, West Virginia Assistant Attorney General Janet James stood before the YWCA USA Annual General Assembly in Washington, DC and repeated an oath to uphold the YWCA’s mission of “eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all.”James, who currently serves on our board of directors, was one of eight women sworn in that day to the National Coordinating Board (NCB) of the YWCA USA. This 21-member board represents nearly 300 affiliated local YWCAs serving 2.5 million women and girls each year. Globally, the YWCA USA is a member of World YWCA, which has affiliates in 122 countries that serve 25 million women and girls worldwide. James was elected as one of the two representatives of the Mid-Atlantic Region, which encompasses 49 YWCAs in nine states. Below you will find her reflection on being elected to this important position.

"I first became involved with the YWCA of Charleston because its work is crucially needed in our community and because those who do this work have such passion for the people they serve. I served as the YWCA of Charleston’s board president from 1999-2003, and for the past eight years, I have acted as the organization’s liaison to the YWCA Mid-Atlantic Region, along with our Executive Director Debby Weinstein.

When our Mid-Atlantic Region volunteer member came to her term limit on the YWCA's National Coordinating Board (NCB), I was compelled to run for the NCB because of my passion for and belief in the YWCA USA’s advocacy work at the national and world levels, and its development of hallmark programs dealing with racial justice and women's economic empowerment. I was thrilled to hear that I had won the election in January, and humbled to stand before the more than 300 women from across the country to be sworn in to the NCB on May 3, 2009. It is extremely important that the YWCA USA be visible and active on the national and world stages.

On the NCB I will be a part of the decision-making process for the endowment fund, property acquisition and sale, development of peer review standards and other business with local associations, such as gender-neutral petitions and disaffiliation, and maintaining linkages to the World YWCA, including determining delegates to the 2011 World Council Meeting in Switzerland. I am very grateful to the YWCA Charleston for providing me with the opportunity to have a leadership role in the work of the Mid-Atlantic Region and the YWCA USA. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which I will never forget.

The YWCA USA just celebrated its 150th anniversary in Washington DC. It is my hope that 150 years from now, the YWCA will no longer be needed for its current mission because there will no longer be homeless women and children, no one will be the victim of domestic violence, racism will have been eliminated, all employers will have on-site daycare, and women will have leadership roles in every aspect of life. But to get there, much work remains."

Make a small commitment. Make a big difference.

During these lean economic times when charitable giving is dwindling, the YWCA has taken a proactive approach utilizing new technologies to implement non-traditional fundraising methods in our latest initiative: the 24 for 24 Pledge. We are asking individuals to “make a small commitment; make a big difference” by pledging 24 dollars a month for 24 months to the YWCA $2 Million Challenge – a campaign that will ultimately result in a $4 million fund to endow the YWCA’s social service programs.

You can sign up for the pledge by means of text messaging or the web. Watch our PSA video below (courtesy of Dan Shreve of The Media Center) featuring real-life YWCA supporters expressing "y" they give to the YWCA 24 for 24 Pledge. Help us spread the word on Facebook and Twitter as well!

These non-traditional fundraising methods are becoming more and more valuable for all nonprofits because of the ailing economy. With cutbacks in charitable giving from individuals, businesses and foundations across the board, it is all the more critical that we involve our community at a grassroots level. We want this campaign to engage a younger demographic, not only as a fundraiser, but also as means to raise awareness about the services we provide, which are even more critical in today’s economy.

Sign up for the 24 for 24 Pledge today. To many of us, $24 a month may mean buying a few less lattes or packing a lunch rather than eating out; however, to the people we serve, it can change lives.

Where to find the us on the web:

• Website: ywcacharleston.org
• Facebook: YWCA of Charleston (fan page)
• Twitter: ywcacharleston
• YouTube channel: ywcacharleston

Using Art to Fight Racism

The following post was written by guest blogger Jeff James - Chairman of the volunteer action group Create WV and CEO of Mythology Marketing in Charleston. When Jeff heard about the upcoming YWCA Eliminating Racism Art Contest, he immediately posted the the entire event press release along with the following post on the Create WV blog, which is read by individuals across West Virginia and beyond.

The YWCA of Charleston is so grateful to Jeff and the Create WV team for their dedication to building and fostering creative communities across the state for success in the new economy. Their initiatives of entrepreneurship, arts and culture, education and talent, tolerance and diversity, technology, and quality of place, tie directly into the ideals of the YWCA of Charleston. With partnerships like this, we truly can make West Virginia a better place.

Using Art to Fight Racism - Many of us on the Create WV team believe that art can play a much more significant role in our state. At its best, art can not just affect the emotions and thoughts of individuals, but of entire communities or even societies. Art can tell the truth and rest untruth in ways that everyday conversation can't.

That's why we're excited about the way the YWCA of Charleston has decided to tap the power of art to achieve one of their organizational objectives, to eliminate racism. The team at the YWCA has shown their creativity and resourcefulness in many ways over the years, so this innovative event doesn't surprise us. But we do think its a good example of how we can all embrace the arts to spark change.

Please support this event, or better yet, steal it for your organization in your community! Great work YWCA.

Want to submit your artwork to the YWCA Eliminating Racism Art Contest? Read the event details here and download the submission form here.

• Age categories: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, College, Adult
• Art specifications: Any 2-dimensional piece of artwork no larger than 11" x 17" is eligible for the exhibit – including (but not limited to) paintings, sketches, posters and photography
• Artwork must be dropped off at the YWCA with a completed and signed submission form by Friday, January 30 at 5 pm.
• Prizes: A panel of three judges will choose a winner from each age category based on the piece’s creativity and representation of the theme. The overall "Best in Show" winning piece will be featured on the cover of the spring YWCA newsletter.