“Women of Color impacting the 2012 award season”
It has been said, also proven that women impact the world on a daily basis with our charm, beauty, radiance, nurturing qualities, ability to possess strength even through our weakest hour, and countless other attributes. I think James Brown said it best, “this is a man’s world, but it wouldn’t be nothing without a woman or a girl”. Since the beginning of time woman have played the most important role in our generation. Without women, there wouldn’t be a generation. God saw that Adam was lonely, in need of companionship and a helpmate so God created woman, a powerful being who ultimately changed the face of time. True, Eve was deceived, but that transpiring of event lead to the concept of childbirth. Since then, generation after generation, women have continued to impact life and change the face of history, this year being no exception.
I want to pay hummage to the women of color who are leaving their footprints on the world, which will be talked about for years to come. Harriet and Sojourner, we salute you for you have paved our paths and will live through us forever! There is nothing more powerful than the strength of a woman. And with all the struggles, hardships and pain, women of color supersedes all else. Not that other women fall short, I’m merely speaking of my ancestors, being a proud woman of color. This award season of 2012 has been life-changing for me and I can also speak for many other women, not just women of color when I say this. Sure we have been overlooked, underestimated and deprived of equality for centuries, I know now that it was all predestined until this very year. All of our great-great grandmothers voices unheard, our great-grandmothers words taken credit by others, our mothers thoughts, ideas and talents lightly acknowledged. Our hard works are finally being relevantly displayed in the eyes of our peers all over the world.
The untimely death of one of our own begins this journey into the unknown. Whitney Houston, a music icon. A woman of beauty, unbelievable talent and a voice of an angel gone too soon as some would say, but God’s plan is never too soon, bringing God to the Grammy’s with a prayer at the beginning of the show. Then taking everyone all over the world to church with her memorial/funeral/home going celebration service, televised in its entirety, the power of God shined through every home who tuned in that day. We heard great gospel singing, worship, scripture readings, preaching and the power of God filled the airways, drawing our generation a little bit closer to Him. Only Whitney Houston, a woman who truly loved God even in the mist of her storm. This event will go down in history and be talked about until the end of time. I know she has been smiling, knowing that she has helped someone draw closer to his/her faith, and believe that they are worthy and beautiful inside and out, despite what one person may try to make you think.
(stunning beauty)
(tears of joy well deserved)
Octavia Spencer winning best supporting actress in a motion picture joining the elite club which includes: Hattie McDaniel, being the first black person not just woman to win an Oscar, Whoopi Goldberg, Monique and Jennifer Hudson. What a great list to be in company with, I might add! We will forever love the character Minnie. The Help is a great movie. If you haven’t seen it, you should.
(flawless beauty)
Esperanza Spaulding singing beautifully during the in memory of portion of the night, rocking her natural hair, which looked and sounded amazing by the way. She also won a Grammy this award season for best jazz album of the year. Indeed “what a wonderful world”. We even have to give props to our very own musical genius Pharrell for all the beautiful music of the evening. He wrote, arranged and produced the medleys for the evening. It was inspiring, enduring, soothing and wondrous wrapped up all in one. Well done Sir! Not taking from our women but James Earl Jones and Sean Combs left their stamp on the world, sharing in the spotlight of Oscar also. Mr. Jones receiving recognition that has been a long time coming, for all of his work as an actor, an honorary Oscar shows that through hard work, determination, perseverance and the will to go above and beyond any role does indeed pay off. Mr. Combs winning best documentary for film “Undefeated”, as the film’s Executive Producer. What a great honor gentlemen. Black history month keeps getting more and more relevant to all who chose to ignore. WE ARE HERE! May as well get used to it!
(having fun before Oscars)
Oprah looked stunning receiving the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian award, with her man by her side all in smiles. An award much deserved, although there were many naysayers. The woman is awesome, let’s just face it! Stop hating. Come on, she deserves the honor. Be happy for her or shut the hell up. “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t open your damn mouth.” Sorry, but I had to go there. It’s sad that every time someone of a different race receives an achievement of some sort, it’s talked about, frowned upon or simply undeserving. Again I say, get over it! Moving right along, please! Gorgeous curls, bronze/gold gown setting the atmosphere, she looked radiant, poised and lovely. Oprah is also a member of the Academy for the movie Precious, for which she was a producer of the film that won best picture in 2009. That was the year Monique won and Gaby was nominated. Oprah was also nominated for her roles in The Color Purple or Beloved.
(rocking her natural hair)
Then we have Viola Davis making the topic of natural hair a conversation piece for the Academy Awards, as she looks stunning in a beautiful green dress and displaying her perfectly kinky coils. She radiates class, sophistication and poise. Quote: “My expectation is to have a successful career” was her response when asked about winning in her category. She has been around for years, yet overlooked for her great talent. Ride the wave my Dear Viola, let it carry you into the next amazing, life-changing role, which will continue to showcase your phenomenal gift! Although she didn’t win an Oscar this evening, this year 2012, she is still our inspiration. She shows our little girls who look different that they don’t have to conform or look like everybody else to be accepted or successful. I am so excited that she listened to her husband and decided to rock her natural hair at the Oscars, which to credits her mother for pulling it together. Embracing their natural beauty is a gift in which every girl/woman of color should respect, appreciate, acknowledge and know that is beautiful. We salute you Ms. Davis. You should be proud. Get ready because life as you knew it is about to take on a new meaning. Your time is coming? It’s amazing that she won every award this season that she was nominated for and not the Oscar, but that’s nothing new right. Brilliance isn’t always accepted or credited through recognition. As she said and I quote, “You have to represent something bigger” is an underestimate in Hollywood. Not gonna happen during Black History Month, ever! I’m not being negative, I’m being realistic for right now. I will take something much more powerful to take place in order for that to happen. I’m just saying! The last woman of color to win best actress before Monique was Halle Berry and she was getting fucked by a white guy, got kissed by a white guy as she accepted her award. Why? The fact that Viola played a maid wasn’t any different, but she was exceptional in the performance. After that Monique who was portrayed as an abusive, dirty, low-life, uneducated mother. Yes Monique won, but yet another stereotypical role. Is that really how they see us?
“And the winner is, Meryl Streep”. Sure we all love Meryl, she has indescribable talent. But even she thought Viola should have won. Great actress, nice performances through and through, time and time again, but not better than Viola’s if you ask me. Come on 17 nominations, she could have waited another year. She already has two, three now. Either way, being nominated is a privilege and honor, great achievement to say the least so we are still proud. That only means that God has another role for Viola to play that doesn’t involve being cast as a maid, having sex, being abusive and any other stereotype. I cannot be upset or sad about that. All in all the music, the fashions, the beauty, the “something special”, the women of color didn’t disappoint.
(support from the hubby)
The women of color impacting, preparing and making it known that “we” are here sums up this award season. There will be more of us attending, nominated and winning in the near future. Our talents will be showcased all over the world. If Three 6 Mafia’s “It’s hard out here for a Pimp” can win an Academy award for best song, you know that we well on our way. The sky isn’t the limit because there are footprints on the moon! (Not my original words but I love them) This year’s Oscar’s best one in a long time from start to finish. Shout out to Billy Crystal! He was fantastic as always.
Before I go, I want to leave something for you to reflect on. Women, especially women of color, embrace your greatness, know your self-worth, don’t settle for just any ole role or stereotype, and be ready for your destiny. God didn’t create us for anything less than our divine purpose. Walk into your season and stay there for a lifetime! Until next time, be inspired, be encouraged, be unique and be YOU! Sugar and spice and all things nice, I love being a girl...
Smooches,
Keke Chanel
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