Uproar on Essence

I read the post on Stimulation Status my editor wrote about Essence Magazine hiring a white fashion director. In the original story, found on Clutch Magazine, cultural critic and Essence writer Michaela angela Davis spoke about the shocking and disappointing confusion.

Davis sparked a Twitter revolution when she tweeted her response, "I am so hurt and confused...I feel like a girlfriend has just died." Another Essence writer, Nawja Moses spoke of how she can pick of handful of Black women who would have been just as qualified for that job. While it's understandable for these two women and others to feel the way they do, I'll admit that part of me is a little curious about how a Caucasian woman is to head and direct the fashion department catered to the style and beauty of African American women. At the same time, I'm not that affected by it.

From one perspective, it feels like a slap in the face that a Black publication would hire someone else of a different race. On the other hand, Black people have always had the hardest time finding jobs regardless of educational background, experience, skills and abilities. This is due to the institutional racism that has been seeped into American culture like salt in an open wound. The fact that after various forms of unjustified discrimination, Black people can still find work or start their own businesses and still hire someone who can do the job, no matter the race or what they look like. That just paints a better picture of the Black community as a whole.

Angela Burt-Murray, the Essence editor-in-chief, defended her choice of hiring the white fashion director, Elliana Placas. CNN reported that Burt-Murray wrote an opinion piece on the theGrio.com, an African American news site, about how she was impressed by the work Placas was doing while freelance for the publication.

"I got to see firsthand her creativity, her vision, the positive reader response to her work, and her enthusiasm and respect for the audience and our brand," Burt-Murray said. Despite her decision, Burt-Murrary's commitment to the issues, styles, and beauty of the Black woman have not changed. I feel that the anger and hostility towards the situation will eventually cool down because the magazine continues to bring in the latest and great of what's hot and what matters to Black women.

Burt-Murray is doing what an employer with sounding reasoning would do; hire someone based on their experience and skills regardless of the color of their skin/race. I mean, I thought the only race created was the human race...

Photo logo courtesy of the Black-collegian.