Seriously what is it with white people and symbols of slavery, oppression and racism? Why so obsessed? BBC News reported that Givenchy decided to adorn its models in the Spring/Summer 2022 fashion show with noose-inspired necklaces. Really, I get that creativity can be hard to come by, but why on God’s green earth would anyone think a noose necklace is a good idea? I am really tired of major fashion houses doing stupid things like this. You have Burberry’s noose; Gucci’s monkey sweater, Gucci’s blackface sweater, and Prada’s black face Sambo charm, to name a few. I’m over it, you all know what you’re doing.
Even in a Hiring Crisis, Black Americans lose
Despite look for jobs, many Black Americans are unemployed when there are openings everywhere. NBC News reports Black workers were the only racial groups whose unemployment rate increased in August. About 9 percent of Black men and 8 percent of Black women were out of work in August, an increase of half a percentage point from July for both groups. No one, including economists were surprised by this because racism is real and even in better economic times racial disparities persists. But wait there’s more. The Washington Post reported there are currently 8.4 million Americans actively looking for work and another 5 million have given up on job hunting and dropped out of the labor force completely. Yet, those having the hardest time finding jobs are less-educated Americans and Black women of all education levels.
Let’s think about this, Black college educated Americans are having just as hard a time finding a job as a high school graduate/drop out. Really? Does that sound right to anyone. The Post also reports that Americans 25 and older with college degrees have fully recovered but Black Americans with bachelors or advanced degrees are struggling and their unemployment rate is higher than White high school graduates. Admittedly, some of the issues for Black women revolve around child care, but not all of it. And that’s just a little disheartening.
Sometimes Racism Costs
Tesla has been ordered to pay $137 million in damages ( $6.9 million in emotional distress-related damages and $130 million in punitive damages) to a former Black worker. The Washington Post reports that a federal jury found Owen Diaz, who worked as an elevator operator at Tesla’s Fremont California factor was subjected to a racially hostile work environment and Tesla did nothing to prevent him from being harassed. Diaz alleged in his complaint that he was subjected to daily racist epithets and other frequent racists harassment and supervisors took no action. The complaint also stated, “Tesla’s progressive image was a façade papering over its regressive, demeaning treatment of African-American employees.”
Wow just wow! Diaz must have endured a lot for a jury to punish Tesla with a punitive damage award this large.
Returning Stolen Property
Shortly after staving off a political attack, California Gov. Gavin Newson returned beachfront property, known as Bruce’s Beach, to descendants of a Black couple, Willa and Charles Bruce. Their family’s land was taken away from them after they were forced out of Manhattan Beach nearly one hundred years ago.
NPR reports: In 1924, the city of Manhattan Beach, Calif., seized a beachfront property. The land belonged to an African American couple named Charles and Willa Bruce, the founders of a once-flourishing seaside resort called Bruce’s Beach Lodge. Bruce’s Beach was one of very few places Black people could get into the water. The Lodge offered a dance hall, restaurant, and bathing suit rentals. It was full service. Black Californians had social functions that included entertainers, actors, jazz musicians, etc. But, the white residents of Manhattan Beach did not like this and wanted their Black neighbors gone, and the city complied. So, Manhattan Beach city officials invoked eminent domain in 1924. They claimed they wanted to build a public park. So, they shuttered and demolished the lodge. The Bruces requested $120,000 for both damages and the value of the property. Instead, the city granted them $14,500. Today, the two parcels of land are worth an estimated $75 million. Bruce’s Beach is just one example of America’s theft of Black land through violence, intimidation and legal maneuvers. For generations, Black landowners, like the Bruces, have been victimized by eminent domain abuse and unjust property laws.
One wrong righted; so many to go.
The Culture Commentary 