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Now that Usher is gracing magazine covers again (the latest edition of Uptown magazine recently hit stands), his estranged wife (and babies' mother), Tameka J. Foster-Raymond, is taking her story to the airwaves, too. And not on Twitter, either. Earlier this week, the mother of five published a candid essay on the Huffington Post about complexion prejudices that plague the black community. "No matter what strides we make as a people, these issues continue to plague and rot our souls, causing significant decay to a portion of our population and truly hindering our progress," she wrote, quite eloquently. Not sure if the politically edged HuffPo was the most sensible outlet to tackle the subject of light skin versus dark skin (did Essence pass?), but the Oakland native should be commended for having the wherewithal to spark debate about it. Read the full essay here.
Nia Long – who made international headlines last month when she lashed out at singers getting plum Hollywood roles – is now taking her clothes off for the camera. I wouldn't say that she's the most "bootylicious" of the bunch, but the Brooklyn-born star of movies such as 'Love Jones' and 'The Best Man' has surely turned heads with her new PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) campaign. Lauren Williams at Black Voices has the story here.*****
Move over Juanita Bynum, the one and only Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth is headed to the church. And not to just put her hard-earned money in the offering plate. The reality TV queen tells Sister 2 Sister magazine that she feels "like God is calling."
A new chapter in the Donald Trump protégé's life will entail enrolling in the United Theological Seminary, where she will train to become a minister. According to the Jamie Foster Brown-founded publication, Omarosa (as she is singularly known as) is looking to start classes later this year. "[God]'s been calling me for two years, and I can't ignore it," she said. Kim Margolis at the Dayton Daily News has more of the story here. *****
Music legend Lionel Richie will have another honor bestowed upon him when the United Negro College Fund honors him at its 31st annual Evening of Stars event on Sept. 12 at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium. The two-hour musical tribute, to be televised nationwide in January, will feature an array of artists performing the songs Richie made famous. Recent honorees have included Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder.*****
Anna Deavere Smith, arguably one of the finest (and most underrated actresses in the business), is making a return to the stage with a new one-woman show. According to Playbill, 'Let Me Down Easy' will open at the Second Stage Theatre this fall. Directed by Leonard Foglia, the play will explore the world of health care from both the patient and the practitioner's perspective in this timely and absorbing new play. More of that story here. 
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By: "DimePiece" on 8/14/2009 3:02PM
This woman will not go away in the media for ISH? Instead of Ms. Tameka publishing an essay for the Huffington Post about complexion prejudices that the black community, she should be taken this precious time in getting her divorce in order and setting her priorities straight. Maybe she should have published an essay on "How it's important not to LIE about your man on TWITTER", or "How to love your man not because he has $$$$"? Yeah, her dumb azz should never TWEET again the big ol TWIT!
She couldn't find something CONSTRUCTIVE to do with her time,like tending to her 5 kids,going to AA meetings, and seeking professional help from a Phycologist? I guess she thinks that she is a NOBODY know, not being Usher's #1 love in his life? ISSUES! I hope this woman doesn't not write a "Tell All" book? That's all we need?
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By: Charles on 8/16/2009 12:18PM
1. Any woman who chooses a name dimepiece is aleady oppressed beyond recognition.
2. Are you saying because she is mother she should be seen not heard.
3. Any African-American who thinks color is not a problems is living in an (un)reality show.
4. It doesn't mean be can't overcome our internal color barriers but there is a "color" problem in this country (world).
5. Look at the long hair too many of our sisters are wearing. What the hell happened after the black consciousness movement of the 60/70s.
6. POWER changes perception! Look at what Michelle Obama as First Lady is doing for all women of color.
7.Black Power = Black Pride = Black Beauty
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By: Fleisha on 8/16/2009 2:07PM
Let's hope you never write anything. You can't even spell Psychologist. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. People who always criticize others need to look at themselves. Ooops, that's right, you are perfect and have no problems. My bad!!!
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By: phylicia on 8/16/2009 5:10PM
you must be light-skinned right ? To have read that essay and feel in no way that it has vitality means you are probably one of the many people she is speaking of who since they are the color of a paper bag feel that the world should continue the way it is since the hate isn't being directed at them.
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By: Brenda Fox on 8/16/2009 5:55PM
Dimepiece, Skin color alone within our race is not the problem. It is what that color/ our hue represents. The caste system that is in place in America is heart wringing. By design the most powerful influence in this country is the Media owned by the small percentage of people (diverse now) that rule this country and what we see is the desire and idolizing of one beauty standard, one type of intelligence and all institutions lead by the mind of one type of people, the founding fathers(the European mix) of America after the Native Americans (Indians) were annihilated. After taking the land these people erected their government, their institutions and their armies to uphold, protect and profit their systems and people by any means necessary. The slave, yours and my ancestors were purchased and lugged here to labor, obey, idolize, breed slaves (preliterate class) and create wealth as a commodity (our culture, athletes, entertainers etc) as well as consumers. The mulatto was produced and thrown into the African mix by the so-called master for security, the mulatto is to prevent the African from achieving to the heights of the public eye for fear of him/her being desired and foremost the fear of the public discovering the African intellect. Until recent years this European system took credit for most of the African American’s inventions, humanities and milestones etc.
You know the stories and you see the picture. We are going to divide and fight about the least of things forever if we don’t understand our history. Things are the way they were built and continue to remodel to be. The skin color bothers the darker of us because the idolizing of light -white complexions/ skin color represents the defeat of Africa, the sale of our ancestors that look like us, Ideal that we came to this country as mere chattel (property), the ideal that we contributed so much to this country by way of our sharp intellect (civil, society, invention), physical skills (athletic, dexterity etc) and pushed back .
If you are over 2 years old and have watched at least 30 hours of TV within a month and haven’t had any good black images (dolls, pictures, loving family), a parent teaching you the difference between history/fiction and reality and taking you to cultural events, then you probably don’t understand why the subject of dark and light African American will prevail until all of us not just a few of us understand our history and accept it enough to ignore all of its intentions…Start: choose love not complexion nor fictitious beauty, reproduce ones like yourself … Don’t fade the Black African Race…I guarantee you will find spiritual harmony, love, beauty and wealth in your own people…
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By: RV on 8/17/2009 12:21AM
“This woman will not go away in the media for ISH?” Per DimePiece.
Trust, the same can be said about you.
Blah, blah and more BLAH…
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By: Black Moses on 8/15/2009 1:54PM
Tameka is a fine sista. I don't find the european looking Black women attractive. Especially with thin lips. The european looking Black woman reminds me of what came out of slavery like soul food and the N-word. I will pass. But she right on time about the Black community promoting european's rat-like features like it is something special. Stating is not hating!
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By: eric on 8/16/2009 6:28AM
The sad thing to all this is that it's just so pathetic how the black community continues to show so much disharmony, lack of respect, and complete lack of solidarity! I just can't tell you how much it hurts to see black people all caught up in this "Skin Game" nonsense! I mean it's like we don't already have enough issues to grapple with? This kind of dialogue only serves as yet another in a series of divisive elements to widen the gap ever more...like we need anymore of that! I see here in BV's "daily" black folks fighting back and forth about "dark skin vs light skin", and what on earth could be more ignorant or stupid than that! And, sadly most of this ignorance emanates from the mouths of black women! This mind set also shows not only that our own community, but the entire world that we are "in fact" ashamed of who we really are as a people! So, why even bother anymore to call yourself African Americans any longer when it's clear that we do whatever it takes, and only continue to go out of our way to separate ourselves from almost anything of color! That's the real core issue here, it's our problem, and it's also just a plain embarrassment!
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By: EbonyLeaf on 8/16/2009 5:03PM
To All:
I agree, it is embarrassing!! Don't get me wrong, I have my share of being called "black", however, I just think it was unnecessary to write about it. It's as if she's trying to embarrass black people! We aren't the only people that has color issues. All people of color are has dealt with some form of racism due to enslavement, colonialism and imperialism. Therefore there has been some psycho-social consequences. If anything, she should have went to a news source that caters to African Americans, not some so-called liberal news outlet.
She's just desperate for attention. And for all the black people who think she "did the right thing", get a life, get a grip, and move on for crying out loud! There are so many more pertinent issues that's at hand than skin color.
Hell, in my opinion, all of humanity is some form of shade of brown!
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By: Brenda Fox on 8/16/2009 8:03PM
Michael Jackson, God Bless The Dead, was a victim of parents ignorant of African American history, American history and economics. He was ridiculed about his nose size and his imperfect complexion, made to feel a disgrace to look at. As a child he was smart enough to know that the public loved his singing and dancing so he survived, however, his misplaced guidance of money eased a gateway to his soul/ heart to be sold to the money exchangers. He was fooled like so many of our wealthy icons (American commodities) that they (ruling masters) built them up and they (media masters) had the power to bring them down…He could have been “Invincible” but his parents didn’t teach him the precept.
I hope his parents pursue justice for him.. He left us great songs, voice, entertainment and a story that placed history in our face again. He died long ago…
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