Richard O. Jones

Davis exposed to the world that Black children of today have the same self-hatred attitudes as they did in a similar film experiment in the 1950s. These negative images breed the propensity for young males to launch violence upon one another and disrespect upon Black women. The Davis video, the infamous Don Imus remarks, plus a strong sense of Afro-centric conscientiousness and pride has ignited many movements to elevate the self-image and good self-esteem in African Americans.

A company called "See Your Worth (SYW) Productions" has launched their first annual video contest to define winning visions of Sistas (girls 16+) and is accepting submissions until July 1st. Generally speaking contestants will produce a videotape up to 10 minutes long expressing their winning attitude in mind, body, and/or spirit. For precise details go to: www.supersistas.com/Contest2007.aspx.  The video clip will be posted on You Tube and judged by over 50,000 viewers. There's prize money of $1000 for the first place winner. Second and third places winners receive monetary winnings also. To find out more about the SYW Productions go to: www.seeyourworth.com.

More such contests and other avenues for African American girls to express self-pride would serve to build high self-esteem in this misogynistic era. Although most girls don't have the resources to get on national television or B.E.T. they can now send the visual message that not all Black females are clones of the negative images in the mainstream media and on rap videos. I propose that college graduations of Black students earning higher degrees especially Master Degrees and PhDs be posted on "You Tube" as well. Elementary school teachers and parents should seek images that will promote pride in young children so that fifty years from now Black children won't still prefer white dolls to dolls that look like them.

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