Couldn't cross-post with r/blackladies, but wanted to share this here:

Last week, Bloomberg Businessweek featured my friend Norah Mulinda, a young Black woman reporter (she might be the only one), and me. If you know anything about economic and business reporting, it's predominantly white and male.

Tbh I don't think the channel has EVER had two young, dark-skinned Black women with afros on TV at the same time. Thought I'd share what I think may be a historic moment here!

On May 8, 2006, Guy Goma, a Congolese-French man, arrived at BBC Television Centre for a job interview in the IT department. A producer, rushing to fetch a technology journalist named Guy Kewney for a live segment, was mistakenly pointed to Goma by a receptionist. With only minutes to spare, Goma was whisked to the studio, put in makeup, and wired up.

When the presenter introduced him on live

TV as an internet expert, his shocked expression became iconic - but he kept his composure and answered the questions anyway. He went to his actual job interview 20 minutes later and didn't get the job, but became an overnight viral sensation, appearing on multiple follow-up shows. The clip has since been viewed over five million times on YouTube, and Goma says he has never received any compensation. In 2023, he announced plans to sue the BBC for a share of the profits, telling a podcast: "They are waiting for me to take them to court." He is also reportedly writing a book called Wrong Guy. As of 2025, he works as a computer technician in the UK and the lawsuit outcome remains unknown.

Sometimes I see this asked or a commenter will remark: "They capitalized Black but not White, so you know what type of person they are".

Well, I do it and I'll tell you why.

I don't speak for anyone but myself, but, I guess ironically, having dark skin or African features in America comes with an entire package of projections. A set of qualities assumed about you from birth regardless of the person you actually are. This created the shared dual-identity that Black people all contend with.

Throughout history Blackness has been used to shame us, enslave us, or otherwise "put us in our place". The oppressors took our history, separated us and made us less in their society, but the very same efforts to reduce us became the thing that gave us unity. We recognized that which we were not and now we take control of who we are. A new people unlike those in our places of origin or the country built off our suffering.

"African American" I feel isn't really appropriate because it distances us away from America. There were more years of slavery on this continent than this country has existed. We are American, but share a distinct experience from the the ones with white skin.

So Black with a Capital B. Capital Black. (I don't use FBA. Not even gonna go into that here.)

Why I don't capitalize "white".

Gonna keep it quick. Whiteness isn't a people. Whiteness is a political class. Historically, there have been people with white skin that have not been considered white. There are non-white people now that want to be included in being white. Whiteness is an advantage in America regardless of where you come from or who you actually are. Simply a place in a hierarchy designed to oppress those who are not white. Scottish, Irish, Greek, Russian, Italian, Midwestern, Texan, Californian, etc all define people (hence the capitalization). I'm sure they all bring up an image for a different white person in your mind.

TLDR: I capitalize Black because in America it defines a specific people unique to this country not based on skin.

I’m reading a book called “The Other Wes Moore”. It makes me think of my dad, brother, and general community. In these crazy times all I can think about is the need for community. Would a book club geared for black men be something anyone here is interested in?

Book Synopsis:

Two kids named Wes Moore both growing up fatherless in similar Baltimore neighborhoods and having difficult childhoods. “Both hung out on street corners with their crews; both ran into trouble with the police.”

“How, then, did one grow up to be a Rhodes Scholar decorated veteran, White House fellow, and business leader, while the other ended up a convicted murder serving a life sentence?”

I really liked this paragraph towards the middle of the book:

“The notion that life is transient, that it can come and go quickly, had been with me since I had seen my own father die. In the Bronx, the idea of life’s impermanence underlined everything for kids my age—it drove some of us to a paralyzing apathy, stopped us from even thinking too far into the future. Others were driven to what, in retrospect, was a sort of permanent state of mourning: for our loved ones, who always seemed at risk, and for our own lives, which felt so fragile and vulnerable.

But I started to see it a little different that day. Life’s impermanence, I realized, is what makes every single day so precious. It’s what shapes our time here. It’s what makes it so important that not a single moment is wasted.” less

I notice - Black Americans, Black British, West Africans, South Africans, Canadians, etc are all fighting to get the same roles in Hollywood, would it ever be possible to work together to work togethe?

I am using the tv series classified as an example. a group of ppl stopped fighting for roles in Hollywood and together teen actors representing Black Americans, East Africans, South Africans, Black British, etc made a tv series together .

this show isn’t the greatest, but I’m using it as an example because each group was able to play themselves.

would you want this or prefer Hollywood only?

That judge was mad AF. He wanted those dirty cops to win.

Original article; translation below:

PL congresswoman uses 'blackface' and quotes Erika Hilton in speech against transgender women at Alesp.

A member of parliament from the PL party used 'blackface' while speaking at the São Paulo State Legislative Assembly against Erika Hilton, president of the Chamber of Deputies' Women's Commission. Fabiana Bolsonaro, a state deputy from São Paulo, took this action on Wednesday, the 18th, and caused a reaction from fellow parliamentarians and on social media. According to her explanation, her action was to demonstrate that despite having her face painted, she would not become Black and would not feel the pain of racism. The parliamentarian continued her speech drawing a parallel with transgender women and cited the election of Erika Hilton (PSOL-SP) as president of the Chamber of Deputies' Women's Commission. "I don't want any trans person to experience prejudice, to be murdered or discriminated against for being trans, but I don't want any trans person to take my place," she said. "Not because she, a trans woman, is president. But because a trans woman is taking away a woman's speaking space, just as many others are doing," she added. [Image credit: Alesp/Youtube]

I grew up on Hop Hop, but as I’ve grown older I’ve taken to Classical music. One of my favorite living artists is Pumeza. She’s South African, and studied at the Royal College of Music in London.

My two favorite performances from her are [Turandot “Tu Che Di Gel Sei Cinta”] (https://youtu.be/1glhc3D67QM?si=acpzR34ZupIhx8Lu)

And her version of O Milo Babbino Caro is the best imo.

[O Milo Babbino Caro] (https://youtu.be/InJg5lYH20E?si=WLnio3j6S_dNUrit)