The Help Movie & The Non-Open Race Conversation

Since opening day there's been tons of chatter about The Help Movie. To be honest, I have very limited chatter to add since I missed the advance screening I was invited to via Disney. While I do plan on seeing the movie at some point, I have to be honest and admit I'm not sure how much commentary I will have to add to the black and white debate.

Yes, yes it's about black maids and how they were treated, etc, etc. Yes, yes it's about white women using their privilege power to do something, etc etc. Yes, yes, it's about how we can come together and bridge the gap of race to forms bonds of hope and..... and what?

Now again I haven't officially seen the movie so I'm in the dark so to speak. But I have been reading the different reviews of the movie. Some of them favor the movie but many of them don't. Many people have issues with the movie claiming we're still not that far from black women in servitude to white families. Some even say the movie has Whitewashed Black History.

Other's like my friend Niri, who's of East Indian decent via the African continent, feels white people should have a voice in the racial conversation. Even if their telling the black American story.

Matter of fact I read one white women flash back to the help her family had while she was growing up. Help that continued to be "help" to her and her family for years. I will hold my comment on the kind of help that somehow never ends

While all of that makes for some interesting reading, I really still wonder when the race discussion will move past white and black. Like really we're STILL making movies about this racial combination? We're still have the same ole black and white debates? Really?!

Not for nothing but Asian, Latinos, Native Americans, and any other race you can remember beyond black, have been in servitude to white families for years along with black women. Heck many of them are still in servitude. Check any nanny agency or house cleaner advertisement and see who's filling the positions. Where are the movies about them?

I just don't think we can have a real and true conversation about "race" that will lead to lasting change when we're still only highlighting black and white while excluding the other races. What do you think?

Where are Superheroes who are Black, Asian, Hispanic, etc

Lets just go straight to the ugly truth shall we?  There is a great lack of superheroes of color in any major movie coming out this summer.  Over in my other life as a media blogger where I get invite to preview things before being released to the public, I've been biting my tongue on this issue. 

But lets be real, in any movie there's always a lack of people of color. 

I wont even comment on how any Asian in movies seem to be Chinese and foreign born. Nope wont comment. Wont comment about the lack of native, east or any other type of Indians either.  But lets get back to my main point of this blog, where are superheroes who are black, Asian, Hispanic, etc?!

Now being a semi comic book fanatic, I KNOW there are superheroes of color, heck I bet there's even some biracial ones. Did you know the apple of my eye Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson could have played a superhero?  In 2007 in the Shazam movie, the Black Adam character is rumored to be played by "The Rock".  You know that would have been the first blasian superhero (that I know of) for this community. Wonder what ever happened to that plan....

So why aren't superheroes of color getting any shine? I read recently in a ColorLine article "Comics Industry Rep Accidentally Shows How Pop Culture Stays White" about an idea for an all-black lineup for an Avengers series that was nixed because someone felt "there weren’t enough black superhero characters who’d be suited for such a team" *sucks my teeth*

But of course there's enough white people for the two super hero movies coming out this summer right? Matter of fact there's so many white people that they can even take over movie that white actors dont belong in like AKIRA. *sucks my teeth*

What is going on here? Well, it about who's in control to make these decision and movies but their power only goes so far. If you know where to look you can find websites like Black Superhero Fan who highlights Black Superheroes and Black Comics news.

There's also The Museum of Black Superheroes which is a resource for articles, galleries, and the history of black superheroes in the world of comic books, TV, and movies.

Of course I can't forget my Asian and Native American crew, We all know the Asian community is large in the anime/comic book/fantasy world. There's an Asian American superhero comic anthology which is the first graphic novel collection of original stories from the Asian perspective. And for those that are wondering which superheroes are Asian or descended from Asian, here's a list from ComicVine and a list from wikipedia of asian superheroes. Oddly enough I haven't found a Korean superhero yet but you know I'll keep looking!

Being the first people Native American have a longer history with the earth then other cultures so you know they rocking some secret powers. On wikipedia there's a list of Native American superheroes I was excited to find a nice long list of powerful images.  I really never felt that Tonto, Lone Ranger side kick, image.

Here's also a list of Native American super hero by the comics they're featured in.

The great thing about Superheroes is that they come in ALL races. Yes people don't believe that Hollywood hype that only white folks are destined to save the world with superpowers because ALL races have superheroes and can save the world. Now go forth with knowledge and do great things.