February 1st, 2012

When I heard that Raven-Symone will replace Tony nominee Patina Miller in the Broadway production of “Sister Act” a couple of things went through my mind. First, since the character she’ll assume, Deloris Van Cartier, is a bit more mature than the 20-something year-old actress I thought she was a strange choice. Then, I said a silent prayer that this production doesn’t become “Chicago” with a revolving cast of movie, tv and music people trying to earn their Broadway cred. Finally, I came to the realization that Raven is probably doing this to firmly establish herself as an adult…

I had heard that Vanity Fair had chosen “Pariah’s” Adepero Oduye to be on the cover of it’s Hollywood issue and I got excited. But when I saw the cover last night I noticed that she and Paula Patton were featured on the gatefold. Of course I found it bothersome because mainstream magazines love to say Black women don’t sell. But in Vanity Fair’s case they haven’t even tried.

Exhibit A is Dodai Stewart’s piece on jezebel.com which includes pictorial examples of how sisters and other women of color can only find a place off the main image of the…