When you see negative images do you say and do nothing? Sometimes these pictures are unintentional. In order to change this, we must be willing to call attention to this disparity. Here's an email I sent to the Executive Director of Businessweek.
Dear Mr. Byrne, Thanks for taking my call this morning. I have been a long time subscriber of Businessweek. As I stated on the call, as a African American male, I take issue with the negative African American male image on the January 21, 2008 cover of Businessweek. As you know people take in information on two levels. The visual image can serve to reinforce the written word or it can send a separate message. Businessweeks cover of the African American male sends a sinister message. It feeds the sterotype of the angry, thugish black male. If you put sunglasses, baggy cloths and a frown on the white female you would immediately understand what I'm talking about. I suggest that in the future, when deciding what images to put on the cover, you do a focus group among women and minorities who are apart of that group to help you in your selection process.
Sincerely,
Charles Johnson
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