DC’s 4-term Mayor Marion Barry’s footprint is everywhere in Washington, DC. U Street revival started with the Reeves Center. Marion Barry’s name is on the building. DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities started by Marion Barry. Senior services and senior housing for fixed incomes initiated by Marion Barry. The city’s first subway, Metro, dug in during the Barry years. Verizon Center. Guess who started that conversation? Conventions in Washington, DC? That came to life with a convention center. Barry. Barry identified talent. Tony Williams, who became the golden Mayor of DC, was a Barry appointee to handle the city’s budget (Williams took over when the control board was put in place). Tax incentives for first-time home owners in the district – I took advantage of that one as well as the summer jobs program for youth. The program placed us in jobs that set us on career tracks (not office day care set ups to keep us off the street).
But Barry will forever be defined by his fall. Even when I was visting London, months later I was asked to explain that hotel incident and Marion Barry. “He isn’t my cousin!” I wanted to say. We were members of the same Unitarian church for a time when his fellow SNCC member and friend Rev. David H. Eaton was minister.
Perhaps I should’ve quoted Shakespeare:
The evil that men do lives after them;
The good is oft interred with their bones
Anthony, Act 3, scene ii of Julius Caesar
Marion Barry was Shakespearian with a 6th and even 7th Act. Like him or not, you can’t deny that for that former sleepy southern city called Washington Marion Barry was for DC, in the words of my blogging brother E. Ethelbert Miller, “our Spring. A man who tried to bring a little warmth to so many left out in the cold.”
Mayor Marion Barry, Jr., civil rights veteran, and councilmember for Ward 8, died today in Washington, DC at the age of 78.
The D.C. Board of Elections says that the city’s voting machines are outdated and in need of replacement, an admission that comes only weeks before what could be a close mayoral election. –Source: WAMU
I always use a paper ballot. I like to leave a paper trail when I vote. But for some reason it’s hard for me to convince others to use the paper ballot. It’s like I’m asking to dump your electric lights for candles. How did the touch screen voting machine, a device that doesn’t produce material evidence to the voter, earn the trust of so many? Is it fear of being labeled “old school” or 20th century? Or does the machine guarantee you’ll know election results before your bedtime?
Lest we forget the DC primaries in April. It was the electronic voting machines that fueled the delay in getting the results of the primary elections.
In an interview, Clifford Tatum, the board’s executive director, said that some of the problems stemmed from the fact that it had increased the number of electronic voting machines throughout the city from 143 in 2012 to 306 on Tuesday. That caused delays at some precincts, he said. — WAMU
This is an unusual year in DC politics. it may be the first time the Democratic nominee for Mayor is not the de-facto winner. This may also be a year where identity politics won’t hold sway as no Mayoral candidate can be assured of votes from persons who resemble their personal demographics — by race, gender, age, or party. When it comes to effectiveness and results, Councilmember-At-Large David Cantania’s record stands out; whereas Councilmember Muriel Bowser appears stronger on personality — at least that’s the framing from the politicos.
How can a victory happen for DC Democrats November 4 on their machine’s watch? As the race and the poll numbers tighten from double to single digits between Muriel Bowser (D) and former Republican David Catania (I), Democrats will need to give “D-Day” its military meaning. This will be a ground offense to get out the vote. And in light of corruption charges, verdicts, and investigations of members in the local party, the Ds have to show proof of a clean election. They also have the weight of the Democratic party to shoulder for if DC goes, so goes the Democratic party’s confidence in its ability to hold onto its own. And Independents come in all political shades.
[I should mention former Republican Councilmember Carol Schwartz (I) who gives the “old-timers” a “choice” but with no strong case or platform for moving the city forward unless the other two candidates fumble miserably in the next few weeks.]
Tight polling numbers, voter apathy, and questionable voting machines are the ingredients for a questionable election. Will the outdated touch screen voting machines be replaced by November 4?
My father used to say “they’ll rob you with a pencil.” At least with the pencil, you know how you was robbed. Maybe it’s time to call in Jimmy Carter?
Early voting in the District of Columbia opens October 20 – November 1. More information is at https://www.dcboee.org. Let’s hope DC’s BOE has enough paper ballots.
Yes, I’m a latecomer to the party. That’s why I thought it pretty cool for the DC Center for LGBT Community to host a workshop on writing transgender characters as part of the OutWrite LGBT Book Fair August 1-3.
Before I go into my notes from the noon-time session, I thought it best to kick off with a little break down for slow “cis learners” like myself:
“So why do we say ‘cisgender’ instead of ‘non-transgender’? Because, referring to cisgender people as ‘non trans’ implies that cisgender people are the default and that being trans is abnormal. Many people have said ‘transgender people’ and ‘normal people’, but when we say ‘cisgender’ and ‘transgender’ neither is implied as more normal than the other.”
Source: “Trans 101: Cisgender”, Basic Rights Oregon
The guest speakers were published authors who are transgender. I put it in that order because they all say they don’t spend every waking hour thinking about their trans identity or oppression. And make a note: no one could survive popping 9 hormone pills a day. “Is this Valley of the Dolls?” writer Everett Maroon joked.
The workshop was more panel discussion than a hands-on exercise; and a great introduction to writers and new work featuring transgender characters from young adult fiction on up, contemporary and historical fiction. Alex Myers has made historical fiction his signature genre and describes his relationship to writing as akin to “working out.”
These writers are creating from page-to-page vs. page to stage/screen with the exception of Dane Edidi who is also an actress and performance artist. Dane also provided a show-stopping quote about finding a context for characters via research: “If you can find yourself in history, you can find yourself now.” Moderator Joanna Maria Cifredo asked the audience to add a hashtag to that quote.
Trans characters seen recently in television and film are for the most part coming from the creative minds of cis writers and portrayed by cis actors. Jared Leto is probably the most notorious of the cis actors for his Academy Award-winning portrayal of Rayon in the true-to-formula role of a drug-addicted trans prostitute in “Dallas Buyers Club.” The review from this panel (and in other reviews from the trans community )was not favorable. Rayon’s performance was said to be “consistently misgendered,” i.e. leaning on trans stereotypes.
I’d be interested in the group’s thoughts on what might be considered a “spot on” moment for trans characters and actors. Here are a few that come to mind for me:
Harmony Santana, a newcomer, made her debut in “Gun Hill Road” (2011), an independent production by Rashaad Ernesto Green, starring Esai Morales and Judy Reyes
Candis Cane played Billy Baldwin’s transgender love interest in the ABC drama series “Dirty Sexy Money” from 2007-2009.
Laverne Cox is currently popular, and got a Time magazine cover story (“The Transgender Tipping Point”), for her portrayal in the hit Netflix online series “Orange Is the New Black.” But, the panel noted the character doesn’t step too far outside “type.” She’s in prison after all.
Whether the writers for these stories honestly understand “the personal stake” the trans character is fighting for, may go without saying for the panel that a trans writer isn’t forced to validate the character’s humanity. There’s no need for “othering.” Elliott Deline who’s written two novels uses his own story for character development. But he’s ever mindful of his parent’s concern about his writing – “Will it make money?”
Dane advises even if the story is going to fall back on the drug-addicted “trans hooker,” ask “How did she get there?” Write a human story. That’s all there is to it.
“Talk to someone” is the panel’s advice. And to start that conversation, I’m more than willing to admit, I know nada.
“Belle” is a beautiful film to watch. I was thrilled that director Amma Asante made a guest appearance at the movie theater for a Q&A following a showing of “Belle” on Mother’s Day. Since my mother had been asking me for months when the film was coming to theaters, I couldn’t think of a better gift. Ms. Asante offered up some information: she is a huge fan of Jane Austen, she carries duel identities as a Brit and a woman of color (of Ghanaian parentage); she loves period drama; and “Belle” was made for $10 million. I would’ve guessed no less than $25 (on a shoe string).
“Belle” is a testament to the many stories yet to be told through the ages, in the English language, featuring women of color. Compared to American production budgets, there had to be a substantial amount of commitment to this story from actors including Miranda Richardson, Penelope Wilton, Emily Watson, Tom Wilkinson, among others. A film stacked with a cast like this confirms that “Belle” is an important film.
What we now know is the “Belle” story begins long before there was any treatment or script for a film. Dido Elizabeth Belle was born in 1763, the daughter of Maria Belle, an African slave and a white British naval officer, Sir John Lindsay. Lindsay sent his four-year-old daughter Dido to England to be raised by his uncle William Murray, Earl of Mansfield and Lord Chief Justice who would preside over two of the most important cases in the history of the abolition of slavery in Britain: the Somersett case of 1772 and the Zong case of 1782. This article in The Guardian UK distinguishes the movie story from the real life story – and still gives a thumbs up for the film. My assumption is Dido is a trigger for a story that tells us money can’t buy everything especially when its a matter of race and gender.
Misan Sagaysaw the “Portrait of Lady Elizabeth Murray, circa 1778” as it was labeled while a student at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in the 1990s. Sagay (Anglo Nigerian) was intrigued by the painting especially because of the young biracial nameless woman on the left of Lady Elizabeth. Fast forward to 2009 when Amma Asante receives a script and a postcard of the painting from Sagay. Asante is instantly drawn to the image.
The journey to “Belle” reminds me of an assignment I had in 4th grade. Our teacher, Miss Cole, took us to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. We visited the paintings from the Renaissance to Impressionism. Our assignment was to write a story about a painting – not the true story, but the story the painting inspired. I chose a painting by the 19th century impressionist Pierre-Auguste Renoir: “A Girl with the Watering Can.” But I also liked his “A Girl With a Hoop.” BTW Pierre-Auguste Renoir was the father of filmmaker Jean Renoir.
I can’t remember the story I wrote, but I remember seeing myself in these “girls.” They were about my age, maybe a bit younger, though not my hue. There were no “Belles” at the National Gallery of Art. And we didn’t know the girls’ names. (Note; “A Girl with the Watering Can” is Mademoiselle Leclere; “Girl with the Hoop is “Marie Goujon”)
Around the time of the 18th century, we really were — people of color were — an accessory in a painting. We were there rather like a pet to express the status of the main person in the painting, who was always white. And for anybody who’s lucky enough to see the painting, what you see is something very, very different. You see a biracial girl, a woman of color, who’s painted slightly higher in the painting, depicted slightly higher than her white counterpart. She’s staring directly out at the painter, you know, with a very direct, confident eye. … So this painting flipped tradition and everything that the 18th century told us about portraiture.
Amma Asante, NPR
Art is essential in telling Belle’s story. As much as it’s a story about our favorite “Austenisms” of wealth, class and love, it is also about race, slavery and abolitionism. Asante says she deliberately held back the release date to avoid being boxed in with “12 Years a Slave” (winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2013). She also deliberately did not show the African slaves who were sent to their watery deaths for the insurance – their story being a moment of awareness for the main character and conflict between her uncle and the man she loves. Asante assures us, the image of human slaves on screen would’ve shifted the film away from its title character and Asante’s vision. A picture speaks a thousand words.
I surrounded Belle with the funny, witty, wise women I love and write. Yet we never make light of Belle’s social isolation.
Misan Sagay, Huffington Post
Like my 4th grade assignment, screenwriter Misan Sagay saw a painting by Johann Zoffany of Dido Elizabeth Belle and her cousin Elizabeth Murray. She saw a story. Asante saw it too. Unlike my Renoirs, Zoffany’s painting is intended to be a portrait, a record, of two lives and two girls who were special to the person who commissioned the work. Had I seen this portrait in the National Gallery of Art and based on the stories I was told about black/white relations of the time, I would’ve assumed, as Asante pointed out in her post-film chat, “the black girl is the white girl’s servant.” I didn’t want to write that story. Actually, there are stories in my own family’s narrative that flip the black/white/biracial/multiracial tradition and everything we were taught in our school history classes.
Belle is portrayed by Gugu Mbatha-Raw, a relatively newcomer to the scene and I can assume to period drama as well. (Mbatha-Raw does appear in the 2008 Romantic comedy mini-series “Lost in Austen” about a present-day Jane Austen fan that swaps places with Elizabeth Bennett.) How many opportunities are available to an actor to portray a free aristocratic biracial woman in the 18th century, and the title role at that? This would pose a challenge for both Mbatha-Raw and Asante to make her and the audience believe when there is only one reference of that status and story – the portrait that inspired the filmmaker. And Dido is not Jane or Elizabeth Bennett, Elinor or Marianne Dashwood in hue or status. Even with her fortune, Dido can’t claim the social status of Mr. Darcy’s sister Georgiana or his intended sickly cousin Anne De Bourgh. Dido is under a different kind of scrutiny. She can’t be seen and heard at table by the company her family keeps. Her very appearance is unappetizing to society. But the money helps. And her uncle and aunts maneuver these social obstacles to the best of their abilities, sensibilities, and intentions – though not always with success.
In the final analysis society makes Dido fully aware that she is “not one of us.” She isn’t even “one of her own.” But she finds her way home to her mother in a very tender scene where a free black servant combs her hair in the way hair of her texture should be combed. This for me, this intimate scene was one of the most definitive moments of Dido’s story.
I was anxious to see this exhibit. For all the period drama I loved and watched over many years that included adaptions of the novels of Alexandre Dumas — whose grandmother, Marie Cesette Dumas was a slave in Haiti and of African decent — it was important to see where did someone who kinda or looked like me and persons in my family fit into the dominant Eurocentric narrative and genre. And not just the slavery and servitude narrative. Misan Sagay and Alma Asante must’ve had similar yearnings; as did Dido. And I’m happy to say yes, there is “Belle” and there are more paintings to see, and stories to tell.
Presumptive politicking can be a real turn-off. But in DC, it’s considered tradition and strategy. It’s assumed whoever wins the Democratic primary, wins the general election. In the upcoming mayoral race, that presumptive winner is Democratic Ward 4 Council Member Muriel Bowser. Her opponent is Independent Council-Member-at-Large David Catania (a former Republican) who, in terms of public service has some years and a policy track record over his challenger.
At first I thought it was a silly rumor that the key strategy for a Muriel Bowser victory was to intentionally avoid debates with her chief opponent (and other candidates as well including the Green Party for example). Bowser’s strategists are confident that D.C.’s long-held tradition and culture of “presumptive politics” and its Democratic stronghold (with a capital D) will prevail. But my rumor assumption was confirmed as fact in today’s Washington Post with a branding profile of David Catania (who should be using “DC for D.C.”as a campaign slogan – thanks for that E-bert).
Sitting Mayor Vincent Gray, whom Councilmember Bowser defeated in the Democratic primaries, has been avoiding eye contact with the victor for some months. But he declares his loyalty to the party in power:
“I refuse to . . . allow somebody who is not a Democrat to dictate what will happen in terms of Democratic values for our children.”
Democratic values as in party values? Or Democracy? Gray knows who butters the city’s bread. D.C.’s got your back. Let’s face it, the Democratic party has been more supportive for the city having a voice on the Hill, more so than the Republicans.
But is this presumptive party posturing? Is this Democracy (with a big D) in-action? Will the people have the candidates’ “say” on how I’m different from the other one? I know David Catania is not afraid of a fight, least of all a debate with a political opponent. Not so sure for Muriel Bowser based on these avoidance moves of the Democratic candidate’s camp. Is this a fight she can’t win? Do we want leadership that avoids a challenge or is afraid to fight even for herself?
If this was an old school yard, the word “Chicken” would’ve been blurted out by now.
During the primaries, I gave the Washington Post credit for their ability to influence local election outcomes. They took an 8 candidate primary race and reduced the choices narrative to 2 – Bowser and Gray. The DC Democratic Party is bringing the choice down to one. More of a confirmation than a vote.
Two choices are better than one or none. And for those of us who do show up at the polls for every election, big or small, and you’re still undecided, this strategy leaves you feeling cheated. An “anti-presumption” vote could be the choice.
I’m a registered Democrat (disclosure). I’d like to hear the candidates in debate as part of the big D democratic process. The primaries are over, and the Washington Post will be making another endorsement. Blue is Green. Green is Blue. In a changing city, one should be careful to presume.