By Toma Lynn Smith
While surfing the net, I came across fashion Web site, http://www.PopSugar.com, which had an article, “Do the (RED) thing,” about a line of retail products sold to help raise funds for Africa’s AIDS epidemic.
The (RED) mark was created in part by rock group U2’s front man Bono. Companies like American Express, Converse and Gap are selling products with (RED) on them. Consumers can purchase a Gap t-shirt with “inspi(red)” printed across it.
The first sentence of the article stated: “Clearly Africa is the latest and greatest trend.” At first I saw this as insulting. How can giving to the poor be a trend?
As I thought more about it, I asked myself, if this is a “trend,” then what have the popular and rich people of my own black race done to help the impoverished people of Africa?
The article went on to describe how actress Angelina Jolie chose to give birth in Africa. Who cares?
Still, help is help. But I wonder when a black child in Africa will see more black hands reaching out to him?
Billionaire talkshow host Oprah Winfrey is setting an example with a new leadership academy for girls she plans to open in South Africa.
Similarly, Shawn Carter, better known as rapper Jay-Z, is starting a campaign called “Water for Life” to help improve sanitation conditions in Africa.
But when the people of Africa see Brad Pitt and Madonna adopting African children and George Clooney in Darfur, Sudan, protesting against genocide, it sends a conflicting message. It’s as if white people are the only people with the resources to help the rest of the world.
When will we see the Michael Jordans, P. Diddies or Halle Berries begin to help?
If helping ending the crises in Africa really is a trend, then powerful black Americans should catch on too.
Toma Smith is a junior majoring in English. E-mail her at opinion@louisvillecardinal.com.
