Photo: www.flickr.com/photos/anokarina/3747586597/
Essence magazine, a publication geared toward African-American fashionistas, is being criticized for recently hiring a white woman for its Fashion Director position—a job that was always held by African-American employees since the magazine’s inception 40 years ago.
A former Essence employee, Michaela Angela Davis, publicly noted her disapproval of this hiring decision on her Facebook page, where she wrote, "It's with a heavy heart I've learned Essence magazine has engaged a white Fashion Director. I love Essence and I love fashion. I hate this news and this feeling. It hurts, literally."
Despite the criticism from Davis, as well as readers of the publication, Essence editor Angela Burt-Murray, defends hiring the magazine’s first white Fashion Director, Elliana Placas. In a piece that Burt-Murray wrote for theGrio.com, she noted that she had worked with Placas for some time on a freelance basis before bringing her on staff, and she found Placas to be a benefit to Essence.
In the piece, Burt-Murray wrote: "I got to see firsthand her creativity, her vision, the positive reader response to her work, and her enthusiasm and respect for the audience and our brand. As such, I thought she'd make an excellent addition to our team. And I still do. This decision in no way diminishes my commitment to black women, our issues, our fights."
What do you think? Was it wrong for the head honcho of Essence magazine to hire a white Fashion Director?
(Source: Guzzardo, Jamie. (2010). Essence Magazine defends choice of white fashion director. Retrieved from www.cnn.com.)
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Comments
So she shouldn't have been hired, because her skin was the wrong color, regardless of her qualifications?
Thank you Essence for hiring her. For thinking beyond skin color.
Essence Magazine has always hired Whites - who do you think shoot all of the images - white photographers! So why all of the hoopla now?
well "huh"
No.
Time Inc. Acquires Majority Of Essence ... - Jan 24, 2005
How can I think of color, when African American people are the most interracial people on the planet. What has happen here is not about skin color, it is about an historical struggle to be recognized as human beings that are cabable and itelligent enough to understand their own culture. I want to remind Essence that there are color woman all over the world. I dare not go to Vogue or any other fashion magazine, I wouldn't be welcomed and my credentials wouldn't matter. I will not subscribe to Essence any more, this is painful.
When are they going to hire a black fashion director for vogue... never ... we don't have a lot black owned business anymore an I see why people are upset
I understand being upset, BUT skin color should not dictate your position unless you are made to be the voice of the people. For instance, I am not going to apply to be the head of the Asian Alliance (I made that up), because I'm not Asian. It's just fashion people, we all wear clothes! If Vogue is an all white magazine that only hires white people, shame on them!
Clap for them, hey! Way to go Essence. The other people writing here are practicing the same racial hatred we have been subjected to for years. We can't MOVE FORWARD if we're always looking in the rearview mirror. Essense is classy, and this just reiterated that fact.
nikoletta, If you were qualified for a job at my company and were denied because of your skin color, I would advocate for you. You can't fight discrimination with discrimination.
I understand being upset, BUT skin color should not dictate your position unless you are made to be the voice of the people. For instance, I am not going to apply to be the head of the Asian Alliance (I made that up), because I'm not Asian. It's just fashion people, we all wear clothes! If Vogue is an all white magazine that only hires white people, shame on them!
Susan Taylor - where are you when we need you???!!!??? As Executive Editor, you MUST return!!!!!
So pretty much what people are saying these days is, the color of your skin shouldn't matter. Unless you're white.
Give me a break people, for years black people have been saying that they shouldn't be judged based on the color of their skin. So why is it ok to judge this person on the color of hers and not her qualifications? Is it simply because she's white?
Talk about double standard and reverse racism.
if a black person were NOT hired because she were black that would be called discrimination. now the same people who would be protesting the loudest about those circumstances are the ones who are protesting the loudest about a white being hired at a black magazine. someone's racism is showing. someone's prejudice is showing. by the way there are no white exclusive magazines... but if there was one called let's just say ivory, oh that would be racist.
This hurts. I mean it stings my heart. =(
Black women have always been underrepresented in the fashion industry, so they found haven in black magazines. Now, whites are trying to take over black magazines too. Essence and BET are both owned by white companies. This is sad. I will still by Essence, it's a tradition in our family. It will just take some time to get over the pain.
The fact is that Essence no longer owns its magazine and it does not have a real choice. Also, it was never a successful fashion publication. They should leave that to others who know it best like Jones Magazine and Arise Magazine (internationally) since they know how to get it right and are Black owned.
This entry is the bomb diggity. (Insider joke that I know the Examiner will recognize.) I just dropped by to see what you write and enjoyed the entry. As far as "Essence," I understand why some would want the publication to hire a black fashion director. The competition is already fierce, and if the publication is geared towards black women, why not give black writers a chance to show their expertise, too? But on the other hand, Essence made a clever move by showing a photograph of all of their staff, interns, directors, etc. in the very next issue. I never realized just how diverse the company is. So while it may seem odd to some that Essence chose a white fashion director, it made sense once I saw the team. Honestly, if she can do the job, I'm cool with it. Would I have liked to have read material from a black fashion director? Yes. Is it going to make me unsubscribe? No.
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