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I may not see the marketing but I do see people; this is why I say don't play them/us as victims - poor people make choices and own their choices. They may not be the choices you or I would make but that doesn't mean they're not choosing. I've actually reported on and interview "poor" people when I lived in West Virginia. Impoverished people are very proud people, many are ashamed to take handouts, some are so religious they think handouts are a sin. Being in the trenches with all types of people inspired me to actually go back to service instead of report. That's when I went back to working nonprofit. I worked in the Department of Justice programs as a program specialist working with people who barely had to nickels to rub together and ate their meals at the YWCA soup kitchen. My job at the USDOJ Weed & Seed program was to inform and coax the stakeholders to use the resources we provided. That was the most difficult job - so we figured out impoverished folks wanted a hand up not a handout. We partnered with an organization called SeedTech and brought in a computer classes that I taught. That's when I got their ear and convinced them to participate in the benefits we were offering to assist. Presence makes the difference in the lives of those who are being run over by society. If you're not in the trenches or never been maybe that's why you don't see them. I do. I got my first full view at 15 1/2 years old as a Salvation Army camp counselor-in-training -worked every summer moving up to full counselor during high school years. I never lost sight of the plight of those living below the poverty line.

This could be considered an unflattering picture of Viola. But it is an untouched candid photo of her taken taken at some time on some happy occasion of her life. And millions of black women look like this. The idea that dark women shouldn't grin or wear red lipstick resonates with Uncle Tomism. Implicit in this caveat is that black skin should be muted by dull colors so as not to draw attention to it, and this is a form of self-hate. Nowadays black women wear their hair any style or color they want and many are not hesitant about celebrating their lips with bright red lipstick, no matter what their skin color.Welcome to 2017! I, myself, hate dread locks and spiked hair that looks like its owner stuck their finger in an electric socket, but I realize that it's a new day and standards of "beauty" have changed and are in the eye of the beholder. TIME's selection is only racist if black people buy into the idea that black women who look like Viola's picture are someone to be ashamed of and ridiculed. To ignore TIME's blatant slave master gesture is to thwart their contemptuous mischief. At a recent awards show, Viola sported a bright yellow gown and noted that there was a time when she wouldn't wear bright colors because of her dark skin but that she had moved past that negativity and was now proud to finally accept herself as she was and wear whatever color she chose. She was also wearing red lipstick when she said this.

Pioneer Dang, those words contain some strong hate right there... whew! Nope, no agreement here. Ms. Davis looks joyous with unbridled exuberance. Something we rarely see in these posed and photoshopped images of today.

@Pioneer1Watta crock! I don't even know where to begin. First of all, Who is that a picture of on TIME's cover??? Viola or Wanda? Is it a drawing or a painting of her? Or a candid, untouched photograph that captures the way Viola looks when she grins broadly instead of when she is formally posing and professionally made up, well-coiffed and air brushed! You are simply expressing a subjective opinion when you say she is grimacing. And the more i look at that picture of Viola, the less bad I find it, once I divest myself of preconceived notions. You don't know what your talking about with all of your generalizations about black people, You are fixated on black people all conforming to your 1950 model of the way they should look, act and dress because you are afraid of how they will come across to white people. And you stereotype your own race, with all your drivel about cocoa butter and vaseline. You also never take into consideration that slave descendants are hybrids and you can't apply a rigid set of standards to them when it comes to their physicality. Or can you conceive of the idea that every criticism you make about black women is also true of white women, who come in all types. Black women aren't the only ones who wear unflattering makeup and clothing or who have oily or dry or pimply skin or who are overweight. And there is a female paragon that all women aspire to, not just black ones and all women are trying to emulate it. That's why white women are so into plastic surgery and losing weight. In putting down black people you ignore how black people are also considered style setters. Many white people envy the mystique and swag of black people. And your statement that I kept talking about the different ways black women wear their makeup is false! Lipstick is just a component of make-up and all i said was that they there are different shades of lipstick and black women wear them all. TIME magazine, in its systemic racism, apparently thinks that black people are at their best and most typical when they are smiling broadly. So they didn't think Viola was grimacing. it's all in the eye of the beholder.

@Pioneer1 Agreement is not proof. Acceptance is closer to the definition - M-W 1a : the cogency of evidence that compels acceptance by the mind of a truth or a factb : the process or an instance of establishing the validity of a statement especially by derivation from other statements in accordance with principles of reasoning 2 obsolete : experience As I stated an experience can't not be verified. I can search for the Library of Congress because someone said it exists on this plane...I could experience through observation that it exist but as soon as the experience is over so does the LOC. So if you have an understanding of what I'm saying now, then move through the thought process you will have the answer to your question about Akashic records.

Then we don't disagree. Yes they are...but they have more options. But the wealthy also have other things vying for the attention - I wrote this in a blog based off a discussion created right here. "whose got your ear" Do you know the median income in my town is $45K Do you know within a 5 mile stretch of Fairburn Road - we have 3 supermarkets with one getting ready to join the mix; german company "Lidl" supermarket; going next to chik-fila, we also have 3 standalone retail pharmacies, 1 apothecary, and that's just to name a few... I live in a majority black town with black leadership...We 're not a wealthy suburb but the same is true from the wealthy suburb I just moved from where the median is $131K . @Troy I did grow up in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, so I can tell you there were no malt liquor ads in my neighborhood... but my dad drank a lot of beer I just chose not too... Still don't. I have my own "drug" it's called sugar but even when that gets the best of me I stop. Maybe, I'm anomaly but I'm a media junkie, just not influenced by it. So Troy, I can't say I have seen any outdoor advertising in poor neighborhoods -and I've done quite a few site visits when I work in nonprofit. OMG I just don't see it. I guess that's insight right there. Maybe there' something to be said about how our brains our wired and what we're receiving.

@Pioneer1 LOC is only real in your presence. For everyone else who is not present, it's an idea... While it may be real when you visit, once you leave it you cannot prove it exists... Using someone's verification, such as asking directions, and purchasing a plane ticket, that LOC exist is based on trust and faith.

@Pioneer1Just goes to show how differently people see things. No way in the world does Viola look to me like she's grimacing. She is not frowning and looks surprised and happy. Your theory about red lipstick is ludicrous. Red is not a substitute for, or a reminder of pink. Pink comes in different subtle shades and is worn more by white and light-skinned black women more than red, because pink is a soft feminine color, while red is brassy. Raspberry or wine shades are the color most dark-skinned black women prefer but these shades are also just as popular among white women because they are exotic. Black women of varying brown shades can wear any color makeup they choose because brown is a neutral color. So you cannot generalize about black women. Also the shape and size of lips are a factor. Red lipstick is in a class by itself, and women wear it for many different reasons. Sometime because they just like the color red. Also women are just as focused on impressing other women as they are in attracting men. Exuding sex is not always their goal. No healthy vagina is bright red and I doubt if women even consciously think about trying to replicate their coochies on their face, especially since a mouth full of teeth come with their lips. But if a white man wants to be reminded of a white woman's vagina, then pink lipstick is the better choice. Tight or revealing clothing is more suggestive than make-up. Of course there are women of all races who have natural beauty and who can get by with little or no make-up. Make-up is not a subject that is even relevant to race because women of all ethnics can abuse it or skillfully apply it. BTW, white women who embrace the Goth culture wear black lipstick and fingernail polish.

Or they are not open to everyone.

It sounds like you can only judge someone's attractiveness if they are a potential sexual partner.

...or maybe Time Magazine looked beyond the superficial points you describe @Pioneer1 and evaluated these sistaz on their cultural, artistic, and business influence. Perhaps these two ladies are movers and shakers, making decisions behind the scenes that impact our lives in ways you are unaware. Now, of course, I do not believe Time actually did that; I think they just came up with a list to attract the most attention and conversation. I was unaware of the list and have not interest in it, but here I am talking about it. I'm certain one of the lurkers reading this conversation will be prompted to see who else is on the list, driving revenue to the site--mission accomplished. Pioneer maybe you should come up wth a published your own list. I'll help share it. @Cynique, I'm surprised Oprah did not make the list. I would put Steve Harvey, Wendy Williams, and Al Sharpton on my list of 100 most influential Black people.

For what it's worth, our girl Leslie Jones as well as Academy Award winner VIola Davis both dark-skinned women were among the black people who made TIME Magazine's 100 most influential list. The wild natural hair style worn by the woman of color in this commericial makes up for skin tone an kills two birds with one stone, reflecting black and mixed.