Mel Hopkins

The photo is flattering pie chart adds up to 101% of 80 percent of women reporting ... w/ 29% of women agreeing the photo is flattering (varying degrees) Here the majority disagrees (72 %) The photo is subtlety racist pie chart adds up to 100% of 80 percent of women reporting... w/ 40% agreeing the photo is racist (varying degrees) Here the majority disagrees (60%) So while women may not like Ms. Davis look in this photo they don't think it's racist. Whatever. My question is what did you, @Troy ,hope would happen? The majority opinion would win, those with the dissenting opinion would then agree the photo was racist? and then what? For the record, my opinion remains unchanged.

Women have found inserting and using several muscle resistant devices such as yoni eggs and even this pelvic floor strengthener that bears the "kegel" name is more effective than squeezing air . It helps with continence too - "no wetting pants when you sneeze"

@Troy Control occurs with the use of vaginal muscles. -Missionary is one of those positions when the vagina can grip the penis and bring it in further down the canal. It's doable during doggie style but it takes a bit more focus.... Missionary is optimal for vaginal orgasm as well as clitoral - but then again so the scissor position...Actually as long the vaginal muscles are strong and in good working order - vaginal control to climax is not an issue... In fact for some men the walls can be strong that it can hurt during her climax.

Absolutely! I've learned a lot from television! And even today, often times writers give hints how to navigate unfamiliar worlds..I've always sucked at office politics so thank goodness my time in traditional corporate america was limited ...but I did learn how to navigate those office reindeeer games by watching shows such as The Good Wife and even "The Black List"... While I'm sure the players display hyper-misbehavior ... stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason ... and there's much to be learned from watching these characters interact with the plot. Especially since those plots are taken from life. Television is a tool and if you know how to use it, it will serve you well.

@Cynique, I'm so sorry for your loss and ours. When I read this initially, I couldn't process it right away. I got choked up. Then while revisiting my photos for the National Museum of African American History and Culture... I started to cry. We can go so many ways in this life... I don't know what's it like to be a black man in this society and for some black women, It may seem that I don't know what's it's like to be a "black woman"... but like you, we've experienced so many things and taken advantage of a lot of what life has to offer. I was drawn to you for that very reason... Prior to reading your first hand accounts, I thought I was just "lucky" ..Then I noticed the theme and pattern in your accounts that allowed me tor realize; it's not luck but choices and resourcefulness. I, like your grandson, love rap and classical music equally. I'm not surprised your grandson was intrigued by the streets..around the same age or I was a little older, I remember going to an award show with Big Daddy Kane and we went to this after party. While we getting ready to go through the door; I heard this crack and thud... Kane had cold cocked this dude and literally knocked him to the ground. Rush (Russell Simmons) who was already in the club came out and ushered us in quickly. I've entertained in my home the now deceased Professor X...Lamumba Carson... Or drag raced against a man down Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, who I later found out was very connected to the streets, rap music and cyber crime.. but I dated him for several years...(even though I had a baby daughter to consider. All this to say, that's what an upbringing that exposes you to so many different worlds will do for you...It expands the mind in ways that average folks will never understand... I can't speak for your grandson but I followed a similar path as he did and learned a lot. I can only wonder if it was a "Class" for him too. I'm so sorry he's not here to share his stories. It makes me even more committed to getting stuff down in print... because NOTHING and No day is promised to us - but every day we breath we have to experience as much as we can. Thank you Cynique, thank you so much for sharing you, with us! <3

BAM!!! It doesn't. Or at least in my memory most who exhibited this behavior line the walls of society's jails and/or are food for the earth.

@Delano, I've been discussing items related to my deeply held conviction, "Freedom". I've never discussed "Freedom" in any forum because it's such a fluid concept. (non pun intended) . But I defend "freedom" because anything that happens in nature shouldn't be interfered with or artificially restrained.

@Cynique I go by the name "Medea Junkee' " on Instagram... LOL. When it comes to media - there's not much I haven't consumed... I used to watch a lot of news during the week when I was just a kid. Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, John Johnson, Ernie Anastos and Carol Martin (she was a black woman anchoring the 6 o'clock news and my inspiration) were my media heroes. (gosh I'm such a nerd) On the weekends, my parents allowed me to watch as much television as I wanted. Growing up in New York, you could get your fill of the The Bowery Boys, Abbott and Costello shows and movies, Bob Hope/Bing Crosby buddy flicks on Sundays. On Saturdays, you could watch cartoons all morning on the network channels followed by a lot of old comedy. thrillers and horror movies on the independent broadcast channels such as WPIX, WOR and WNEW. "Creature Feature and Chiller theater come to mind. Our cartoons were filled with Western Civilization cultural references so I got introduced to classical music compositions early on thanks to Bugs Bunny. I learned a bit about the south from Foghorn Leghorn Rooster who happened to be my dad's favorite (he was really into cartoons too) I learned about ingenuity from Wile E Coyote and the Road Runner (another of my dad's favorites). I then learned a lot about grammar and usage , civics and safety via School House Rocks.... By the way, I learned later that a lot of our old cartoons were censored to cut out the racist references such as black-face, mammy references etc... (so again, there was a certain amount of sheltering when growing up in the North. Speaking of which, do you know there's no mention of race on our birth certificates . I learned that those born in south are identified by race when they are born. But I digress So yep - I got my old school knowledge of Abbott and Costello, 'n'em because New York broadcast media kept the 40s, 50s, 60s alive well into the 90s .

@Delano LOL that's how this topic took that tangential turn... Troy stated "that's another thing that divides us..." This is like the "Niagara Falls" Abbott & Costello joke - slowly I turn... step by step and I say, "DIVIDE US", DIVIDE US???... For the majority of women, we cannot be divided from those we give birth to. Male infants who will later become men literally grow to humans in our bodies and come to this planet through us. Men carry our mtDNA (mitochondrial DNA), the same molecule that contains the ATP ( adenosine triphosphate) which is said to be the source of all energy for life... Yes, I'm being dramatic but it's for effect. Division does not compute on a molecular level...So mentally it's a difficult concept to process.

Exactly! For me it's not an individual thing'. Individually I've had a great relationships with some black men They've supported me as if I were their little sister... So many black men have helped me with my career and many have taken me under their wings - when I've been too naive to understand ways to fight in the world. But that's individual relationships and love. @Troy, your mentoring and support of me in this digital world is priceless! Yet this doesn't happen as a unified front.

@Troy, I know...actually, I feel it. This is why I'm glad you at least entertained the discussion. The one thing about discussions is really not to change someone's POV, it's about helping each other understand THERE IS ANOTHER POV... you and I are now aware there's another language other than our own. We may not be fluent it in but we know it exist. :thumbs up: @Cynique Oh snap! I just can't LOL

@Cynique YES, to ALL of what you've written !!! And especially this part This was the huge wake up call for me, considering his position sitting behind that desk - being paid obscene amounts of cash for poking fun at the system... If we look at the slave-wage industry for what it is he really is the House N-er...and the rest of poor working folks are out in the fields... for real.

I feel ashamed that at times that I have "no" other convictions than "results" and "freedom". And even results are relative to its environment.

@Delano, Yes, Alvin Ailey and Arthur Mitchell are inspiring and their support through the arts created avenues for talented black women that were previously closed to them. These two used their male privilege to open up a venue for black women to shine in an area that was previously closed to them. I didn't even realize they were gay - so that means not only did they fight for their rights quietly - they also fought to have black women "center stage". Thank you. By the way, there's another black man in history that was a supporter of women's rights. Frederick Douglass. I gave him the side-eye though because he asked the suffragettes to stop fighting for their right to vote, to help black men get the vote. smh

black mothers, if not all mothers want the best for their children. So if all Hannah was or considered to be was a vessel and host to bear children - then this would be the highlight of her life. She could only hope her son would look at for her now that he was free and able to participate freely in society. Unfortunately Hannah was not; and I don't think she would live to see herself being an agent of her own life either. @Troy, I can't continue this discussion with you. I'm exhausted. You are beyond tone deaf on why it is important to have black men champion the rights of black women. You're in good company though because a lot of black men are too.. It is what it is. I'm just thankful President Obama wasn't.

@Troy and @Pioneer1 Rhetoric doesn't equal evidence. Your arguments are weak. I have deeply reflected on my behavior in this thread. Sadly, it is one that I've repeated throughout my life, which is hold up black men in high esteem believing: 1 - they would know or at least try to understand the history of black women here in the United States; and/or (it's pitiful Troy, with all your knowledge that you even thought Lincoln had anything to do with helping black women. Many black women already held the status of "free negro" in the US. Any child born to a free negro (women) was free... If you referring to women in the south...black enslaved women were freed but without status in America... I could go on - but I've wasted enough time trying to educate you both on the status of black women...especially when you couldn't care less. Which brings me to my second point. Neither of you 2 - care enough to find the facts about how black women are regulated to the bottom rung here in the U.S. by every culture and ethnicity (Now I see that includes black men.) For 8 years we had a black feminist (his words) in the white house - and President Obama's policies, mandates, initiatives helped black women inch up from the bottom.. now due to selfishness of black men - There's another man in the oval office who is so jealous of President Obama that he's made it his priority to undo all the good that President Obama did for us, black women. 45's latest thing is to repeal the birth control mandate that will affect 55 million women, will lose free coverage and it will hit black women the hardest. Which brings me to my third point 3 - they (BM) would protect us and our interests... What is reality is, black women are alone again. Black women fight and protect the lives of black men. While I won't - I do think black women do because we alone give birth to black men - but for black women to look for assistance from any black man who is not a "rare air brother" such as Obama, is naive. So yes, I have deeply reflected on my behavior here in this thread - and sadly, my biggest fear was realized. Black men, as a whole, don't give a lick about black women. That's probably why it's so easy for them to leave black women to fend for themselves. As Cynique mentioned we, black women, do our best when we fight for ourselves. We have our best interest at heart. Out.

@Cynique , I wouldn't have said it any better than you just did. Thank you.

@Cynique your response reads like "America, the review"... As I was reading your words you'd think I was in church - head bobbing up and down, and I'm saying "Yes, so true" at every period. The last sentence was reminiscent of an item I read on Adam Smith's economics. The author implied that the only way free market capitalism could really work is if no one was oppressed. So yes, definitely mythical but I have to "keep hope alive."

Ta-Nehisi Coates, who moved his family to Paris, says it's not much different than living in America meaning there are the same challenges w/ racism but not worse. After visiting more than 20 countries over the last 8 years - America is NOT the best place for black people; it's just familiar. I lived in Germany growing up went to school there and remember having a good life. I like Italy but not every black woman has the same experience I've had there. Canada, Peru and Argentina felt welcoming to me, especially Miraflores, Lima Peru and I spent a lot of time there. People seem better educated in Canada but their News Media doesn't dumb down reports either. Argentina was just sexy but the political landscape is a bit in shambles - so its most likely inhospitable to foreigners now. Anyway, Coates speaks early in the video about his experience. Overall it's a good interview. As I mentioned in the other thread, feminism is needed because of gender oppression exist and it has to be eradicated while simultaneously squashing other forms of oppression Coates masterfully articulates the need for support wherever oppression rears its head. Intro 12:05 - Outro: 12:45 "Racism is not the sole power vector at work in the United States of America. Just like I was going to make a case with Senator Sanders, Class is not the sole power vector in the United States of America. ...It takes some sort of particular mindset to say.. all of them are lying. All of them are in conspiracy. That is related directly to that other power vector of Sexism, that you know has been historically very very strong. So I think that can't be ignored and the fact that somebody has a boot on your neck - the fact that you too are member of an oppressed class does not mean that you too can't in some way corroborate with the oppression of other people." "

@Troy Since you have nothing to back up your argument, you've provided no evidence, nothing to validate your claims and I have; I'll accept your final post as a concession. President Obama has done more black women than any other black man in history. And it's about time we black women get a bit of help.

@Pioneer1 OMG - I'm not getting through to you! My question has not changed from the initial asking. Show your work... Show me how these two men help lift black women (not a few - the collective) up and out of the current socioeconomic position... Even in your own citation it indicates many of the women were already working as teachers, Booker T - just put them to work so they could go out to the farms and teach under his banner. How charitable of him. lol As Cynique mentioned, I'm not talking about one or two women, and definitely not the man's followers - I'm talking about Black women here in America! And you know what I'm referring to because you asked me a question about it. [see below] President Obama didn't need to know me to help people who looked like me. I didn't even have to vote of him. What he did by way of his policies meant every black women who desired to partake in the benefits could. Now if you can share an example of a black man who did this for black women, collectively, that would answer my question. Aside: That's not how the entertainment or specifically the music industry works. Both these women are independent contractors and/or corporations. Beyonce, Inc. is a corporation and Beyonce also owns her label, Parkwood Entertainment that is contracted with and distributed by Sony. This means Beyonce is the co-executive producer on on some if not all of her music with Sony. As an executive producer, this means she pays her musicians, songwriters band, et al. It is reported that she owns her master recordings for some if not all of her music. Side: Note: Rihanna, reportedly purchased her music recording masters as well. Owning your music recording masters mean anyone who wants to use your music has to license it through you, the owner.... If someone uses Lemonade (the album) without a license they will be cutting a check to Beyonce, for what ever amount she wants. Anyone uses her songs commercially such as when 50 Shades of Gray Film used "Dangerously in Love" they paid Beyonce not Sony because it is reportedBeyonce owns that master recording. As for their Managers/Agents, managers and agents get a percentage of the deals they make... Artist pay their managers - it's not the other way around. And magazines pay photographers for their work... but photographers are dependent on magazine distributions. I haven't followed Viola Davis' business dealings that closely - but it's true reported she has net worth of $12 million and if Forbes is correct, Beyoncé's wealth is put at $350 million as Forbes' "America's Richest Self-Made women" then these women aren't dependent on no one or no thing. In America that's the economic goal - to own yourself. These two own themselves. I've worked to eradicate oppression especially against black women since the age of consent - and before that I was learning about subjugation and oppression and how if effects mental development and achievement. Therefore, we have to fight oppression on all fronts simultaneously or you'll have groups of people who simply can no longer fight and lose the will to live. As for the Republican Party - they were not always overrun with the right wing nut-jobs that have taken over the party ...These stupid bedroom issues and radicalized christianity issues started creeping up in the last decade. As I mentioned before, I vote issues - and the platform of 41 (not so much 43) was admirable...When I was tapped to work with the Republicans around 2004, and appointed to office, the goal of our county republicans were to keep a balanced party and keep out the crazy racists. I saw where I could make a difference. Unfortunately, during Obama's administration the crazy wingnut racists got in -one is Governor and now Illinois has a credit rating of near junk because he is willing to bankrupt the state.

@Troy "depicted" means these women didn't have a choice in how they appeared. Since they did have a choice, however, it wouldn't matter to me in the least. Well actually it does - the fact that a woman is covered up from head to toe as if her body is something to hide - pisses me off. But I respect a woman's right to choose. How these women choose to appear is their choice. Emphasis on CHOICE. Labeling Beyonce or any woman who has a built a strong viable business, a product, as opposed to a business woman or a producer strips that woman of her agency, it puts her in the category of a whore (and unless she's chosen to be a prostitute) that label is sexist and offensive to me as a woman. Please point out to me where you've labeled a man a product? How about Ava Muhammed? Is she a product too? " She's a woman lifting another man" So I guess she's worthy exaltation? ok. Now of course, you can call any woman anything you want - but from "my front porch" woo - chile. But I digress. In 2007, a single black women's net median wealth was $5/ $100 or Negative/ 0 (w/children) in 2013, It was $500 for single black women w/ no children and no degree and for single black women w/college degree it was $5000 If the black church was instrumental in any of this socioeconomic activity uptick for black women or even in the decrease of teenage pregnancy -the numbers would have shown long before 2007 - I've shown my work and backed it with evidence. President Obama's policies & cabinet were the best thing to happen to black women Full Stop -

@Cynique, I was hopeful, but I'm not surprised. *** Best part of this conversation, is it shows we blame white people for what is apparently human pathological tendencies we all share. If anything, we should all be upset that straight white males exploit that behavior in us and use if to their advantage. They remain at the top, the apex predator - and we help them stay there. Case-in-point, Troy says that "feminism" should take a backseat to "racism"- it's unimportant to him; Cynique reminded us for the infighting between black and white suffragettes yesterday, and it continues in feminism today; civil rights leaders want gay rights to take a backseat - even though we know gay rights ARE at the heart of civil rights and on and on. "People moving out people moving in why just because of the color of the skin, run run run but you sho' can't hide" Songwriters Barret Strong Norman Whitfiled Norrman J Whitfield" The truth is it's all oppression pure and simple and it must be eradicated simultaneously. But that won't happen because the majority want to secure their place on the totem pole. Don't hate the player, hate the game. I've said it before. I don't play games. I hate games. And while the idea of living in a world where people are truly free and equal, scares me- that's the world I want to experience. There's no hierarchy in oppression. The "Oppression" game has run its course. It must be discontinued and eradicated.

@Troy Actually I'm not a fervent Obama supporter.. I did leave the republican party to support his campaign for president and I voted for him twice - BUT I don't like that he supported many of Bush's policies. I believe in freedom. Many of Mr. Obama's policies from the Bush administration - curtailed our freedom of movement. In fact, many of Trump's so called war on terror - is a continuation of the Obama Administration policies. So please don't get it twisted... I just call it how it is revealed. The focus is on black women right now. And As President, as I outlined with evidence (not my personal observation or feelings) - Mr. Obama did more for black women, socially, economically and even physically if you count in health care, than has any other black man in history full stop. What's more he took the time to focus on black women needs even while doing the most for black men. I suggest you take a look at President Obama's record of executive orders, bills signed into legislation and his initiatives. I have. Again with the pastors smh. I attend Publix supermarket every week sometime twice a week and they in turn send me coupons to use when I return. They send me recipes to make so I will come in buy more food. It's a symbiotic relationship but make no mistake I do know Publix Supermarket is somewhat in control of my ability to sustain myself . Publix is not working to make it possible that I grow my own vegetables, house a dairy farm or cattle ranch. They are not helping me in that way -they are working to keep me dependent and subservient. From my long time experience with the black church - it's the same relationship. There's no socioeconomic empowerment going on there either. If there were the term "black male leadership" wouldn't be in use - it would simply be "church leadership" has empowered black women to.[ fill in the blank]. The black church has empowered black people to...[to be right the hell where we are, in last place.] BUT This says it all - "male leadership"... LEADERS teach and empower. What is the legacy of church black male leadership? What has the black male leadership done for the collective socioeconomic status for black women? You didn't answer the question. Now you're just trolling me. FROM HER WEBSITE : bell hooks is an acclaimed intellectual, feminist theorist, cultural critic, artist, and writer. hooks has authored over three dozen books and has published works that span several genres, including cultural criticism, personal memoirs, poetry collections, and children's books. Her writings cover topics of gender, race, class, spirituality, teaching, and the significance of media in contemporary culture. - gender is first on the list. @Pioneer1 I appreciated that Louis Farrakhan is a knowledgeable man - with an estimated networth of $3 -to 5 million but what has he done for black woman to elevate their socioeconomic status in America? What legislative proposals has he written or championed to raise the status of black women in America. Women who choose to follow Islam are under the auspices of that religion. They live their lives according to the Quran. It's their choice but it also strips them of a lot decision-making once they choose to follow Islam. I'm not a follower so I can't speak to how this raises the profile of black women, however the results of the NOI and its effect on the status of Black Women is clear. Black women lose their agency once they choose to follow the tenets of any religion. Religion is about obedience and the rules are in place. * * * While some women may fawn over men who pay attention to them - (heck I can even be one of those women at times) it doesn't stop me from looking for the results. If I start with 100 shoes when you come into my life - and while we're together I only have 50 and even those are falling apart and we don't have anything else to show for our union- yo' ass got to go. When my daughter and I went to vote for Hillary in the last election, we joked and said, "well let us go to polls to secure our place on the bottom." We were half-joking because while we (black women) are still last on the economic ladder, she had a secured her position as a contract analyst at new technology law firm ... and I was finally able to focus on building my communication/publishing business. The last 8 years had been beneficial my daughters and myself... we were left with 150 shoes. so much so, my daughters sent my mother and I on all expense paid vacation to Washington, DC. to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture... We're not the exception, we're the results of the Obama Administration. So again I'll pose this If you know of any other black man - wait, I'll make it easy ANY MAN who has championed the rights of black women and actually helped us inch up higher at last place - please share. I really want to know because I might have missed his work.

Since there's more white people in America, it may have seemed to have benefited them but the break down in the link provided shows how Black Americans' health coverage was finally able to match the level of white America's health care coverage. During ACA's initial open-enrollment about 3 million uninsured nonelderly, African-American adults gained health coverage. (there are only 42.6 million black people in America). Also Affordable Care Act actually helped more black men per capita who could never afford coverage than black women but the health challenges that are unique women (specifically black women) were covered under the preventative care mandate. For example, it's reported "black women got breast cancer at a slower rate than white women" but we mostly die from if we get it; it is diagnosed too late.. "Obamacare reduced coverage disparities for a number of black women, allowing them to access routine health care treatment and check-ups with a primary care physician. The preventive care clause in the ACA has been life-changing for many black women: It gives them better access to early cancer screenings. Black women are twice as likely as white women to die of cervical cancer and twice as likely to be diagnosed in the later stages of breast cancer." Also black children (which 72 - 67% live with their mother) also had affordable coverage. Black women and children are considered a family -but black women also fall in the single category so if median wealth for black single women is $5. The median for wealth for white families is $141,000 while for black families its $11,000 if they have any savings at all. Wealth, therefore, is non existent for a single black woman with children. Policies, such as ACA ,from the Obama Administration targeting African Americans pulled a lot of black women out of poverty and gave us a chance at putting the first brick in the foundation of our economic fortress. I know I already posted here in the forum what President Obama did for black women...If I find it, I edit this piece. From https://aalbc.com/tc/topic/4253-12-deadchristmas-nightchicago/#comment-19782 & https://melhopkins.com/2017/02/04/aalbc-discussion-not-your-mule/ "Black women (including single black mothers) are the most educated and employed according to the US Education and Labor Department 2015 statistics...[omit] since 2008, births for unmarried black women have declined. During that same period, there was an increase in advanced degrees conferred to black women, black women started more small businesses even when not receiving the same amount angel funding as their white counterparts; and they became the most employed yet underpaid of all ethnic groups except non-white hispanics. Just a quick search of the strides black women made in the last 8 years revealed https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/10/14/progress-african-american-community-during-obama-administration Health & Safety Affordable Care Act 2014 Preventive Care Clause better access to early screenings https://globalpolicysolutions.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ACA-and-Racial-Disparities.pdf “reduced coverage disparities for millions of black women allowing them access to routine health care treatment and check-ups with a primary care physician – as of January 1, 2017, 32 out 50 states had expanded Medicaid to include most low-income Americans. Health Care Coverage for dependent children up to age 26 ; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/black-women-obamacare-repeal-aca_us_5894d564e4b09bd304bb43cd https://globalpolicysolutions.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/ACA-and-Racial-Disparities.pdf Teen pregnancy among African-American women is at an historic low. The birth rate per 1,000 African-American teen females has fallen from 60.4 in 2008, before President Obama entered office, to 34.9 in 2014. Vocal critic of domestic violence/sexual assault – National Awareness Campaign “It’s on Us” The Reauthorization of the Violence against Women act in 2013 Wage Inequality and Economic Marginalization https://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/992/womens-issues-in-the-obama-era-expanding-equality-and-social-opportunity-under-the-obama-administration Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act in January 2009 (lengthen the statute of limitations for discriminatory pay claims Paycheck fairness act in 2014 (failed to pass) Recovery Act – increased minimum wage – protection of Temporary Assistant to Needy Families’ expansion of income tax credit with most single-headed households receiving a minimum of $1000 per tax return. JumpStart Our Business Start-up (JOBS) Act “resulted in a major shift in securities laws that meant the emancipation of capital for minority and women-owned businesses, who traditionally have struggled with gaining access to capital through traditional means. a start-up can publicly raise capital, participate in equity-based crowdfunding and use online tools to find investors, as well as raise up to $50 million from both non-accredited investors and accredited investors (those making at least $200,000 a year or have a million-dollar net-worth). Education $118 million in public-private fund investments to improve the Lives of Women and Girls of Color. Summit focused on 5 issues areas where intervention can promote opportunities for success – Fostering School Success; Reducing unnecessary of exclusionary discipline, meeting the needs of vulnerable striving youth; inclusive STEM education; sustaining reduced rates for teen pregnancy and aiding in economic prosperity\ HBCU funding $4 Billion and Pell Grant Increased by 300 million to $824 million in 2014 High School Graduation rates climbed Legal and Judicial Lorretta Lynch, Attorney General, Justice Department First African-American Woman Carla Haydn; Librarian of Congress, First African-American & Woman – Librarian of Congress Nominated more than 300 judges – 19% confirmed judges are African-American; 62 lifetime appointments & appointments of 53 African-American District Court Judges including 26 African-American women. So why is it that for the last 8 years, under the Obama's Administration black women have flourished -yet many say he did nothing to help black people." Federal judicial appointment https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/IN10234.pdf http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/president-obama-the-legacy/obama-s-legacy-judicial-appointments-numbers-n709306 http://www.scholarsstrategynetwork.org/brief/obamas-judicial-appointments-time-extraordinary-obstruction http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/obama-courts-judicial-legacy-226741[Update Ends] But it went something like this that I used on my blog awhile back According to the Women's Bureau at The Department of Labor 4 out 10 black families are headed by single mothers with children under 18. And while black women have the highest labor force participation rate with 6 out of 10 black women working or looking for work. Yet black women earn 20 percent less than white women and 40 percent less than white men. While we’ve heard these numbers more than once including during President Obama’s epic speech to Howard University graduates (7 May 2016) it’s not all bad news. The Department of Labor officials report they’ve been working on policies that are aimed at mitigating the hardships black women in the labor force face. Those policies include paid family leave, a hike in minimum wage, opportunities to close the wage gap in an effort that single black women can earn more to contribute to their retirement. (check mark for that fact that it did happen.) Further, President Obama put an emphasis on enterpreneurial activites which many black women benefited. By 2015 - more than 1.5 million businesses were owned by Black women that generated over $44 billion in year revenues (2015) Yes I made that bold statement about President Obama fighting on the behalf of black women, simply because there's evidence to back up the claim. He filled the federal court benches with 26 black women, he filled his cabinet and WH staff with black women... He provided opportunities for black women to get education and we did in record numbers. Please name one black man who has done anything to help black women build their collective economic and social standing here in the U.S. That line about black male preachers is laughable! Who attends church and tithes to keep the "Passa" in his Rolls Royce? BLACK WOMEN! Women attendance in black churches is almost 10% higher than men in historically black churches. And that's just those surveyed... Go into a black church on Sunday and you do the math. It's only right black male preachers give back to the group that pays them. As far as emotional support - while that is very necessary, it doesn't provide economic empowerment to the very women who are carrying their communities on their back. It's more than many women fighting the oppression of racism - it's every black woman fighting oppression in their own way and most of the time alone. @Troy, I believe there a lot of black men who feel the same way as you about gender oppression. I heard of a group of black preachers who voted for and support Trump for similar reasons. They are indifferent to female gender oppression. Well, it's at the foundation of their beliefs. Bell Hooks may be distracting even annoying by using Beyonce to raise her profile but she' s not divisive to me... she's just fighting oppression from her own front porch. But she definitely doesn't think feminism is subordinate to racism - she's fighting on both fronts. She's fighting because she realizes they're two sides of the same coin. There's no hierarchy to oppression.