05/06/2020
I don’t usually express my opinions in a public forum but instead chose to have these conversations in my own home and process my feelings among myself. I’ve had to ask myself why? And the answer is FEAR. But by saying nothing I am complicit.
I also FEAR that my opinion on the things that have been happening as of late, and frankly for more years than I have been alive would jeopardize the business I’m trying to grow within this CREATIVE community I have chosen to be a part of. A community of photographers, models, stylists, graphic designer and weddings vendors etc. And frankly I can’t say that I’ve been overtly mistreated or maligned in anyway or seen it happen to anyone else until now.
Yesterday a fellow black creator brought to my attention that after she posted asking for people in our FB community of Photographers of GA to use this platform to assist us in our fight to end in the injustice and inequality that we face every day, one of the responses posted from another member offering to help refer BIPOC businesses was removed from the group page. When admin was asked why the post had been removed she was told she being aggressive and subsequently blocked from the group. This as a group where people refer, offered and share our services every day. It is literally the basis of this and other groups similar.
And frankly I’m fed up and pi**ed off. We are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for equal treatment. I have never seen another occasion where someone’s offer to be of assistance has been removed from the groups page and it’s not okay. I don’t want to be part of any group that won’t support me the way that I support it. So I had intended to post to that group page and then BLOCK myself from this group but it was removed before I could do so. I will continue to do this from any groups that participate in these practices.
Unfortunately we are still very much in the minority in this community. And that needs to change.
And I hope that the people in these groups who claim to be friends, "sisters", allies and coworkers would do the same in show of support. I believe in you and just want that belief to be reciprocated.