Before I was in talk radio, I spent my professional career selling print advertising. I first worked with Ebony Magazine however, my next interview was going to be with Essence. You know the magazine for Today's Black Woman. Well, do you know that this venerable magazine which has had a white man for an editor, featured nothing but light skinned models on the cover for 2 decades, and took nearly 20 years to put a Hip hop artist on the cover-has never, I mean never had Condoleeza Rice on its cover. Never. Cabinet official, Russian Affairs Director (during the fall of Communism), National Security Director and Secretary of State and a BLACK WOMAN has never been on the cover of THE black women's magazine. And no one ever says a word.
Today on theuglytruthradio.com daily news and commentary show, I brought this up and our chat room went crazy with reasons why. "she does not give back" Huh? Check out her work with Boys and Girls Clubs around the country. She was just in Atlanta in June for Boys and Girls Club of Atlanta. "She is a Republican". huh? And you would rather your daughter idolize Nicki Minaj (been on cover twice). But the main one was "why?" Well, I told you why-because contrary to popular belief, Condoleeza Rice is the most powerful BLACK woman in the world. Mrs. Obama is first lady but she does not carry cache of negoatiating with every major world leader. Nor does the administration allow her any policy making positions ala Hillary Clinton when she was first lady. No healthy eating is NOT policy. And her take on the Egyptian revolution was prescient in that look who has replaced Mubarak-extremists.
So this is the first of many letters I plan to write to now white owned Essence magazine. In a world where the media portrayal of Black women comes from Love and Hip Hop, Mediatakeout.com and Real Housewives of Atlanta, I implore Essence to put Dr. Rice on the cover-NOW, ASAP, WITHOUT DELAY. Our daughters need it.