PR Stunt or Not? NYPD Officer Gives Homeless Man Shoes

A photograph of an NYPD officer giving a homeless man shoes, has gone viral.

While this was welcomed by many people, there were (as expected) many skeptics claiming this was a PR stunt to try and soften the NYPD's image.

The NYPD have a bad reputation of racism, corruption and violence and they are also known for their (arguably biased) stop-and-frisk policies...

There are also statistic to prove that their policy isn't even working;

• NYPD finds most gun outside of stop and frisk hotspots; out of more than 685,000 stops in 2011, only about 770 guns were recovered. 'The guns aren't even showing up in the places where the police are devoting the most stop-and-frisk resources'. 

The stop-and-frisk statistics of 2011:

Image source: Huffington Post. 

The outrage:

There is a clear racial bias when it comes to the stop-and-frisk policy of the NYPD (which isn't at all surprising; stop and searches in the UK are also racially biased). I genuinely believe the NYPD are racially profiling people to stop-and-frisk and there is evidence to suggest that:

• Teen's iPod Exposes Violence And Racial Profiling In NYPD's Stop & Frisk Interrogations

PR stunt or not, the homeless man is probably very pleased that he has warm shoes to wear this winter.

And with the way the NYPD has been, I doubt they're too concerned about their image... they're not a 'business' and don't rely on customer satisfaction to stay in business. They're still here because there's a need for a police force.

We really shouldn't forget that are good people out there (yes, even in the NYPD!). This officer may be one good one amongst many bad ones in the force!

Ten Inventions By Young Africans

Africans do not get the recognition they deserve.

Listed below (this list is not a ranking) are ten individuals who are of African descent and their recent inventions or contributions;

1.

Aged 11, Kenyan Richard Turere had enough of lions attacking his family's cattle. He invented the Lion Light. He observed lions and found out that they are naturally afraid of people. He decided to take LED bulbs from broken flashlights and created an automated lighting system of five torch bulbs around the cattle stockade. The bulbs were wired to a box with switches and to an old car battery charged with a solar panel that operates his family's television set. The light points outwards into the darkness. The lights flash in sequence, giving the impression that someone is walking around the stockade. No lion has attacked the house since. 

Richard has installed the same Lion Lights for his neighbours. 

2. 

When he was 14 years old, Tony Hansberry II of the United States, created a surgical technique for performing hysterectomy. This surgical technique can be used to reduce risk of complications and the duration of the hysterectomy procedure. 

Tony was also honoured for his medical contributions to aiding in and strengthening the African American community. 

3.

Kelvin Doe aka DJ Focus is 16 and from Sierra Leone. He searches trash cans for broken electronic devices and uses them to create something himself. He's made his own battery to power the light in people's houses and he's even made his own FM radio transmitter and a generator to power it. With his own radio station, he plays music and goes by the name 'DJ Focus'.

4.

Kelvin Macharia Kuria of Kenya, was 17 when he experimented mixing extracts from shrubs to keep ants out of his family's home. The ants were killed and he invented a home-made insecticide known as Aloemexhot. He is still developing his insecticide and claims it is organic and does not contain any synthetic chemicals.


5.

When he was 18, Morris Mbetsa of Kenya, invented an anti-theft device known as the Block and Track. It is an SMS-based vehicle security system that allows car owners to monitor their vehicle from a distance. The system enables car owners to lock their car doors or stop their car when it's stolen... via text! 

6.

At age 21, Ludwick Marishane invented a 'bath without water' formula; DryBath, which is an anti germicidal skin lotion/gel. DryBath is used by people who either don't want to have a bath or live in conditions where water availability is unpredictable. 

Ludwick was also the first African to win the Global Student Entrepreneur Award for his invention. 

7.

26-year-old Verone Mankou of the Republic of Congo, invented the Way-C tablet; the first African iPad rival. The Way-C Tablet is affordable and available in Congo. With his invention, Mankou wants to bring Internet access to as many people as possible. 

Verone has since also created a smartphone known as Elikia.

8.

Aged 18, Joel Mwale suffered from dysentry. As he was recovering, he was thinking of an idea to make drinking water safe. After being released from hospital, he invested his life savings and build a borehole in his village. He and local volunteers and tradesmen, eventually found water. They put in pipes, infrastructure and a mechanical system to extract the water. Four years on, the project still provides clean water to about 500 households. 

Joel also won the Azisha prize, an African award for innovation that comes with a $30,000 prize. 

9.

24-year-old Arthur Zang, a Cameroonian engineer, invented the Cardiopad. The Cardiopad is a portable, touch screen device that enables heart examinations such as the electrocardiogram to be performed at remote locations while results of the test, are transferred wirelessly to specialists who can interpret them.

Arthur Zang also became a finalist in the 2012 CPS Distinguished Award for the Sciences. 

10.

After nearly three years of development, 25 Students of Makerere University in Uganda, unveiled an electric car known as the Kiira EV. The Kiira can gain speed of 100km/h and cover 80km before it needs charging. 

The Kiira EV team are currently working on an electrical bus. 

For a list of African inventors and also updates on inventions, visit: Kumatoo. Special thanks to Positive Black Stories for giving positive black people a platform.

My Response To The BBC's Response To My Complaint

**Original post date 29th August 2012**

I had to do a lot of thinking about whether I wanted to go through with it or not. I didn't feel like going through with this because I felt that it was just going to take my time and stress me out. I decided though that if I wanted real changes that I should push for them. So here I am again with another complaint to the BBC, but this time it's a letter that is printed and then mailed to them. So it's official. Shit is getting real.

If you had read this and then this, you would know what's up.

With about twenty days left to respond, I didn't want to take a gamble and wait to be in the UK before sending so I decided to send from the Netherlands where I am at the moment.

I send it by airmail and the lovely people at the Post Kantoor (Post Office) told me it'll take about three days; they'll get it Friday.

Before sending off my letter, I had to read the BBC complaints guidelines (they're confusing as hell). There's about four different stages of complaints. 1a is the initial complaint, 1b is the complaint to the response send by the BBC and stage 2 is like editorial stage (don't quote me on this).

I also had to make sure that I was sending to the right people because otherwise they wouldn't get it.

Here is the letter. I used a formal letter style but because it'll look weird and it contains my personal details such as address, I will just post the content:

Dear BBC Complaints,

This letter is written in response to your response to my complaint letter. Let me first thank you for taking the time to respond to me in a timely manner.

In the response it was written that ‘the item was broadcasted before the Men’s 200m final and was a legitimate and serious exploration of the fact that top level sprinting has been dominated by black athletes’. May I ask why this is a legitimate and serious exploration?

Furthermore, has the BBC ever explored the dominance of European athletes in particular sports such as sailing and swimming? Surely this should be classified as a legitimate and serious exploration as well? The fact that the BBC found it legitimate and serious to explore the success of black athletes in sprinting and not white athletes in other sports, is a double standard and comes off as prejudice.

The segment did not mention the fact that track and field is Jamaica’s national sport. Neither did the segment point out the work ethic, passion and culture of black people and how that may have affected their success. If dominance of black athletes needed to be explored, outside factors should have been mentioned as well. Michael Johnson and Colin Jackson were the only ones providing alternative views; something the BBC, as a respectable media entity, should have done, but failed to do so.

Michael Johnson and Colin Jackson did present programs in the past examining why black athletes dominate sprinting. However, Michael Johnson still put a lot of emphasis on the alternative view after the segment, which is; Black athletes are successful because track and field is well invested in and the coaching is good. Mr Johnson also mentioned cultural implications as a possible factor in aiding black athletes’ success; many Jamaicans participate in track and field, therefore they have someone to aspire to and become better than.

Colin Jackson mentioned that in the BBC’s The Making Of Me, that he has super fast twitch muscles, which was then cross-referenced with Caribbean and USA athletes. It was found that about 80% of white European athletes had the same super fast twitch muscle as well. Sprinting ability was then said to be more nurture than nature. The Making Of Me is part of the BBC and it has already disproven some of the claims made by the BBC’s segment; rendering it inaccurate and unnecessary.

It appears that so much emphasis is placed on black athletes’ genes as if their own work ethic isn’t what resulted in their success. It perpetuates the stereotype that black people don’t work hard but are rather naturally strong etc; the very same outlook was why we were taken into slavery. I felt the horrors of slavery was trivialised and downplayed because the claims made, will give people the impression that without slavery, black athletes wouldn’t have excelled at track and field sports.

The segment should be deemed offensive to other races as well because it suggests that you need particular genes to succeed, which may prevent people of other races from taking part. The BBC didn’t even consider the fact that the dominance of black athletes in track and field could have put off potentially successful white Europeans from attempting the sport, hence why black athletes continue to dominate the sport.

Lastly, the apology made in response to my complaint; ‘I’m sorry if you were unhappy with this item’, demonstrates that the BBC does not realise or want to take responsibility of its errors. The apology felt like a backhanded apology. The BBC suggested that it will only apologise if I felt unhappy with the item, when in actuality, the BBC has to apologise for the segment because of its nature and bias.

Is there any way I can also obtain a report of any changes made already or in the future? I would like to see how the BBC is going to implement my complaint in shaping its future coverage.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and I’m grateful that I have been given the opportunity to respond. 

What do you all think? Good letter? Yes/no? Well it's send any way so any opinion won't change a thing, but feel free to comment. 

The BBC's Response To My Complaint.

**Original post date 23th August 20120** 

If you've been following this blog over the past couple of weeks you'd know I wrote a complaint letter to the BBC. This is their response: 

Thank you for contacting us about the report on eugenics during the Olympics 2012 programme on the 9 August. 

The item was broadcast before the Men’s 200m final and was a legitimate and serious exploration of the fact that top level sprinting has been dominated by black athletes. The item was intended to provide context and initiate debate with our leading athletics experts, including Michael Johnson and Colin Jackson. Both Michael and Colin have presented programmes examining this issue in the past.

We’re sorry if you were unhappy with this item. Your views have been added to a report for our producers and other staff who have covered the games, this will be helpful in shaping our future coverage. 

Thanks for taking the time to contact us. 

Kind Regards
BBC Complaints

The BBC have pussyfooted around the points I raised (which is no surprise if I'm honest).

Legitimate and serious? It's still offensive to me that a genetic factor has to be explored to explain the success of black athletes. Culture, work ethnic and sporting facilities/coaching were factors that weren't mentioned in the segments at all. BBC, I'm hoping there will be a program dedicated to finding out why white European athletes dominate particular sports such as sailing and swimming because that is a legitimate and serious exploration too.

It's double standard and offensive that black athletes have to be researched and have their whole genetic code uncoded while white and even Asian athletes can get away with being successful and their success remaining unquestioned.

The BBC didn't even consider the fact that Jamaica's national sport is track and field, which makes the whole segment offensive and gives the idea that black people need to have something natural in them to achieve and accomplish.

Colin found out with his program 'The Making of Me' that the same fast twitch muscle found in Caribbean athletes is found in many European athletes too; rendering the claims of the segment inaccurate and making that research unnecessary.

This complaint is a backhanded apology. 'We're sorry if you were unhappy', I can't accept this.

I may take this further but I haven't decided yet.

Survival of the Fittest: My Complaint to the BBC.

**Original post date 10th August 2012**

This is a letter I wanted to send out to the BBC by post, but I decided to keep things as fast paced as possible and so I used the internet to complain.

I was only allowed 1500 characters to write my complaint, so I had to condense everything (thanks Twitter for that useful skill). I didn't want to let it go to waste (even though the BBC is not going to see this);

Dear BBC, 

The segment on Survival of the Fittest shown on Thursday 9th of August (during the evening London 2012 ahtletics programming) was offensive. The segment suggested that black athletes do not work hard enough for their success, but rather rely on their genes to succeed at the sport. This is completely false and dismisses their achievements.  

The segment provided no balanced view, but a rather one-sided scientific (and eugenicist) view on black athletes and their achievements.

Michael Johnson, the former 'world's fastest man', was one of the only commentators who provided another point of view, which the BBC as a respectable media entity, should have provided in the first place. The sporting culture of Jamaica and other Caribbean countries should have been touched on before, during or after the segment.  

As stated by Michael Johnson, track and field (particularly sprinting) is a big part of Jamaican culture. It is the national sport of Jamaica. Children grow up seeing sprinters who look like them and who come from the same neighbourhood as them. People start this sport young and play this sport with their family members and friends. The facilities for track and field are well-invested in and also widely available.  

Michael Johnson went on to say that while a genetic predisposition may provide some benefit, it does not necessarily mean you will be successful at said sport. The segment was right in mentioning that 'we are nowhere near saying that a child with X gene will achieve tremendously at said sport'. However, the segment failed to mention the many other different factors (mainly environmental factors), that also account for the success of black athletes. 

The second commentator, Colin Jackson (who took part in the BBC's The Making Of Me) shared that he has super fast twitch muscles which was then cross referenced with Caribbean and USA athletes. It was found that about 90%+ had the same and that 80% of white European athletes had the same super fast twitch muscle as well. Sprinting ability was then said to be 'more nurture than nature'. His findings alone makes the claims made in the BBC segment inaccurate.  

It appears that when it comes to black athletes, a lot of emphasis is placed on their heritage. Not a day went by (when I watched athletics, which was almost daily) when no mention was made of the Caribbean athletes' West African heritage. Even during one of the athletics programming of London 2012, West African versus East African athletic abilities was mentioned.  

The segment was a let down, as the two segments before that (regarding the infamous 1968 Mexico Olympics black power salute) were powerful and compelling. I do commend the BBC for showing that. 

How can we be certain that people of the Caribbean are better than people of West Africa when it comes to track and field? Do they not have better investment and sports culture when it comes to track and field? How can we be certain that West Africans don't have the same athletic ability? 

There have also been many successful Black British athletes from direct West African descent who have been successful at their given sport. Examples include Christine Ohuruogu and Phillips Idowu.  

The segment I'm concerned with, started at Survival of the Fittest and then ended with slavery and how that got rid of the 'weak genes' in the black population. I felt that the horrors of slavery was being downplayed because the claims made will give people the impression that without slavery, black athletes wouldn't have excelled at track and field sports.  

These claims are dangerous and insensitive; the horrors of slavery can never be dismissed nor belittled. It was disappointing to see a an almost subtle positive spin being placed on slavery. Furthermore, I found it insulting (the segment and the claims made) as it was suggested that our success is not due to our strong work ethic (which is part of many black peoples nature). 

The segment is also offensive to other races. This is because it suggests that people of other races can't possibly achieve tremendous results when doing track and field. This can result in less people exploring track and field sports, even when they have the means to succeed at it. Talent will be lost because people will think they're at the mercy of their genes. 

Why should the achievement and domination of sprinting events by black people and only one fast French man be questioned? Since sprinting has been a popular sport for many black people for many decades, why is it a surprise that many black people play this sport and do well at it? 

Why is the success of white athletes in particular sports such as swimming, cycling and sailing not questioned? Surely it would be balanced if the BBC had segments on why white athletes achieve wonderfully at these sports? 

To conclude, a scientific point of view in sports takes away from the athletes achievement because any achievement made, will be down to their genetics. Athletes' hard work, passion and perhaps talent is being downplayed and not seen as a major factor in their achievement.  

The segment presented a dangerous claim; a claim that could open the door to many genetic studies which can include a search for the 'intelligence gene' and the prevalence of it between different races. This will create a further divide between other races and some races will be deemed more superior than others.  

The claims mentioned in the segment will also create an elitism about the sport; only the people with the desired genes will be encouraged to compete; leaving no room for athletes who work hard enough and who also deserve a spot at the Olympics.  

The segment is biased; it promoted a eugenicist and Darwinist point of view and had no balance. No mention of other factors which may affect an athletes' athletic ability was made. We had to rely on the commentators for the other point of views.  

The segment was ignorant; there was no mention of how hard black athletes have to work. No mention of any work ethic, diet, sporting facilities etc., was made. This double standard is quite clear because the Chinese athletes are always presented as hard working individuals (as seen in previous BBC documentaries/segments about Chinese athletes). Black people have a strong work ethic as well.  

The claims made have not been researched as of yet. No published studies confirms any of the claims. However, the segment was right to say that it was just a 'suggestion' and that it has to be approached with some 'skepticism'.  

Why do black athletes always require scientific backing behind their success? Why does the BBC endorse this? It appears that our success as black people is always being dismissed and downplayed. As a black woman, this offends me. 

Sincerely,  

My actual complaint below. I think I did ok summarising it. Let's wait and see what their response is, shall we? 

On Harriet Tubman: Interview with Jaqueline Fleming

I was given the most amazing opportunity to interview actress, entrepreneur and producer; Jaqueline Fleming.

Jaqueline Fleming is the founder of Jaq's Acting Studio and a talent agency known as Proclaim Talent Agency. She has also starred in movies such as Contraband, Red and Women Thou Art Loosed on: On the 7th Day. Furthermore, Jaqueline Fleming starred as Harriet Tubman in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.

In this interview, Jaqueline Fleming explains what her acting studio is about, as well as her new production ''Under One Roof''. Jaqueline Fleming also touches on the racial dynamics in the film industry and explains how she feels about her role as Harriet Tubman.

Please sit back and enjoy!

On her acting studio and acting.

Moderne Meid: You left Hollywood after visiting New Orleans, volunteered yourself to the New Orleans community and subsequently started your own acting school there. How was the transition from Hollywood to New Orleans (i.e. from an actress to someone who teaches acting)?

Jaqueline Fleming: The transition was unexpected. I went to New Orleans for a New Years Eve party with my best friend and had an overnight bag. This was not planned, it wasn’t on the cards at all.

You know some of the TV shows I've done, people have been like ''oh you’re an actor do you teach acting?''. It’s something I had done in LA. You know, if a friend had an audition, I would always coach people and it was just running lines with people and people we’re like ‘'you’re really good at it’'. I didn’t think much of it but when they kept asking me, I was like ‘'I guess I could''. And you know, I started coaching a few little girls and a few little girls turned into an acting studio. 

Moderne Meid: Are you also looking to expand these opportunities that you offer in New Orleans to the rest of North America?

Jaqueline Fleming: Again, acting is my passion and producing is something I’ve always wanted to do. So the acting studio for me is my way of giving back and I never looked into franchising my studio or anything like that. I just figured that this is God’s purpose for me (currently) and it’s going to lead to an even bigger purpose in my life, which it has because two businesses, two entertainment companies have evolved from this. The studio has helped so many other actors in this market.

No matter where I am, I hope to be able to encourage aspiring artists and if they have questions, I would love for them to hit me up and I’ll guide them in any way I can. 

Moderne Meid: That’s great because not many actors get that sort of opportunity.

Jaqueline Fleming: Well you have to give it away and I think that’s what we try to instill and I try to instill in the actors here at the studio that what’s for you is for you, but at the end of the day, they have to lean over to help the next person. You can’t be a selfish actor or a selfish person in general.

Moderne Meid: You also do a range of different things (which is admirable). You own your own acting school, you produce your own TV series and you also act in TV and Hollywood films. How do you maintain a balance between being an actress, producer and entrepreneur? 

Jaqueline Fleming: I think because it all kind of ties to one another. The acting studio gave way to the talent agency which I founded a couple of years ago, which led to a production company, which is going to give way to something else. They’re all intertwined like it’s one wheel and in the middle of it is, you know, Jaq Entertainment… that’s the hub and all these things kind of spring off of it.  

I’m looking to do so much more. To be honest with you, I’m not doing enough. In six to eight months I’ll go ‘'okay what’s next, what should I work on now'’.

Moderne Meid: I think it's great that you’re doing what you love and that you’re sharing it with other people.

Jaqueline Fleming: Oh my God absolutely. When I’m over here with a student and someone books an acting job, I’m over here screaming; you would think I booked it. So it’s pretty exciting to watch that unfold right before you.

Moderne Meid: The television and movie roles you’ve participated in demonstrate that you are quite a diverse actress. Are there any genres of film or television you enjoy acting in more than others?

Jaqueline Fleming: You know I’m interested in great stories. When I first started acting, I did theatre, independent films and whatever I could get my hands on; night theatre, children’s theatre... But as I got older and I was able to say ‘'ok I don’t have to go out and take this role because I need to eat'', it became more for me about the story and how does that affect the audience. And so I turned down a lot of auditions, you know... I want to know who the director is, I want to read the script… because obviously I'm in this market, where leading roles are kinda few and far in between... so I do pick and chose which auditions I go on.

 I want it to be something I can be proud of. 

Moderne Meid: You are currently producing a new comedy TV series ‘’Under One Roof’’. What about this series, makes it your most passionate project?

Jaqueline Fleming: Well you know, the show came about because really being here in the South East region of Louisiana, there’s a lot of opportunities for adults and young adults for roles in movies and TV shows, but not so much for kids and teens. So I started saying you know… years ago I had this big vision for the wall on my kitchen over here and I was like I want to create roles for kids and teens because they lack it here and I started brainstorming on shows so this one came up (Under One Roof) and it stars some of the teens in my acting studio and the show is designed to have its own spinoff and continue to start using kids. And so that was really my passion behind it and also being proactive and not just waiting for Hollywood or Hollywood South (which is what they consider it here in New Orleans) to say: ''here is a TV show…'' but leading by example for the other actors in the studio that you need to be proactive about your career and don’t wait. 

If you can, write, produce and direct, learn how to do everything.  

Moderne Meid: Do you feel there is a shortage of comedy shows featuring kids?

Jaqueline Fleming: Well overall... there are other half hour comedy shows out there but in Louisiana (where I’m currently residing), we have a bunch of one hour dramas. There are no half hour sitcoms here, you have to go to Atlanta; that’s where all the half hour shows are. For the comedy shows, you have to go to Los Angeles… and I just felt like you know I wanted to do an African American sitcom, good family fun, great characters, that all have life lessons that they continue to grow on the show. I thought why do actors have to go all the way to Atlanta for a half hour sitcom when we could have one here. So you know, the odds of getting a show picked up is like hitting a lottery. I have a few networks interested and I’m on the ground floor but at the end of the day, I’ve been in meetings with people I would have never even been in had I not done that, now that I’m on the other side as a producer. So it’s a great learning experience and you know I saved all my money and I have these other things I want to invest in. 

About her role as Harriet Tubman...

Moderne Meid: Recently, there was a release of the movie Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, in which you starred as Harriet Tubman. What does Harriet Tubman mean to you?

Jaqueline Fleming: 

Well to me... Harriet Tubman represents a quiet humility, unspeakable strength, courage… to me she was a saviour of so many enslaved Africans during the darkest times in America. She’s hope. She’s everything that you would want to be but not possibly be able to… how does someone be what she was? You know she was remarkable. 

Moderne Meid: What prompted you to audition for the role?

Jaqueline Fleming: Oh, you got some time? [Laughs]. Oh my God. Let me tell you. As an actor, you know there’s a lot of movie roles that come out and you audition. Like a recent movie that I just booked it said they wanted a pretty 20-something year old blonde, then I get a call back and I’m like ‘you know this role is for a white girl’, you know for a white actress. And so then I get the call back and I go in and I’m like ‘I’m not gonna get it, it says they want a blonde’, I’m not Caucasian but I’m gonna do it any way. Then I’m there with the directors and the producers and I’m about to leave, did my audition and they call me back. Now they want me to read for the role that says ‘fifty year old African American woman’. I’m not fifty, but you know, I’m African American. I’m like ok I’mma go for it and well I landed the role. So at the end of the day for me, when I get an audition, I may not necessarily be particularly right for that role but I’m hoping that I either get something else, or I foresee for the next movie. And so when I got the call for the Harriet Tubman audition, I laughed at my agent. I really did. I laughed on the phone, I was like ‘'what, huh?’', she was like ‘'they want to see you for Harriet Tubman'’, I was like ‘'Ok yeah, all right that’s good, maybe they’ll cast me as one of the slaves or something''. I was laughing and I was like ‘'really?'’. 

And it took a lot for me to audition because I just thought, how could I do this audition and do it well? Do you know what I mean? 

And so I dialect coached for my audition, of course I knew all about Harriet Tubman but I went back and did a lot of research on her, studied her pictures and how she held her mouth and her eyes… you know... her stare, that deep stare… how she held her hands in pictures and I imagined how she might have walked and I went out and I got clothes as close as I could to what I thought that she wore back then and I remember going to the audition and… 

I got out my car and I was still like ''I don’t want to embarrass myself, how am I supposed to pull this off?''. 

The scenes that I actually auditioned for, weren’t even in the movie. We shot them but they didn’t end up in the film. And so you know, I was just nervous to not do my best. I remember going into the audition and I had on my jeans and a cute top and all my stuff was in the car and I kinda looked around and there were actually actresses there that so much resembled her. How did they call me in? And then I started thinking well maybe they just want everyone to read for this role and then they’ll say '‘ok you’re gonna play this, you’re gonna play that’' and I was really trying to justify it. So I went back to my car, got my clothes, got dressed and I was in the waiting lobby and I was just kinda walking… just the story, her story was so strong like the scenes… I remember just kinda welling up, I was like tearing up and trying to connect and then finally I called my agent and I said ‘'It’s almost time for me to go in'’ I was like ‘'I’m scared to death'’. I was so scared and I was like '‘please, what do I possibly have in common with Harriet Tubman?''. And she said '‘you’re both very strong women'’ and when she said that to me, it kinda hit a cord in me. I went in there and did my best. Months later I kept coming on audition and I just thought nothing of it but I get a call she said '‘can I speak to Harriet Tubman?'’. I’m on the phone with my agent and I’m like ‘'huh?'’, ‘'may I speak to Harriet Tubman?'’. I will never forget it and I was driving back from Baton Rouge coming from another audition and I was just silent and I cried so hard. This was something so much bigger. It was just so much bigger. 

You know, my agent who is a black Historian, African American historian, activist, all of that. She is the artistic director of my acting studio and she also incorporates African American history into the acting program so she and I talked a long time about it and she said there’s gonna be a lot of backlash about it and I’m ready to embrace that.

Until this day it’s still mind boggling to me. When I got to the set, I kept thinking '‘why did they choose me?'’. I remember at a party, an actress came up to me and she was really upset, she goes ‘'why did they pick you, I look more like Harriet Tubman than you do'’. And she was really confused and I was confused. I really didn’t know. Nobody was telling my agent anything. 

I get to the set and you know the first thing I’m gonna ask the directors is, ''why, why did you choose me?''. So when I get down there to meet everyone; the producers, the directors, the cast for the first time and I hadn’t even started work yet… it was like a hair fitting, make-up test, a wardrobe fitting. Wardrobe was first and all these Italian designers have come from you know Italy and they had pictures of Harriet Tubman all over the walls. They kept putting their hands on her face saying ‘how beautiful, how beautiful’ and they were making sure that I was dressed exactly like her. Then next, I had to go (a couple of days later) go to the hair department. So I go to the hair department and they had this, you know, a woolly wig that I don’t think was ever even seen in the movie because it was wrapped under the scarves that they wrapped my head in.

I remember the reaction when I walked in the trailer. And they just kinda looked over at my hair and make up and they were like ‘'oh boy'’ and I was like ‘did they not know how I looked like, what’s going on’ and they were like ‘oh my God’ and you could just see everybody going whoa, what’s going on here’. And um, you know they did the wig and… I don’t get it either. I don’t know why I was picked. It was just a common thing… this is not accurate. And they send me off to make-up and that’s when I walked in and um… the make up artist was like ‘ok’ and he had a picture of Harriet Tubman in his hand and was like ‘'all right and I’m supposed to do this transformation like… how?''.

I think for everyone it was kinda like, ''she’s not gonna look exactly… ok, nowhere near, Harriet''. After that, they were looking at my face because they had to age me in the film and this and that and so then I get to my first day of set and I walk up to the director and the first thing I said was ‘hey’, he said hey back, he sounded French to me but he’s from Russia. I was standing there and I was so scared because I wanted to make sure that I carry her essence in the film… that I do my best, despite not looking like her.

My agent was like '‘you gotta nail this, you can’t let people down'’. I couldn’t even speak. I couldn’t open my mouth. They said action and nothing came out. 

I was terrified and I remember going up to the director and I said ‘;why, why did you choose me for this role'’ I said why. And he said ‘'because I knew you could play her''. I said ‘'how... how did you know?'’, and then he said '‘it was in your eyes, there’s this strength in your eyes’'.  Well maybe the audience will be somewhat forgiving, but the scene that I felt told part of her story and landed me the role wasn't even in the movie.

If this had been a documentary, I would have told my agent ‘'you know I’m not gonna audition for this and shame on them for calling me'’. But I knew it was fantasy and nothing was truly accurate. We all know Abraham Lincoln wasn’t slaying vampires. 

I hope to God we all know that Harriet Tubman is not light skin and half, you know, Caucasian, I really hope we do and you know as soon as I landed the role I put up a huge picture of Harriet Tubman in my studio because I wanted to make it very clear, to any of the little kids running around here that that’s  how she looked and that picture is right here on my wall til this day.

And what I see from this is that you know maybe on the next project the producers, directors, the actors, everybody will be a little bit more conscious of the images that they are sending out there. But at the end of the day to me, I am completely for the work that I did. Although I don’t look like her I did everything I could to represent her. I took the role extremely seriously. Despite it being the kind of film that it was, it wasn’t a joke to me at all.

I’m proud that I had the opportunity to portray her. You can't please everyone, you know, I’m sorry. 

All these blogs keep saying that I’m biracial. Yeah my mother is Danish and German but I don’t know my mom’s side of the family. I grew up in an African-American family, I have African-American friends. That’s who I relate to my mom’s side of the family disowned me, you know they have nothing to do with me because I’m black. I have never seen or been with them. I don’t know where they are and they don’t care to know where I am. 

So at the end of the day, I have been raised, truly, as an African-American woman 

About people assuming her racial identity

Moderne Meid: You pretty much answered a questioned that I wanted to ask you. How do you feel about people assuming that you are biracial and how do you feel about the criticism you got for playing Harriet?

Jaqueline Fleming: Well I never referred to myself as biracial and that was the first time that I ever saw that. My publicist had send me those blogs and I’m like biracial, biracial, biracial, biracial… When did I become biracial? I’ve always been African-American, I don’t put biracial on any forms that I fill out. I’m African-American. If another person comes up to me and they’re like ‘yes she’s black’ and sometimes they’re like ‘oh is she Puerto Rican or something’?

At the end of the day I’m black, what’s up with this biracial stuff all of a sudden? That’s just part of who I am with an African-American father and a Caucasian mother but you will never see me  in any interviews or anywhere else say I’m biracial actress. Jaq is black. [Laughs]. That’s my nickname.  You know? I don’t run around trying to pretend I’m white. But I think the biracial was emphasised, to make it, you know, so that everyone was clear that I’m not a 100% African-American. And that’s why everyone kept saying ‘biracial, biracial’.

Moderne Meid: I did see a lot of places emphasise the fact that you’re biracial.

Jaqueline Fleming: Yeah, but they don’t know anything about me, they don’t know what I do for the African-American community, they don’t know how much I’ve done in the African-American community period. End of story. I think to judge a person without knowing them, is a horrible thing to do. But I respect everyone’s opinion, I have to… that’s what makes us all diverse and so I respect anyone who was offended by me playing the role. I have to respect that.. at the end of the day… as much as I respect the person that was for me playing the role or them choosing me for the role but again, I see life as a positive and if this makes a positive change, if it affects one producer, one director that says ‘you know what I’m not gonna do what they did’, then that’s a positive change. 

Moderne Meid: It reminds me of people who call Obama the first black president. Obama does identify himself as African-American and he is biracial too. I think it’s a double standard for people to assume that Obama is black but then to say that you are biracial... if you get what I mean...

Jaqueline Fleming: Oh absolutely. When you try to stress a point, you pick out what’s gonna get your point across. And at the end of the day, in America it’s African-American this, I mean I get that but I have never been like ‘Oh I got this in me and that in me’, no. I'm a black woman [laughs]. That’s just it! I’mma have a some black kids [laughs]. That’s what it is. 

Anyway, again, I completely understand and respect all the views on this and I embrace it and so that’s why I put the picture on my Facebook page because I wanted people to know that I’m aware of it and respect everyone’s opinion no matter what it is and feel free to share your voice about it because maybe it’s something that I can say to you that will cause you to maybe see it in a different way, maybe you won’t, maybe you will, but I think that we need to stay open.

Another thing is that there are a lot of artists out there that are like ‘well this wasn’t fact’, it was fictional’. So if you take away the artistic vision that a director or producer has for a film or even a writer… just because a book or something went down in history, does not mean that it’s gonna have the correct interpretation by the time Hollywood puts it in the box office. The Color Purple didn't have the correct interpretation on film to me! Do you know what I’m saying?

I think at some point you gotta realise that you’re dealing with Tim Burton. This is a Tim Burton film with Harriet Tubman.

And like I was in an interview with Spike Lee, you know we were on the same radio spot together and he was laughing and said ‘just tell me your hair weren’t straight in the movie’. And I was like ‘of course not’, he was making fun of it. And he was like ‘hey it’s a Russian director, whatcha gonna do’?. If Spike Lee had done it, I would be pissed! [Laughs]. I’d be like ‘what!’. So… you have to look at the who the person behind the message is and what it is that they are trying to say. You know, what that story is about. 

And I don’t, in my honest opinon, I really don’t think that they were trying to offend the audience but I can’t speak for the director but I don’t think that he was because of what he said to me.  He was so sincere about it and he said it. You know it wasn’t like ‘Oh I want Harriet Tubman to be light skin and pretty’, no he was really sincere.  He said ‘I was concerned that the actor could tell her story’.  So… I don’t think he would lie about it. 

Moderne Meid: I think he had some valid reasons for picking you if he felt that you could play the role.  I don’t think people considered that.

Yeah and I worked so hard on it and that is what was so hurtful… seeing the scenes that I worked on, weren’t even in the movie. And that was a huge let down to me and like I said, my agent who is also my artistic director at the acting studio, she has 23 nominations as a theatre director, she is an African-American historian. She reminds me of a Maya Angelou and she has done plays before, about Harriet Tubman so… she’s one of the top coaches in America. I’m working with someone who knew Harriet, inside and out. She just… she knew her and all the things about the history of her and the emotions that go into playing a role like that because of what all that Harriet Tubman had to endure.

I still say, what connects us? I’m still having trouble. And I’m telling you, I’ve almost been blackballed in this market for being on my soap box on Facebook for talking about there aren’t enough opportunities for African-Americans behind the camera here. We don’t have any African-American casting directors here. I’ve been so vocal about it to the point where my agent is like ‘you know, you’re being heard. Just know that it may hurt your auditions. You are being heard though’. So again… I’m for African Americans. I want to give more of what we deserve.

Moderne Meid:  I think it’s amazing that you’ve put a lot of time into playing Harriet.

Jaqueline Fleming: A lot and that was for what, five seconds of fame in the movie? But I took that role so seriously. I mean when they were dressing me the first day and I was out there outside, I was in the zone and I was not playing around. I opened my mouth and nothing came out. I just froze. I didn't want to fail... I just put so much pressure on myself to do the role well. The first day was so tremendously hard for me. You know after that I was like ‘'ok I’m going to act. I was preparing for this, I was preparing for this'’. How could you ever really play her, you know what I mean? I mean, how could you? She was one of the most remarkable women in history. And Cicely Tyson did it but that’s Cicely Tyson. [Laughs]. I ain’t no Cicely Tyson.

Source: Cicely Tyson as Harriet Tubman in A Woman Called Moses

Moderne Meid: I was wrong to assume that you possibly wouldn’t have been able to connect to that role and I apologise for that. What you’ve explained to me, makes me realise that you had every right, just like anyone else, to play this role. You were the best person for it because you put a lot of time into it and you understood that not anyone could just play this role.

Jaqueline Fleming: There have been a couple of people that have contacted my publicist for an interview about this but some of the things that they have said were just so… so hurtful and so mean that I’m still praying on it. And so I read your blog, and seen the pictures of Lucy Liu and Angelina Jolie and… I’ve read every last one of them (the blogs) because my publicist makes it a point to send them to me. And I said, ‘'I would like to interview with you'’. I don’t know why, I think… you know I’m a very spiritual person but for some reason God said yes. I’m glad it worked out though and if it hadn’t, I would still say thank you and I appreciate you.

Moderne Meid: Thank you. I’ve been wondering why me for an interview, because there are more established blogs and even certain News outlets who wrote about this topic. So why me when there are so many other blogs out there?

Jaqueline Fleming: Yeah they asked for an interview and I didn’t say yes. No, I didn’t say yes… you know at the end of the day, I don’t feel like it’s a mistake in my life and everything is for a reason. I feel spiritually led. Like me being in New Orleans, this was not in my plans at all. I was really coming down here for a New Years Eve party [laughs]. None of this was in my plans. My house is still in L.A! 

Moderne Meid: I just want you to know that I will put this out there. I will not twist your words or anything like that. I support black actresses and actors, black people in general. I support anything that improves black people.

Jaqueline Fleming: I appreciate that a lot. In some interviews I can’t recall saying that! I’m not really too keen on doing interviews unless it’s videotaped because what they play back is actually what you said.   

But thank you again because if you hadn’t, posted what you posted, then you and I, never would be speaking right now. And I think that you know it’s important that I learn from you and you from I and we just keep putting the energy back out there in the world. But thank you, I appreciate it.

Moderne Meid: No, thank you! I feel like we’re going back and forth with the thank yous. Thank you for letting me interview you. So you’ve pretty much answered my next question which is actually, do you feel that your role has enabled you to connect to Harriet, on a level that many others probably never will?

Jaqueline Fleming: I can’t speak for what any other actor can or can’t do, I can just only speak for me and I did, I really, really, felt connected to her. I remember after one of the scenes I did that wasn’t in the movie, a couple of the crew people came up and they said ‘you gave us chills’. And they were like ‘wow’. Because a lot of people were looking at me like ‘ok yeah let’s see what this is about’. You know everybody was kinda looking and for them to say that… I remember the lady who would do my hair, she came up to me and said ‘your performance was so beautiful’ and she had tears in her eyes. 

I think they were affected by the words and hopefully my performance as well but I wish, I wish it’d have been in the movie. Some of the scenes… the audience would have made that connection with Harriet Tubman. And so um… I don’t know what any other actor can do but I look forward to seeing Harriet Tubman back at the boxoffice, I really do and in all of her glory… played by an actress that looks like her and can tell her story far more better than anyone else.

I can’t wait. I just kept saying Harriet Tubman is at the boxoffice, this is a new beginning! Come on!

And I hope some African-American director says ‘I’mma go on and I’mma get it right’. I’ve been telling Spike Lee that, you know, take it and run!

I think that our hero should never be forgotten. 

About African-Americans and movie roles...

Moderne Meid: That’s amazing. This leads me to a subject of African-Americans in movies. Do you feel that African-American history needs to be portrayed more at the boxoffice, or do you feel that there’s pretty much enough of that?

Jaqueline Fleming:  You know… I’m always for learning. You know there’s so many kids and teens and young adults that probably would go to the boxoffice for something that’s entertaining at the same time and they can also be educated. But this is Hollywood, it’s dollars and cents, it’s a business. I think that’s why theatre is so important because you can bring all of these historical features alive in plays. You know like my agent did and she’s done plays on Harriet Tubman and that’s so important. It’s so important that we keep them alive.

Moderne Meid: That's very true. 

Jaqueline Fleming: I mean I would go to the movies to see a story at the boxoffice about Harriet Tubman, I mean who wouldn’t? I would love to be right there to see that. Remarkable… amazing.

You know I’m just glad they didn’t make me a vampire. [Laughs]. Throwing a little bit of comedy in here. They were making some people into vampires and I was like ‘oh god please don’t make me into a vampire’ [laughs]. So that’s when I became a little nervous when I came to work one day on the set and they said ‘oh they’ve started testing people as vampires’ and I thought ‘oh oh’ [laughs]. 

Moderne Meid: I think it would have been strange to see Harriet as a Vampire.

Jaqueline Fleming: Exactly! Or vampire slayer, or whatever. You know, a couple of blogs said, they should’ve made her a werewolf fighting blah blah blah. [Laughs]. They should have just kept the look, they call it the ludicrous or something, whatever the thing was, they said ‘they were almost there, they should have just kept going with it’. [Laughs]. Everybody has had something to say, it’s just been so different. It’s either this or that or way, way over here or way over there, I mean everyone is seeing it in a different way, I guess like they say ‘'beauty is in the eye of the beholder’'. Everyone is saying something different and taking something different away from it.

But that’s about it. I don’t know what’s next for me as an actor but I’ll never know. I don’t know what role I’ll be portraying next. I’m already developing another half hour sitcom, this is an all guys show. I’m working on that. And of course I want to continue to see the students at the studio progress and continue to work as actors… that’s always exciting. And do whatever God has for me next. I have two films coming out later this year. I don’t know I just… I’m living in the moment.

Moderne Meid: Do you see yourself acting in similar roles, let’s say, portraying another African-American person of importance?

Jaqueline Fleming: If I fit the physical appearance… if I felt like I could truly capture their story, absolutely… in something that is completely fact, absolutely. I’m an actor, so whatever kind of roles they are, comedy or drama, as long as it doesn’t demean me or send a message that I’m not at this point in my life willing to send or compromise myself, hey I’m up for it. I really enjoy working with different directors and meeting different people on set… it’s so hard to get an acting job, you have to compete with so many people, so when you get it you’re just like ‘wow’ you’re so grateful to be there. Then you just pray you get another opportunity.

Moderne Meid: Do you find that it might be more difficult for African-Americans to get acting jobs compared to people of other ethnic groups?

Jaqueline Fleming: Here in Louisiana there are so many Caucasian actors and they all try and go up for that same role. There is not as many African-American actors here, so the competition is not as fierce. But I’m talking in this pool here, and we’re not talking about these starring roles either. But in Hollywood yeah, I mean, I feel like sometimes they’re written for Caucasian people. But they don’t have to be. Take for instance Contraband, that is not an African-American role. I told my agent ‘well submit me for it, why can’t I go in for it? ’. I mean she just owns a hair salon, she’s a human being at the end of the day. They said she’s blonde haired and blue eyed… why can’t I do that role? It wasn’t written for an African-American actress and um… I think somebody was telling me the same thing about Anthony Mackie. We were watching a movie and they were saying that he really, really was telling his agent, '‘I want to go in, I want to be considered for that role''... for a detective or something like that, or a cop.

Sometimes I feel like, we don’t get the opportunity. It’s like, why does that role have to be white? Why can’t it be Asian or African-American or Latin? I don’t understand that sometimes.

Moderne Meid: But at least you’re going after the role, even though it’s not particularly for an African-American person.

Jaqueline Fleming: Yeah! A I said, my agent and I are really close and as the founder of a talent agency, that was one of the things when I was brining agents on, you know, I said think outside the box. I said ‘submit everyone on this roster’.

But I’mma tell you something and I really feel like this. When I hear people who that I know that have a whole lot of money in this entertainment industry, complaining about the kind of roles that they get, I’m like, why don’t you just create your own role? Why don’t you put up your own money and shoot a movie? I mean I put up my money and shot a TV show. I don’t understand that. Why can’t you call this director and get this producer and get this cast together and create your own shows and create your own movies?

That is mind boggling to me. I mean I would do it. I would put $10million dollars into a film, if I wanted to play a certain kinda role. Why not? If you have a role and you’re complaining, that is not good. [laughs]. Do something about it! I tell people all the time, you can talk to people on Facebook but until you take a step of action, it’s just talking.

Moderne Meid: Is that also part of the reason why you set up the acting school just to give people of ethnic minorities an opportunity to play in movies but also be creative about it when it comes to acting jobs?

Jaqueline Fleming: Absolutely! I mean in acting classes, we come in and we do all kinds stuff in here. And this is where you can express your artistic freedom and go out there and say ‘hey I want to fight for this role, I want to play a person like this’. I teach showbusiness. At the end of the day, this is a business and we have to treat it as such. I keep telling them ‘don’t forget how to direct and produce and write’.

And that’s why I say this is all God because I couldn’t even balance my check book when I lived in L.A. as an actress. I was all over the place. If someone had told me I’d be a mentor, I’d be like ‘what?! Get out of here’. [Laughs].

Moderne Meid: Do you feel like moving from L.A. to New Orleans helped out your career?

Jaqueline Fleming: Well, I don’t know… obviously I don’t work as much as an actress because the roles aren’t that substantial every once in a while I got booked, Contraband was a good role, Abraham Lincoln… but you know, the opportunities for the major, major roles are in Los Angeles. You need to have an L.A. agent and be out there. 

But I just feel like it’s all gonna payoff. I told my agent I was gonna stay in Louisiana and they said '‘ok we’re gonna drop you’'. And I remember sitting on the steps of my studio and looking at the head shots on the walls and I was crying. I was like ‘God what is this about?’. I want to go home but I couldn’t leave. The students had me. The kids running through the studio working, acting, booking jobs and… they had my heart. And I was like wow so I’m not in L.A. as an actress although I miss it a lot but I’m here and I’m helping other people. God will look out for me.

Moderne Meid: That is completely amazing. I have one final question though, do you feel that racial background should play some importance when it comes to the selection of particular actors or actresses to play a certain role or do you feel the way that they execute the role is more important?

Jaqueline Fleming: For me, it depends on the job and the style of the film. Obviously like I said, I would have been angry, irate, insulted, had a light skinned actress play Harriet Tubman in a movie that was not fictional but was supposed to be accurate, historical. Again, it depends on the style of the movie, some things are just a scoop. But if it’s accurate and it’s supposed to be accurate, I don’t think so. Like I said, I took the role very seriously in spite of Abraham Lincoln supposedly fighting vampires [laughs]. I just think at the end of the day, we shouldn’t be too rough on the artists because we all have our artistic expression… the director, producer and writer. The story comes from the writier, it is his interpretation and the director takes it from there. So you know, I just don’t want people to be afraid to not do what it is that they see, but at the same time, keep in mind that some things you can’t distort. But if it’s fictional,, then distort it… it is what it is. I think people were talking when Denzel Washinton was portraying Malcolm X right? And they were saying that Malcolm X was way lighter than he was. I never had a problem with that. I looked at how well he did in the role and that’s what I saw.

I think that’s it. At the end of the day, I just want the message to be there. I respect everyone and I come from a place of love. I just think we just need to be about positive energy in the world and not the arguing and the back and forth.

Moderne Meid: That’s a really good message because I think a lot of people can take away from this interview and learn not to be judgmental about how people identify themselves as and things like that.

Jaqueline Fleming: I agree. Not to be so judgmental… Hollywood is an illusion and often people don’t get to know the person behind the people that they see on TV, interview and all of that. I’m an open book. I try to be as honest as possible and say what I feel. I can be a little private about my personal life but other than that, I try to present Jaqueline… you know? This is me, this is what I do and this is what I’m about. 

To Follow Jaqueline Fleming:

Twitter of Under One Roof: @underoneroof12

Jaqueline Fleming Twitter: @jaqfleming

Twitter of Jaq's Acting Studio: @jaqactingstudio