MEMO TO BLACK PEOPLE, MY BEAUTIFUL BLACK PEOPLE, WHO I LOVE VERY DEEPLY: We gotta really stop producing conferences, summits, galas and award dinners, graduations, tv and radio programs, etc etc etc where there are way too many speakers or panelists or some combination of both. It is maddening to hear speaker after speaker say essentially the same things when one speaker would do, two max. Equally maddening to see 10 or more people on a panel attempting to discuss a major issue in our communities but barely any time to do so because there are just way too many people. I am clear we mean well, that we work hard, and are trying very hard, but please please please lets rethink trying to shove everything into one event. After two decades of being out there speaking I simply cannot take it any longer, and it has gotten to a point where I am asking folks who else is speaking or how many people on the panel, and is it gender-balanced, or mostly men, per usual? I mean no offense but good God the torture I have felt just sitting somewhere waiting to speak, and all the folks whove gone before me basically having said anything I could possibly say. It is unfair to do that to any speaker who gives up her or his time and energy, whether they are paid or not (and it has happened to me both for free gigs and for paid ones). Either we value what that person brings to the table holistically or we do not. If we truly value her or him, then give her or him the space to do what they do, trusting they can cover all you need to cover, especially if she or he has lived and has been doing serious work for a long time, and is very well-rounded. Otherwise it comes across as if you are just using her or his name and so-called status to add luster to your event. That winds up being a disservice to everyone. Including the poor audience that has to sit unnecessarily for long periods to hear speaker after speaker.
Posted on: Fri, 20 Jun 2014 11:39:07 +0000
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