I echo these words of novelist and frequent NPR commentator John Ridley. This is a picture of missing Chicago woman Nailah Franklin. The 28 year-old has been missing since 18th of September. Franklin is listed as 5’2” and weighing about 115 pounds. The pharmaceutical representative was reported missing after she didn’t show up to an important meeting with her boss. Her car and some other personal belongings were found a couple of days ago. Check out the link from the local CBS station in Chicago for more information. It is well documented that when the missing aren’t blond or blue-eyed there tends to be less or no real coverage at all. I grapple with my thoughts of issues dealing with race and race relations. I try to find a deeper reason as to why it appears at times one person’s life is valued more than another in this country. I am cautious as to how I approach this issue as I don’t want to offend readers who may see it as just a black/ white issue or more importantly forces them to label my writing. I think the most important thing is to stay focused on spreading the word about the missing. I think by keeping the names of the missing out there even it is only this medium will help and I wanted to do my part. As a communication student this is one area I would like to see change. I always always always want to be part of the solution and never a part of the problem. Earlier this June, Ridley commented on the issue on The Huffington Post .As I mentioned in my 23rd of September post, I am a blogger in training and thanks to The Write Stuff, I have acquired another skill in the blogging world – Hyperlinking! I had actually given up on this and had planned to just copy and paste all the links to the relevant stories. Thanks again, Write Stuff! Because of you dissemination in its proper form will continue.
1 comment:
Good to see someone else spreading the word on this lovely young woman! I thought I would just post to let you know that here in Chicago, Nailah's disappearance has been HUGE in the media and definitely covered to the same level as a missing white woman from the suburbs a few months back. I don't deny the well-documented fact that minorities receive less coverage than whites in missing person's cases, but, at least in this case, the Chicago media is all over this story. With the help of them and all of the bloggers spreading the word I hope Nailah will be reunited with her family.
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