Letter of Grievance and Concerns Regarding the Marketing and Promotional Graphics of the Open Road Fund

 

These Imagines Are Degrading The African American Community 

Christopher Seymore

Founder of African American Self Reparations Think Tank and Life Changing Out Reach Programs and Services (L.C.O.R.P.S.)

9/29/2023

To:

Board of Directors & Staff

Nexus Community Partners

2314 University Ave, Suite 18

St. Paul, MN 55114

(651) 289-7038

info@nexuscp.org

Subject: Concerns Regarding the Marketing and Promotional Graphics of the Open Road Fund

Dear Members of the Board,

I trust this letter finds you well. I write to you today as the founder of the African American Self Reparations Think Tank and Life Changing Out Reach Programs and Services (L.C.O.R.P.S.), an organization dedicated to promoting equity, justice, and empowerment within the African American community. I also write as a concerned advocate for the betterment of our community, and it is in this spirit that I address you.

First and foremost, I would like to commend Nexus Community Partners for its admirable vision and commitment to creating equitable and just communities where all residents are recognized as leaders with pathways to opportunities. The Open Road Fund, which seeks to support Black descendants of the Atlantic Slave Trade, including formerly incarcerated individuals, single parents, senior citizens, those living with disabilities, LGBTQ+ community members, and more, is a commendable initiative that holds great promise.

However, my purpose in writing today is to express deep concern regarding the marketing and promotional graphics associated with the Open Road Fund. It is my belief that the images used to depict the recipients of these funds are not in alignment with the values and vision of Nexus Community Partners. These graphics not only fail to portray the African American community in a positive light but, in fact, perpetuate degrading stereotypes that have historically been used to demoralize our community.

The images in question are deeply troubling. They include representations such as:

- A single overweight Black mother displayed as a historical "Black Mammy with Child," looking as if she won the lottery.

- A Black man twerking and dancing like a woman in a pink shirt in the center of the illustration.

- A Black man dancing with another Black man with no shirt and no pants on in the presence of children and the elderly.

- Black women dancing with Black women.

- Black men dancing with Black men, wearing sheer fishnet dresses with bare buttocks exposed.

- The illusion of a heterosexual couple with a child in one picture, while in the next graphic, the Black man has been removed from the illustration.

- Graphics showing some Black folks dancing and acting a fool with their tongues out while taking selfies, while other Black folks are enjoying nature peacefully, as if the former group is not there jumping around and acting a fool.

- An absence of any depiction of Black heterosexual nuclear families.

- The image background resembles a mountainous desert oasis with no infrastructure, no electricity, no buildings of any type; nothing that exudes Black excellence, African-American sustainability, or wealth.

Throughout our history in the United States, African Americans have endured systemic oppression, discrimination, and dehumanization. From slavery to Jim Crow laws and ongoing racial disparities, our community has fought tirelessly for recognition, justice, and equality. In this context, the images used in the promotion of the Open Road Fund are not only out of place but deeply demoralizing. They perpetuate harmful stereotypes and undermine the vision of empowerment and justice that your organization seeks to achieve.

As we work collectively to build a more equitable society, it is imperative that non-profit organizations, particularly those with multi-million dollar corporate and governmental partnerships, take great care in how they portray the communities they aim to serve. The impact of such depictions goes beyond marketing; it influences perceptions, reinforces biases, and ultimately hinders the progress we all seek.

I kindly request an explanation behind the concept of these pictures and graphics, as they seem incongruous with the admirable vision of Nexus Community Partners. I implore you to consider the historical context and the devastating impact that such imagery can have on our community's self-esteem and collective spirit.

It is my hope that Nexus Community Partners will take this grievance seriously and take immediate steps to rectify this issue. I look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to ensure that the images associated with the Open Road Fund align with the values of equity, justice, and empowerment that we all hold dear.

Thank you for your attention to this matter, and I remain hopeful for a resolution that fosters positive change.

Below you will find what the African American Community deem as more appropriate  illustrations / graphics of more sustainable African American Community. 

Sincerely,

Christopher Seymore

clseymoreis@gmail.com