The United States of America has a long history of monetizing culture of people they simultaneously demonize.
To commercialize the culture of an oppressed people without embracing their struggle is appropriation. The discomfort of being called out for inherently racist behavior should not outweigh the actual the discomfort of systemic oppression.
This is an issue people of color face every day.
We create art, music, food, drink, literature, inventions. We rarely have the equity to launch these endeavors ourselves, because we do not have equal access to capitalization. There are and always have been people who are happy to make millions from out creations while we suffer. It is one thing to want to enjoy the richness of cross-cultural life, and another entirely to acknowledge the pain and suffering with which this richness was achieved.
It is one thing to want to enjoy the richness of cross-cultural life, and another entirely to acknowledge the pain and suffering with which this richness was achieved.
The way we benefit from cross cultural pollination without exploitation is simple: pay people of color their fare share for monetizing their culture, and give appropriate credit where it’s due. We fight for equity because we are generations behind equality. Part of helping stop racism is acknowledging how deeply embedded it is in our systems. This means not only supporting creators but their causes: rallying for economic and opportunistic equality.
If we can pull back centuries of systemic disadvantage, we can begin to enjoy what we all have to offer on an evened playing field.
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